Factors Affecting Participation in Certain Sports

Factors Affecting Participation in Certain Sports

Your peers are the people you mix with who have similar interests and

backgrounds and are roughly your age. Your peer group has a big

influence on the way you behave and the things that you do. This is

not always expressed words. If you wear the “wrong” clothes or do the

“wrong” things you can very quickly feel left out. If you peers

approve of an activity, you will feel encouraged to do it. Sadly,

peer-group pressure can also force people to give up sports even

though they enjoy them.

Family

Your family can have a similar effect on you as your friends can. We

pick up many of our habits and values from home. If your family enjoys

sport and gives you the opportunities to participate, then it is

likely that you will. Most young people depend upon parents and family

for kit and help with travel to sports events. The opposite is again

true. If your Family has a negative attitude to physical activity it

is likely you will to.

Gender

There is a mistaken believe held by some people that sports is a man’s

world. There certainly seem to be few barriers put up to prevent men

from participating in physical activity. Far more men Participate in

physical activity than women.

Race

People from minority ethic groups can be discriminated against when it

comes to physical activity. Many people have the mistaken belief that

they are physiologically different because they are a different

colour, and this means they will be good at some activities and not

others. For example some people believe that all black people are fast

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...al activity also

depends on their politicians. All governments get involved in sport

for one reason or another. For example, facilities cost so much to

build that the government usually has to pay at least something

towards them. A government may promote sport for all in an attempt to

cut the cost of the health service or cut crime. It may promote

excellence in sport so as to bring a sense of pride to the country and

raise its standing in the outside world.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship also has an effect on participation, as it is this that

brings money into sport. Even local level, small businesses often

sponsor teams and help them financially, allowing people to play. How

ever sponsors can decide to pull out of the deal very easily and

leaves the team needing to find another one or stop playing.