Ireland, despite its petite geographic scale, has generated a remarkable array of globally recognised sports figures. Nevertheless, the decreasing participation in sports after the primary school years raises alarm. Children and youthful adults might take stimulus from their sports heroes, yet this doesn’t seem to sustain engagement in athletic activities.
The heartening aspect is that government and sports organisations are acutely conscious of the problem. They have embarked on extensive investigations into factors causing the trend and potential rectifications to enhance sport engagement among children transitioning to adulthood.
A key initiative in this respect, the Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study by Sport Ireland, examines the responses of close to 9,000 pupils and youths, aged between 10 to 19. The participants across Ireland shared their sporting activities for both 2018 and 2022. The responses indicated that overall engagement rates had seen an upturn since 2018, including augmenting numbers of primary and secondary school students partaking in school sports at least weekly. This study was undertaken in conjunction with Sport Northern Ireland and Healthy Ireland.
Regardless of these encouraging results, a significant gender discrepancy persists. The study revealed similar sports involvement amongst boys and girls in primary education. However, in post-primary school, female participation falls significantly compared to males, who usually adhere to the national fitness recommendations more consistently. Evidence also suggests that children from more affluent backgrounds tend to be more active in sports.
For some years now, Allianz Ireland has headed an awareness drive, titled ‘Stop the Drop’, targeting this scenario. Its latest report features some distressing revelations from detailed research concerning sports involvement.
The study disclosed that on average, Irish children discontinue sports at about 11 years of age, marking a brief engagement of approximately 4.5 years culminating with the move from primary to secondary education. With regards to the gender imbalance, girls were disproportionately underrepresented in sport participation. Around half the girls in the sample either withdrew from sports or didn’t take part to begin with.
The research also indicated high dropout rates for individual activities such as swimming, dance and athletics compared to team sports like football, Gaelic football, hurling and camogie.
According to a report, continuing in sports activities for children is deeply rooted in having a team, the inclusion of friends, and a communal setting. The narrative also highlights that the motivation to abandon sports is complex and multi-faceted. Boys who partook in the survey indicated that the pressing demand to outperform and diminishing joy from the sport contributed to their decision. Conversely, for girls, they cited alternate hobbies, academic pursuits, and social engagement as key elements.
Although sport constitutes a significant component of our national character, Allianz Ireland CEO Phillip Gronemeyer reveals that one-fifth of children stop engaging in sports when they transition from primary to secondary education. “Given that we are the principal school insurer in Ireland, protecting over half a million children, we aim to inhibit this decrease in sports involvement,” comments Gronemeyer.
In their efforts, Allianz champions some of the country’s leading athletes, such as Rhasidat Adeleke, an ambassador for Allianz who found success at the European Championships in Rome the previous month. She consistently stresses the significance of sports for the youth, stating, “More than achieving victory, sport boosts social interaction, enhances physical health and offers more benefits.”
Phil Healy, Adeleke’s team-mate and another medalist at the European Championships, shares these sentiments. The Cork-based woman is part of the Sport Ireland Campus Kids’ Camps endorsed by Allianz. According to her, peer pressure is one factor why adolescents feel unable to maintain their commitment to sports. Healy emphasises, “children often find it difficult to avoid such comparisons to others,” and continues, “striving for your personal best regardless of the competition’s outcome is the key. The happiness that comes from knowing you’ve given your utmost should be the driving force.”
Indeed, she alleges that the emphasis on victory can negatively impact participation rates in sports. Healy believes that Ireland needs to revise its current ethos which equates non-winning with failure, and orient it on fun, making friends and physical activity. Recalling her own experience, she says, “As a child, I was surely not winning everything, but I was definitely enjoying myself.”
Many individuals mistakenly believe they must engage in traditional sports such as football or native Gaelic games and if they don’t enjoy these, they tend to abandon sports altogether. However, during childhood, I found it very beneficial to experiment with a range of sports, giving swimming, athletics and even hurling a go.
It’s absolutely crucial to help young people understand that there’s always a sport out there for everyone. An active lifestyle can be enjoyable; the key lies in exploration and finding what sport appeals to you.
Irish taekwondo hopeful and Allianz representative, Jack Woolley, emphasizes the idea of seeking out a sports activity that suits each individual, instead of resorting to quitting altogether. His journey into multiple sports began at the tender age of six, with the full support of his mother.
Woolley confesses his skills were far from ideal in sports requiring any sort of ball. In fact, he recalls with laughter his distinct lack of coordination, frequently resulting in what he refers to as “two left feet”. But his talent for taekwondo was glaringly obvious and ignited a passion within him, making him look forward to each training session after school, particularly because he came from a disadvantaged area, Jobstown. Engaging in sports activities from a young age, he claims, provides a healthy outlet for young people.
Etching in the minds of young people the rewarding attributes of sports participation is paramount, according to Woolley. He fondly remembers how the sport imparted a valuable lifelong lesson – the fruits of hard work and dedication.
School teacher and professional boxer from Ashbourne, Jenny Lehane, who is training for her competitions in Paris, is of the view that Ireland’s found a great trajectory with multiple role-models who boys and girls can look up to for inspiration. However she also stresses that those who are most familiar with each child can best inspire and goad them into sticking with their chosen sport.
Influential figures, such as parents, teachers and coaches, play an instrumental role. As Lehane states, educators, with their considerable influence on children’s worldview, can significantly encourage the kids to continue their pursuit in sports.
Lehane herself knows the effect of this affirmation on a child first-hand. As a teacher, she focussed on building a personal rapport with her students, often conveying a simple but powerful message of trust and encouragement. This connection has the power to motivate and inspire, just as she experienced as a child.
Lehane strongly believes in the importance of offering adequate support to children who find it difficult to balance academic pursuits with sporting activities. Dropping out of a sport due to this imbalance can lead to regret later in life, a sentiment she often encounters in adults of varying ages.
Addressing traditional gender roles is equally essential, Lehane maintains. She highlights the harmful effects that typical stereotypes – such as boys being faster or physically stronger than girls – can have on children’s subconscious perceptions. She emphasises the importance of reinforcing the message that gender does not affect the opportunities available to them.
Lehane also discusses the significance of demystifying topics traditionally deemed taboo, such as the menstrual cycles of girls. There’s a need, she asserts, to normalise periods, as they are a natural occurrence for a significant portion of the population. She believes that it should not affect their participation in sports and that adaptable solutions can be found.