TALKING POINT
Although the number of people playing sport hasn’t increased since 2012, there are now more people playing sport than in 2005, when London won the Olympic bid
NICK BITEL
Chair Sport England
L
ast year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games were a huge success and off the back of this we have achieved something that no other host nation has
ever done – to increase the number of people playing sport regularly. Our latest sports participation survey – the largest of its kind in Europe – shows that 15.5 million people are playing sport once a week, every week, an increase of more than 1.5 million since London won the bid to host the Games. When figures were published in June they showed a small dip reflecting the exceptionally cold winter when icy roads and waterlogged pitches kept people at home. The latest Active People Survey figures indicate that once the snow had cleared, people got back on their bikes and put on their trainers. We’re also very pleased that a record number of
disabled people and people of BME origin now play sport each week, testament both to the impact of the Paralympic Games and Sport England’s increased investment in the grassroots. Although the data shows record participation numbers
for many areas, we can’t be complacent. There is still more to be done. Our latest figures show that the numbers of 16-25-year-olds playing sport has declined by 51,000 over the last year to 3.74 million. While this means the majority of this age group still play sport regularly, the numbers are not going up. We’ve seen a sharp drop in the popularity of traditional sports like football and netball, and an increased interest in less traditional sporting activities from dance to dodgeball. We must refocus our efforts and respond to these trends.
F
JOHN STEELE
Chief executive Youth Sport Trust
or many people involved in sport, ‘legacy’ is a word much used but little understood. Everybody likes to talk about it, but try and pin down a simple
definition of what legacy is, and you run into problems. At the Youth Sport Trust we’re clear that meaningful
legacy must centre on building on London 2012’s promise to inspire a generation. There’s no doubt that the Games gripped young minds across the nation, however, for us, it runs much deeper than a spike in interest, or even a bounce in sporting participation. If we are to deliver sustainable change we need to make
a difference where it really matters – in primary schools. The House of Lords legacy report certainly recognises the importance of investing in primary school teachers, which is something the YTS has championed for some time. The government’s funding for primary school sporting provision is definitely a step in the right direction. However, if we are to build a sustainable future for school sport, we need to ensure that teachers are equipped to deliver high quality PE and raise levels of physical literacy. Delivering high quality PE should not be underestimated
and must be viewed as important as literacy and numeracy. To make this happen requires excellent teaching, but we know that half of all primary teachers receive less than 10 hours of PE training when studying – with many subsequently lacking the confidence and competence to deliver high quality PE. As a result, we’re at risk of failing to equip an entire generation with the physical literacy skills – running, jumping and catching – that young people need to have a happy and healthy life.
22 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital
Issue 4 2013 © cybertrek 2013
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