Sport in Australia - Assignment Example

Why Australians participate in Sports A new report filed by the Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport Research Group reveals that health and enjoyment are the two main reasons why Australians participate in sports. Speaking to reporters after the launch of the report, Peter McKay, the Group’s chairperson, said that most people participated in sporting activities in order to maintain their physical fitness or as pastime activity. In effect, sports provided a major leisure activity for most Australians. “This possibly explains why few Australians are engaged in professional sports,” said Peter McKay. McKay further stated that most people conducted physical activities either in the evenings after work, or over the weekend. He added that this trend was rife especially among the urban folk. Marisol Franken, an administration coordinator for community services targeting Australians over the age of 55 corroborated McKay’s statements. Speaking to the media at the same event, Mr Franken most people turned up for physical fitness in the evenings and over the weekend. He, however, urged people to take physical fitness seriously, especially the Australian elderly. “We need to have a nation that is physically fit,” he averred. The report also showed that most Australians were not physically active. 34.1% of the people interviewed did not participate in any sporting activity or physical fitness program while 6.3% only participated “occasionally”. Only 29% of the research sample engaged in sports more than twice a week. Noting that physical fitness was key to the general health of an individual, McKay termed the findings as “grim reality”. He, however, stated that the research identified various constraints that hindered people from participating in sports of physical fitness programs. Some participants cited age as a major constraint where they stated that they were too old to take part in sports. Others were afraid of the occasional injuries that people sustained in sports whereas others were simply not interested. There are some who cited heavy responsibility at home or at the work-place while others put the blame on financial challenges. Nevertheless, there were other factors that motivated people to take part in sports. They included general well-being of individuals, peer pressure, weight loss, among others. In light of these findings, it is important that relevant authorities take up the challenge and work towards a better, healthier and physically fit Australia. There is need to put appropriate measures into place to encourage Australians to participate in sports and physical fitness programs. Moreover, every Australian has a responsibility of his or her health. It is a high time Australians came out of their cocoons and took sports and physical fitness seriously. End WORD COUNT: 435 Interview transcript #1 1. Peter McKay was interviewed at Sydney Gardens on 5 May 2014 at 4.00pm. 1. How would you rate the level of physical fitness in Australia? The level of physical fitness in Australia is very low. A large number of Australians do not participate in sports or physical fitness programs. This is a grim reality for this country. Those who do take part are not as frequent as is necessary health-wise. Only 29% are considerably frequent. 2. How valid are the findings of this report? The findings of this report are valid. We checked with several community service centers that provide physical fitness facilities and they confirmed that few people turn up at those centers. In addition, the Sports Department also stated that not very many people are enthusiastic in professional sports. This possibly explains why few Australians are engaged in professional sports. 3. What is the general attitude towards sports and physical fitness in Australia? I would say that Australians are not serious with their physical fitness. This is because there are many people who are simply not interested in their general well-being. This attitude cuts across all members of the society. There are the urban rich, who spend most of their time, either chasing money or engaging in passive leisure activities such as drinking or smoking, or both. Then, there is the urban poor that only care about meeting their basic needs and as such, have no time for sports. 4. Why do most people avoid sports or physical activities? There are a number of factors that drive most people away from sports and physical fitness. These include age, especially for the elderly who claim that their advanced age is taking a toll on them. Some are too poor to afford physical fitness facilities and cannot afford to visit the gym or a recreational center where they are required to pay. Some have no time as they have many responsibilities at home or at the work-place. 5. Are there any other factors that motivate people to participate in sports or physical fitness? Yes, there are a few other factors that motivate people to engage in sports. They include general well-being where people exercised in order to keep fit. Others do it in order to lose weight, as can be seen every evening when overweight people take to the track to jog or do aerobics in the gym. Some do it because their peers are in it. This is called peer pressure. 6. What would be your advice to Australians in general? Every individual has a responsibility towards their own health. It is, therefore, important for each Australian to make a personal decision to keep themselves healthy and physically fit. 7. What is the way forward? First, I call upon the government, through the relevant authorities, to design strategies that would encourage Australians to participate in sports and physical fitness programs. The government could ensure that there are sufficient training facilities in every neighborhood. It could also consider setting up public recreational points to cater for those who cannot afford private establishments. In addition, sensitization programs should be carried to enlighten people on the value of sports. This is because most people are keeping away from sports due to ignorance. Last, but not least, every Australian should learn to appreciate themselves and work towards making their lives better by doing exercises. Interview Transcript #2 Marisol Freanken, Administration Coordinator for Community Services, was interviewed at Kiwi Square on 5 May, 2014 at 7.00pm 1. Do you think sports and physical fitness are important in Australia? Sports and physical fitness are important in Australia because they reduce the amount of resources spent on unhealthy people. We need to have a nation that is physically fit. This is also important for economic, social and political purposes. 2. Do you participate in physical fitness programs? Yes, I take regular exercises everyday and I am also a member of the Kiwi Sports Club. Sports are my passion. 3. How often do people turn up for recreational activities? Most people turn up for training and exercise in the evenings and over the weekends. This may not be sufficient for them as it provides them very little time for exercise. In addition, some are usually already worn out from the day’s events; therefore, do not participate fully. 4. Do agree with the findings of the research that has just been launched? The findings of this research can never be further from the truth. I have observed that fewer and fewer people take part in sports and physical fitness. I have also observed that in my own neighborhood, few people are willing to exercise or take part in sports. 5. What do you think is the way forward for the country? We need to carry out sensitization campaigns in order to draw people’s attention to the importance of physical fitness. The government also needs to increase the facilities throughout the country in order to encourage people to train and exercise. Research Peter Sifkus, The National Center for Culture and Recreation The survey found that over 10 million people had taken part in sports or physical fitness programs for the last 12 months. However, the frequency of participation varied from occasional to very frequent. Frequent participants are those who participated more than twice a week for the last 12 months represent 29% of the population. Those who never participated accounted for 34% of the population (ABS, p.10). Apart from health and enjoyment, other motivators were weight loss, peer pressure, general well-being, competition and walking the dog (ABS, p.8). On the other hand, constraints included advanced age, fear of possible injuries, lack of interest, insufficient time due to many responsibilities and cost. Peter Sifkus National Center for Culture and Recreation Statistics (08) 8237 7438 Email: nccrs@abs.gov.au Potential follow-up news stories or features There are a number of potential follow-up stories to this story. They include: 1. A feature into the distribution of recreational facilities in Australia. 2. An investigative report into the constraints facing Australians in respect to sports and physical fitness. 3. A follow-up story after 12 months to determine if the level of fitness has improved. 4. A story on the performance of professional sports in Australia. All are suitable for the print media and news radio. Number 1 can be broadcast on TV with images of recreational facilities. Works cited Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Center for Culture and Recreation Statistics. Motivators and Constraints to Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation. Commonwealth of Australia, 2007. Print. Read More