Why Do Kids Play Sports?

It was obvious to everybody that something had gone wrong with the sporting culture in England. The world will be watching closely to see just what the implications are for English sport and whether it will suffer as a result. Sport England’s chief executive, John Dellaert, said after the news that the governing body “was committed to building a strong, united English game”. He also pointed out that Sport England has been working hard on proposals to improve safety.

Speaking after the news, Sport England’s chief executive, John Dellaert, said: ‘This is not a changing attitude; we are committed to delivering a safe and healthy sport for our sport lovers. Our long-term plan is to make sure that the health and physical activity profile of the game stays high, even as we build on our competitive edge. We know there are problems, such as lack of training resources, exposure and enthusiasm. We need to address those. We have been working hard on these issues and taking some radical measures.’

One of the things, Sport England has tried to do is get more kids actively involved in non-contact sports. This seems to be a success with many children playing football, hockey and ice hockey. Ice hockey has developed some excellent schools and facilities. The success of this strategy could be tied in to the government’s target to get more young people involved in sport by getting them onto a sports coach team. Sport England has set itself an aim to develop half a million young people a year into players by the end of the decade. They want to see this goal achieved by every person in England, whether they are a sports player or not.

Dellaert believes that the rise in the popularity of the game is down to increased exposure and participation. He attributes this growth to television coverage, which has increased the number of people who watch matches regularly. He also credits more young people being open to the idea of a sporting pastime for a mixture of reasons.

Sport England has also worked hard to promote a more physical activity. The country’s participation in outdoor events has been on the increase. Dellaert says; ‘We now have a lot of young people who play sport but also have other lives outside sport. That shows you it is not just about winning the game but how you enjoy being part of a community or society.’ He goes on to say that participation in sport not only promotes healthy lifestyles but provides a fair competition.

Children love to play sports. It is exciting and challenging. I played rough and tough football when I was a teenager and I always looked forward to the next game. Sports can teach so many important lessons. We are constantly being told about the importance of physical activity and how it improves our health. By playing sports children learn discipline, how to concentrate and how to compete.