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Submission by Associate Professor Beth Hands on 15 October 2008.
1. Ensure Australia's continued elite sporting success
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2. Better place sport and physical activity as a key component of the Government's preventative health approach
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3. Strengthen pathways from junior sport to grassroots community sport right through to elite and professional sport
I was a participant in the recent Community Sport and Physical Activity Forum hosted by ASC in Canberra. We spent two days discussing the best way forward for supporting community sport. I wish to reiterate several points. 1. I believe that too much emphasis is placed on organized sport for young children. In some sports, formal competitions (e.g. a set time, place, and opposition) are offered for children as young as 5. Such competitions place pressure on sporting facilities and volunteers (two commonly identified concerns at the Forum) and reduce the time available for parents and other adults to participate in sport. Young children must be provided with the opportunities and movement skills to lead active, sporting lives, however too many children burnout in a particular sport when quite young. The National Junior Sport Policy recommended formal sport competitions started around 10 years of age. Physical activity levels and involvement in sport drop significantly in early adolescence- perhaps starting later might reduce the likelihood of this occurrence. 2. Young children need time to learn to amuse themselves however increasing peer pressure means that many parents feel the need to fill every after school time slot with a structured activity for their child- other wise they can be accused of neglect or poor parenting. We adds significant time and financial stress on families. 3. If parents participated in more physical activities (e.g. organised sports) and their children were encouraged to play on the side lines, we would strike a better balance and have more active and healthy communities! Such a change in community thinking would take a concerted effort- but a significant paradigm shift is needed. We need a national vision but local solutions!
4. Maintain Australia's cutting edge approach to sports science, research and technology
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5. Identify opportunities to increase and diversify the funding base for sport through corporate sponsorship, media and any recommended reforms, such as enhancing the effectiveness of the Australian Sports Foundation
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Page last updated: 15 October, 2008