Motivation
Much research has gone into why young people play sport and what they enjoy about it. An important thing to remember is to keep your child's best interests in mind and think about what they may want to achieve through their sport. Here is just a brief reminder of some points to consider.
Why do young people play sport?
Young people play sport for a number of reasons. Generally, young people play sport:
- To have fun with their friends
- For excitement and enjoyment
- To experience challenge, achievement and personal responsibility
- To improve their skills
Why do young people stop playing sport?
There are a number of factors that influence a young person’s decision to play sport and also to drop out of sport. What we do know is that young people do not enjoy sport when:
- There is an over emphasis on winning by parents, coaches and others.
- They don't get enough playing time
- They can not play with their friends because of imposed grading systems
- There is high praise for the best performers and little acknowledgement of others
- They are made to feel uncomfortable
- The coach is overly authoritarian
Further Information
Junior Sport Framework – Guideline 1, Long Term Involvement
