Factors influencing participation

Many rural, regional, and remote communities have a strong connection to sport, and sport participation rates (playing and volunteering) may be higher than in metropolitan areas, especially in traditional sports (e.g., Australian football, cricket, netball, bowls, etc.) ^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

This topic primarily focusses on research and resources relating to communities and individuals outside of major Australian cities, but it is important to note that the social, economic, and demographic characteristics of individuals and communities in these regions can vary substantially. ^{7, 8}

Organisations looking to develop programs or policies in these areas need to understand the factors that most impact specific communities or regions, and to develop local relationships to provide programs, resources, and policies that best meet the needs of each community. ⁸

Motivators

Top motivations to participate in sport physical activity by Australian aged 15+ living in regional or remote areas. ¹¹

• Physical health or fitness
• Fun/enjoyment
• To be outdoors/to enjoy nature
• To lose weight/keep weight off/tone
• Psychology/mental health/therapy

• Social reasons
• Sense of achievement
• Hobby
• For training purposes
• Performance or competition

Facilitators and barriers

Australian research and reports have identified numerous factors that can either facilitate or pose barriers to the participation of individuals residing in regional or remote Australian communities in sport.

Factors that Impact

In recent decades some rural, regional, and remote communities have struggled due to natural disasters (e.g., droughts, floods, bush fires), industry changes (e.g., changes in farming, mining, manufacturing, etc.), and demographic changes (growth/decline of some areas, younger people leaving for educational or employment opportunities, etc.). ^{3, 5, 30, 31, 32}

Characteristics of rural, remote, and regional communities may include:

• Generally lower incomes and educational qualifications. ^{20, 32}
• Higher proportion of individuals with risk factors for poor health (e.g., smoking, drinking to excess, obesity, physical inactivity). ^{24, 26, 32, 33}
• Reduced access to services (e.g., health, education, and transport). ^{5, 32, 33}
• More limited, declining, or fluctuating employment opportunities. ^{2, 32}
• Higher proportion of First Nation’s people (e.g., in 2021, an estimated 32% of the population in remote and very remote areas were First Nations individuals) ³²
• Older populations ^{5, 20, 32}
• Fewer activity choices—may lead to increased sport participation, especially in ‘traditional’ sports (e.g., Australian football, cricket, netball, bowls, etc.) ^{1, 15}

These factors can impact on sporting competitions, leading to high demands on volunteers, issues with availability of facilities, and even the merger or loss of sporting teams. ^{30, 34, 35}

There are some factors identified in the literature that are specific to—or have a high impact on—people living in rural, regional, remote areas.

See more on this topic:

• Overview
• Factors influencing participation
• Policies, programs, and supporting structures
• Awards and recognition