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Engagement strategies

Strategies to engage youth in sport

Below is a summary of strategies that coaches, teachers and sporting organisations can use to engage disengaged and inactive students and make sport more enjoyable for young people overall.

More detail on each of the strategies can be found in the Addressing the decline in sport participation in secondary schools.

Program delivery

  • Allow youth to nominate and participate with friends
  • Hold programs during the school day, scheduled during class time
  • 1 session per week minimum, with a total of 5-8 sessions
  • Session length of 50-70 minutes
  • Deliverer-to-person ratio of 1:15 for low skilled group
  • Equipment to person ratio of 1:1
  • Define optimum activity and group sizes and stick to it, or plan adapted activities
  • Use more body language and less verbal commands with CALD youth

Program deliverer

  • Allow youth to nominate and participate with friends
  • Hold programs during the school day, scheduled during class time
  • 1 session per week minimum, with a total of 5-8 sessions
  • Session length of 50-70 minutes
  • Deliverer-to-person ratio of 1:15 for low skilled group
  • Equipment to person ratio of 1:1

Program design

  • Use the initial activity to build rapport, confidence and assess the person’s skill
  • Use a fun game-based format, not drills
  • Use a game sense approach
  • Provide clear instructions of rules, skills and techniques
  • Match level of physical exertion to student capabilities
  • Minimise idel time between activities
  • Give shorter time for basic skills and circuits longer time for free-flowing games
  • Program flexible activities that can adapt to diverse youth groups
  • Moderate competition, ensuring it is inclusive
  • Group youth by skill level
  • Utilise team activities
  • Use several diverse contact points to recruit students to sport programs

Program features

  • Gym programs can build confidence for sport
  • Bridging and wellness programs can build strength and body confidence
  • Try fitness and stress relief programs to provide physical.mental wellbeing
  • Allow youth to play and chose music for fun or as a reward
  • Beat the weather by planning modified activities for the classroom
  • Use technology i.e. pedometers, to measure individual and group improvement
  • Don’t be afraid to include contact in sport - youth prefer it
  • Inject novelty, i.e. gala days, to excite and motivate youth

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