Reasons and opportunities for

participation in physical
activity
Leisure and Recreation
Leisure
OUR DAY: We can put most of our daily activities under the
heading of bodily needs, work, duties and leisure time.
Todays pattern of work: Most people still work regular hours and
this set the pattern for their lives. Leisure time will be at weekends
in the evenings and during holidays.
Changing working patterns today have seen more weekend
employment, flexi time and working from home. Working long
hours or overtime reduces our leisure.
In last 50 years there has been a great increase in the time people
have available for leisure.
 Reasons:
Working careers have become shorter as we continue
our education for longer and retire earlier
We live longer in retirement
Paid holidays have increased
Working hours have become shorter
Housework takes less time
Unemployment, short time and part time work have
increased.

Benefits: We should be free to choose our leisure time

activities. Physical recreation and sport are different and
offer other benefits.
1. Enjoyment: Enjoyment is the main reason why we take
part in sport and physical recreation.
Dance can be enjoyed for the experience of moving to the
music
Some players enjoy using up energy and aggression such
as judo
Archers get pleasure to hit the target
The thrill of going at speed over land water and snow
attracts riders, racing drivers , canoeists and skiers
Enjoy achievement e.g. winning a match.
 2. Health
Taking part in physical activity helps us to maintain good
health
Exercise is vital in weight control.
Stress is one of the greatest challenges to health today.
3. Social
We all need daily contact with other people. Physical
recreation gives us the opportunity to meet and talk to
others.
Many activities take place in sports centres or clubs.
4. Work: Avery few talented sports people can earn a living
as professional sportspeople. Many more are able to make
some money from sport as part time professional.
HOME INFLUENCES: We take part in sport or not is influenced
by many factors
Our family
Our friends and peers
Our social class
Our financial situation
Our environment

Family: Our family is a very important influence on us

If our parents play sport sporting atmosphere
Sporting parents and older brothers and sisters role models.
Children with famous sporting parents follow parents footsteps.
Family influences can also be negative.
Friends and peers: Our peers are the people who are the same
age as us. Our friends are often our peers.
What our friends do in their leisure time will usually affect us.
If our friends are not interested in sport we may drop out of sport
too.
If our friends take part in sport and enjoy it we might be willing to
give it a try.
In school, peer pressure can be strong.

SOCIAL CLASS: Social class refers to number of factors,

including type of employment, income level and family
background. Our social class can affect the type of activity we
take part in. Researchers show that fewer working class people
take part in sport than people from other social classes.
Financial situation
The amount of money coming into a family affects its
standard of living.
Even for school PE we need quite a lot of sports clothing
and equipment. Playing sport outside school time means
we will have to pay even more for equipment the hire of
facilities and the cost if joining a club or centre.
At higher levels, we need to pay travelling costs, training
fees and all the expenses of competition.
If sports opportunities at school are reduced children will
miss out if their parents cannot afford the fees at sports
centres and clubs.
ENVIRONMENT: Where we live affects some of the sports
If we live near the sea, a large lake or river there will be
greater opportunities to learn water sports
Country areas might provide opportunities for outdoor
activities.
Inner city areas will be short of open space but are more likely
to have many indoor facilities within travelling distance.
Cities and towns, because of their high population, may
attract both commercial and private sports clubs
In some parts of the country there is a tradition for a particular
local sport.
We may need transport to get to facilities in order to play
sport.
SCHOOL INFLUENCES: We are affects by our experience of PE in school and also by the
importance given to PE and sport by our school.
Changes in education: Over last decade there have been many changes in education
that have had an affect on PE in schools.
The National Curriculum: PE has always been a foundation subject in the National
curriculum.
This gave PE equal status with other subjects.
Examinations in PE: Most pupils now have the opportunity to study PE at IGCSE level
and an increasing number can take PE at A level.
Time given to PE: By laws, school has to teach the subjects of the National curriculum.
Open enrolment: Open enrolment means that schools are in competition with one
another to attract pupils.
Sports colleges: The government has allowed schools to specialize in certain subjects
including sport.
A sporting future for all: The government plans to put 600 school sports coordinators
into communities where the need is greatest. They will link together primary and
secondary schools with specialist Sports College in their area.

How do our PE lessons affect us?

PE has the same aim as other subjects on the school curriculum , in that it aims to
contribute to the general education of all the children. Good PE lessons in school
will encourage us to take part in sport after leaving school. There are three major
factors which influence whether or not we take part in sport after we have left
school.
Skills :
PE Teachers:
Teach all pupils the basic skills of a variety of different activities
Develop these skills during our years at school so that we can take part
confidently in the activities
May also improve our abilities through coaching and training during after school
practices
Sometimes will be able to send pupils to local sports clubs or centres of
excellence.
May offer pupils the opportunity to try for achievement awards in different sports.

Attitude :
PE Teachers

Try to develop in their students a positive attitude towards an active lifestyle

Explain the advantages of life long involvement in physical recreation
Use their own attitude and experience in their work as a role model for
students.

Health
PE Teachers
Explain the value of regular exercise for health and fitness
Go through the important principles involved in training for different sports in
both theory and practice.
Teach safe practice for all activities
Give advice for avoiding and if necessary dealing with injuries.
School and community links: Even if a school PE programme
is very good the school community links is vital in helping
young people continue with physical recreation after leaving
school. Pupils need to be introduced to the sports clubs,
activity groups and leisure centres in their local community
before they leave school.
Bridging the school community gap
School could
Bring club members centres managers and others involved in
community sport into the school
Arrange for pupils to visit the clubs centres and other facilities
in the area
Explain how to find out about other sports not taught at school
Clubs and centres could
Run special introductory courses for young people at school
Ensure the clubs and centers are welcoming to young people
Providing coaching and training for young people
Help young people with the costs.

Leaving school
We need to leave school with
A sound basis of sports skill
Wide experience of different activities
Good understanding of the link between health and exercise
A positive attitude towards physical recreation
Knowledge of local sporting activities.
A sporting future for all
The government will:
Prevent the sale of school and community playing field
Provide national lottery money to create new and
improve existing outdoor facilities especially in the
poorest areas
Encourage local authorities to be at the heart of
partnerships with private and voluntary groups to
improve sporting opportunities in the community
Expect NGBs in return for funding to develop sport in
the community by providing coaches opportunities and
detailed plans especially for deprived areas.
ION: Is any voluntary activity a person might do during leisure time
recreation is any physical activity a person may choose to do during leisure time.
ple choose recreational activity?

ent
n(job)

secretary - arranges meetings, keeps minutes, main source of communicating to mem

rer- looks after finances
person - represents the club at key meetings
hair - deputises for the chair - person
es secretary - arranges events
ership secretary - enroll new members