Girls, Sport and Physical Activity 7-10

The involvement of students in physical activities is an important part of a comprehensive education. Schools need to develop and implement policies that encourage and support all students to participate in such activities throughout their school life and to develop positive attitudes that will continue into adulthood.

Childhood and adolescence are critical phases in the development of health behaviours and provide the opportunity to maximise the long-term benefits of health education and health promotion. There is considerable evidence that physical activity and improved fitness have direct and immediate effects on the health of young people.

Research shows that some groups of girls within our schools need support to take up the challenge of participation in sport by improving their skills, developing a positive attitude towards physical activity and by having the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of such activities.

Barriers to physical activity for a significant proportion of girls relate to a lack of enjoyment in physical activity, a narrow range of suitable available sports, a perception that they lack appropriate skills and lower levels of encouragement. Policies, strategies and programs need to be developed to remove these barriers.

Schools can teach explicitly about the impact gender issues have on students' lives and assist them to challenge stereotypical understandings of masculinity and femininity. Schools can also promote teaching and learning practices that are gender inclusive and include the recognition and equal valuing of the sporting achievements of girls.

Assessing the needs and interests of girls will assist schools to develop programs which aim at increasing the proportion of girls that are physically active. Peer and adult role models are useful ways of assisting girls to understand the benefits of physical activity.

School communities provide a range of services that can support schools to promote girls' sport. Useful links with community organisations can be developed which assist in the school's program and extend girls' experiences in physical activity beyond the school.

Schools can create an environment in which all girls are engaged in physical activities that are enjoyable, satisfying and beneficial by working with students, parents and community groups to encourage, facilitate and support the participation of girls in sport.

There was a concern amongst the PDHPE staff about the number of girls avoiding physical education and sport.

• students were interviewed about their lack of participation in sport and other physical activities
• students were surveyed about the physical activities that they would be interested in trying
• a program was developed that gave students the opportunity to try a variety of sports and physical activities over a period of ten weeks.

• improved attendance at sport by the majority of students
• increased student enjoyment of sport and physical activities
• increased student awareness of the range of activities available for physical activity.

• NSW Department of Education and Training (1998) Fitness and Physical Activity: A resource to support school communities, Sydney: NSW DET, Curriculum Support Directorate.
  
  NSW Department of Education and Training (1999) Gender issues in physical activity research report, Sydney: NSW DET, Curriculum Support Directorate.

• Ryder, J. & Campbell, L. (1988) Balancing acts in personal, social and health education, Sydney: Routledge. Sidentop, D. (1990) Introduction to physical education, fitness and sport, California: California Publishing Company