Aggression and over-competitiveness driving adults away from social sport

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Engaging adults in organised sport has always been a challenge, with many barriers preventing participation.  But the competitive and sometimes aggressive behaviour in social sport competitions - which most people join for enjoyment - is driving adults away.

Transcript

00:00Lily Grimley joined a social netball team with her friends a few years ago.

00:06What started as a fun, weekly get-together ended with an unexpected encounter.

00:11She actually tried to grab at my throat and really start a fight.

00:17She sort of was pushing and shoving and yelling at us and it sort of took everybody by surprise

00:23and really actually ended up ruining the game and, to be honest, the rest of the season.

00:28Once the season had concluded, Lily never returned to that competition and has since

00:32gone on to play in and drop out of others.

00:37While her experience was extreme, overly competitive and sometimes abusive behaviour isn't uncommon

00:42in social sport competitions, prompting adults to drop out.

00:46The number one reason why people play sport is for fun and enjoyment and now what's fun

00:51for you might be different than what's fun for me so as soon as it's not fun, people

00:55want to drop out.

00:57Sport becoming too competitive is one of the main barriers to participation for adults,

01:01particularly women, and that's one of the reasons why more than a third of adults aged

01:0518 to 64 are insufficiently active.

01:09Fewer adults play sport, it's often hard to find matched motivations and desires of how

01:14they want to consume sport with the matched skill set as well.

01:19Recognising the overly competitive nature of many leagues, social sport organisation

01:24Urban Rec created their own with unique rules.

01:27We always try to emphasise the fun so we do this thing called fun points where you get

01:34to rate how fun the opposition are and it really does change the way that the game is

01:39being played.

01:40Encouraging all ages and abilities to give it a go.

01:43I really like that it's not competitive.

01:46Not in a let everyone get a goal regardless but in a the idea is to come and have your

01:51best shot.

01:52It's so easy to come and commit, roll out of bed on a Sunday arvo.

01:55And I work full time and I love the community and it's just such a great way to exercise.

02:01Ensuring sport really is fun for all.

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