Listen up! Why children hold the answers to boosting youth sports participation

The key to starting children and teenagers on a pathway to daily and lifelong physical health is by listening to them.

At Sport Ireland we’ve been doing this through our extensive research, delivering global and national programmes specific to children in sport, and then supporting the wider sport sector by providing a range of learning resources.

Director of Coaching Michael McGeehin, Coaching Development Manager Declan O’Leary, Director of Research and Innovation Benny Cullen, and Director of Strategic NGB Projects & Women in Sport Lead Nora Stapleton all shared their experience and expertise in this area during a recent Sport for Business Children and Sport conference. 

Setting the scene Benny Cullen provided the findings of recent Irish Sports Monitor surveys and the Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study. These revealed that levels of sports participation are very high in primary school and diminish through post primary years, with trends in 16-year-olds to 19-year-olds indicating a shift towards personal exercise.

The number one reason teenagers and school principals gave for dropping out of sport was a loss of interest, followed by a lack of time, and then a feeling of not being good enough. 

The reasons for taking part in the first place were, firstly to keep fit, then to have something to do and thirdly because of the influence of family and friends.

The drop-out rates are concentrated around junior and leaving cert years, communities of disadvantage, and girls, especially those attending all-girl schools.

Nora Stapleton outlined the story and success of HerMoves - a new national campaign which speaks to one of these groups, inactive teenage girls or those at risk of drop out. 

HerMoves aims to reframe what sport is, opening girls’ eyes to more opportunities and encouraging them to embrace sport and physical activity – sharing their experiences with friends. 

The creative campaign is also aimed at those who influence teenage girls and who can support them in being more active – parents, teachers, coaches and service providers.

The physical activity and sport opportunities provided and promoted in this campaign are underpinned by eight guiding principles.

1. No judgement, removing the pressure off performance and giving the freedom simply to play. 
2. Invoke excitement, bringing a sense of adventure and discovery.
3. Create a clear emotional reward, to reframe achievement as moments of pride and not winning. 
4. Open eyes to what's there. Redefine sport as more than traditional, competitive sport – create diverse offering of sports and activities; don’t hesitate to mix and match. 
5. Build into existing habits. Tap into existing behaviours in other spheres e.g. incorporating arts and crafts into sport e.g. design their gear, style their equipment, personalise their shoes or practice nail art in vibrant colours.
6. Give girls a voice and choice, to help them feel empowered.
7. Champion what’s in it for them, to make it much more than just about health. 
8. Expand the image of what sporty looks like, creating truly relatable role models who inspire.

Sport Ireland is also engaging beyond national programmes, with Sport Ireland Coaching being a founding partner of ICOACHKIDS, which is now a global movement. The programme's aim is for every child to love sport and develop their physical literacy, so that they can start on a pathway to daily and lifelong physical activity.

Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding that enables a person to value and participate in physical activity throughout life.

The ICOACHKIDS Pledge consists of  which can guide clubs and coaches as they support children and teens on their sporting pathway. The Youth Sport Compass is a way for them to navigate decision-making to ensure they are applying the key principles of the programme.

The four Youth Sport Compass pillars are; to be development-oriented, helping young athletes reach their full potential by offering age-appropriate activities. To be motivational, ensuring children become and remain motivated, understanding the importance of positive feedback. To be caring, ensuring children have sufficient support and care, and seeing each child as an individual. To be socially safe, creating a safe environment where children feel respected and secure in all social interactions.

The five key takeaways which were integral to all three expert presentations were:

1. Listen to children

The challenge for sport, clubs and its coaches is to create a child-centred culture which focuses on listening to the child's voice. The voice of each child and teen should contribute to their sporting experience, so that it has meaning for them. Sport administrators, development officers, clubs and coaches should be listening and responding.

When asked what they are looking for from sport, children and teens often say ‘getting better’, ‘having a say’ and ‘being with their friends’. But it varies, so just ask them – hear them and act on what they say. Develop a good coach-child athlete relationship.

2. Sport for children is different to sport for adults

For adults, sport is often seen as an escape, a passion, something which draws an opinion and a sense of pride or tribal bragging rights, or something they link to their dreams and aspirations. This is not what sport for children should value, they are not mini-adults.

Let them shape sport and respond by providing engaging activities and versions of sports which children and teenagers are interested in. Let them coach, organise and lead. Reduce adult supervision. Be aware of maturation, size, speed, cognitive differences, and menstruation.

The programmes they engage in, the way they are coached (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values), and their competition should all take this into account.

3. Lifelong activity through physical literacy is the ultimate goal

Success must have a much wider definition beyond winning, scoring and playing well. 

The goal is for Irish children to be active daily and love being active, setting their own goals, in a club they feel a part of, with a coach who supports and guides them. And for this to continue with a sport system which provides opportunities for them to engage through childhood, adolescence, into early adulthood and beyond. 

ISM data shows lifelong sports participation is not a story of loyalty to one sport but a story of diversity and transitions. 

4. Sport for children should look different 

Various versions of a sport should be provided, so that each child can take part to suit their personal goals, be it for well-being, participation or performance.

We must expand upon a traditional idea of what sporty looks like, which also means creating inspirational role models for children and being open minded to who these may be. The same approach is needed for the format of games and competition as they may need to vary from the traditional forms of the game and sport. The goal is different for children and therefore everything else might need to be too.

5. Embrace constant learning if you are providing sporting opportunities for children and teenagers

Every child is a unique individual. Each child will learn at their own pace, in their own way, and not all on the same day. Each child is an athlete. Listening to children and responding to them will mean constant learning and adaption which comes with a change to a child-centric culture.

The impact of sport and physical activity on children depends on putting the right pieces in the right place at the right time, for the right child. Coach-decision-making is complex and takes time to learn.

Summation 

The Sport for Business Children and Sport conference heard from many different voices, but the clearest message was the importance of putting children first in our bid to create an active Ireland where everyone can enjoy the lifelong benefits of sport and physical activity. 

Additional resources 

To further your learning, Sport Ireland Coaching has several free open online courses available to the sport sector which incorporate study guides, self-directed learning tasks, tasks to be completed in clubs, and self-reflection journals (ICOACHKIDS Free Online Courses). The ICOACHKIDSWORLD Youtube account provides over 300 free activity videos, courses and expert insights.