LO2: Understand Sport Development

What are the sports developmnet roles?

• Coach

• PE teacher

• Sports leader

• Sports development officers

• Officials

What’s the role of a coach?

• Make participation in sport enjoyable + fun

• Provide coaching points to help promote skill development

• Provide feedback before, during and after performance

• Ensure sport is safe

• Act as a role model for those participating in sport

What’s the role of a PE teacher?

• Make participation in sport enjoyable + fun

• Provide coaching point to help promote skill development

• Provide feedback before, during and after performance

• Ensure sport is safe

• Encourage lifelong participation in sport + physical activity

• Act as a role model for those participating in sport

What’s the role of a sports leader?

• Make participation in sport enjoyable + fun

• Encourage a wide range of age and abilities to participate in sport

• Develop community sport

• Implement projects to aim to increase community levels of physical activity

What’s the role of a sports development officer?

• Make participation in sport enjoyable + fun

• Encourage a wide range of age and abilities to participate in sport

• Develop community sport

• Implement projects to aim to increase community levels of physical activity

What’s the role of an official?

• Promote + uphold the rules and regulations of sport

• Ensure sport is safe

• Promote fairness, equality and respect

What’s the purpose of sport development?

• Increasing participation

• Progression of talent

• Promoting values

• Supporting social policy

What is meant by increasing participation in sports development, and how is it achieved?

What?

• Aim to get more people involved in sport and physical activity especially inactive groups and underrepresented groups

• Aim to encourage regular, lifelong participation

How?

• Initiatives and campaigns (e.g. national participation programmes)

• Funding from organisations like Sport England

• Improving access to facilities and opportunities

• School PE and community sport programmes (School games)

• Reducing barriers (cost, confidence, access, disability inclusion) - This girl can, Boccia UK (free taster sessions)

What is meant by progression of talent in sports development, and how is it achieved?

What?

• Identifying individuals with sporting potential

• Developing their skills and performance over time

• Providing structured opportunities to move through sport

• Progressing from grassroots → elite level

How?

• Talent identification programmes (spotting ability early through testing and scouting)

• Structured development pathways (school → club → county → national → elite)

• Coaching and support systems (high-quality coaching, sports science, nutrition, psychology)

• Funding and support from organisations like UK Sport (for facilities)

• Competition opportunities (local, regional, national competitions to gain experience)

What is meant by promoting values in sports development, and how is it achieved?

What?

• Encouraging positive behaviour and attitudes through sport

• Developing respect, fairness, and sportsmanship

• Promoting equality, inclusion, and teamwork

• Using sport to teach moral and social values

👉 In simple terms:
Using sport to develop good behaviour and positive values in participants and society

How?

• Codes of conduct and rules set by organisations and NGBs

• Coaching and role models who demonstrate fair play and respect

• School sport and PE programmes that teach teamwork, discipline, and respect

• Initiatives and campaigns that promote inclusion, equality, and fair play

• Enforcement of rules and sanctions to discourage poor behaviour (e.g. cheating, discrimination, violence)

What is meant by supporting social policy in sports development, and how is it achieved?

What?

• Using sport to help achieve government aims and priorities

• Improving society through sport and physical activity

• Addressing issues such as health, crime, education, and equality

• Encouraging positive social change through sport

👉 In simple terms:
Sport being used to support government goals and improve society

How?

• Health improvement initiatives that encourage physical activity and reduce obesity (Change 4 life - aims to use exercise in order to reduce level of obesity)

• Education programmes in schools that promote PE and lifelong participation (supported by the Department for Education)

• Community sport initiatives that reduce crime and antisocial behaviour by engaging young people (Kickz - uses football as an alternative to crime)

• Inclusion and equality programmes that promote access for all social groups

What is the foundation stage of the Sport Development continuum?

Characteristics:

• The first stage

• Focuses on basic movement skills and physical literacy

• Emphasis on fun, enjoyment and participation

• Usually aimed at children (school age / early years)

• Involves trying a variety of activities and sports

• Helps develop fundamental movement skills (e.g. running, jumping, throwing, catching)

• No focus on competition or specialisation at this stage

Coaching approach:

• Fun, supportive, inclusive

• Focus on learning and confidence building

What is the participation stage of the Sport Development continuum?

Characteristics:

• Second stage

• Focuses on regular participation

• Individuals take part more frequently

• Introduction of basic/local competition

• Continued development of skills and fitness

• Emphasis on enjoyment and staying active

Coaching approach:

• Encouraging and engaging

• Builds confidence and motivation to continue

What is the performance stage of the Sport Development continuum?

Characteristics:

• Third stage

• Focuses on improving performance and ability

• More serious involvement in sport

• Structured coaching and training programmes

• Participation in higher level competitions

• Talent identification becomes important

Coaching approach:

• Structured and focused

• Aimed at skill development and performance improvement

What is the excellence stage of the Sport Development continuum?

Characteristics:

• Final stage

• Focuses on highest level performance

• Athletes compete at national/international level

• Full-time training and high commitment

• Access to specialist support and funding

• Aim to achieve success in major competitions

• Supported by UK Sport

Coaching approach:

• Highly specialised and intense

• Focus on performance, results, and marginal gains

Target group: people with disabilities

Barriers:

• Lack of clubs to join

• Lack of access to facilities

• Low self confidence

• Lack of role models due to poor media coverage of pros

Why:

• Promote inclusivity

• Very unactive group

Benefits:

• Health benefits

• Social benefits

• Raised confidence

Target group: Women

Barriers:

• Lack of role models due to poor media coverage of pros

• Lack of provision of women’s clubs + activities compared to men

• Stereotypical ideas

• Lack of confidence

Why:

• Promoting inclusivity

• Widening campaigns for greater gender equality in all areas of life (This girl can)

Benefits:

• Changing attitudes towards women

• Health, social, mental benefits

Target group: Ethnic Minorities

Barriers:

• Fear of discrimination or racial abuse

• Cultural beliefs that may hinder participation

• language barriers

• Lack of role models

• Lack of clubs for BAME

Why:

• Promote anti-racial, anti-discriminatory inclusion (Kick it Out campaign)

Benefits:

• Cultural inclusion

• Health benefits

• More comfortable participating in BAME specific clubs

Target Group: Elderly

Barriers:

• Fear of injury or illness or specific medical conditions hindering participation

• Lack of money

• Lack of role models

• Lack of suitable clubs or activities

Why:

• Have more free team than others

• Health benefits could specifically promote longer life expectancy

• Promote social benefits to elderly as may be lonely

Benefits:

• Helps maintain mental health + helps maintain thinking skills

• Maintains muscle tone and helps mobilise joints

• Reduces risk of falls

• Social benefits

• Improved QoL + increase life expectancy

Target Group: Teenagers/young adults

Barriers:

• Lack of money or transport due to reliance on parents

• Busy with school work or exams

• Low motivation or self-confidence

Why:

• Often a drop-off in terms of physical activity as kids move to adulthood

• If individuals become inactive during this time it’s likely they will remain inactive throughout adult life

Benefits:

• Promotes and maintains a healthy lifestyle

• Promotes lifelong participation in sport

• Reduces stress

• Reduces crime levels

• Builds skills that could benefit careers (teamwork)

Target Group: Young children

Barriers:

• Parents not being interested in sport so kids are unlikely to be interested

• Reliant on parents for transport + costs

• Lack of skills or knowledge of sport

• Lack of clubs to join

• School or nursery commitments reduces available time

Why:

• Vitally important to build positive exercise habits from an early age

• Childhood obesity is increasing

Benefits:

• Skills and confidence level increases

• Enjoyment of sport

• Promotes a life-long love of sport + promotes long-term health benefits

What are the barriers to participation?

Economic, access, psychological, social, time, awareness

How can economic factors act as a barrier to participation in sport?

• Cost of equipment, facilities, memberships and transport can be expensive

• This particularly affects low-income groups

• People may not be able to afford to take part regularly

Impact: Can lead to reduced participation and inequality in sport

How can access act as a barrier to participation in sport?

• Lack of facilities, clubs or transport

• Limited range of facilities for certain groups or sports

• Fewer opportunities for some groups (e.g. women, elderly)

• Young people may rely on parents for transport

Impact: This reduces participation as individuals cannot easily access sport

How can psychological factors act as a barrier to participation in sport?

• Low confidence may put people off trying new activities

• Fear of judgement can discourage participation

• Low motivation reduces willingness to take part

• Perceived lack of ability (e.g. thinking you’re not good enough) can prevent involvement

Impact: These factors reduce participation as individuals may avoid sport altogether

How can social and cultural factors act as a barrier to participation in sport?

• Lack of role models for groups such as women, disabled people, and ethnic minorities can reduce confidence and motivation to participate

• Stereotypes (e.g. gender roles) can discourage certain groups from taking part in specific sports

• Religious or cultural expectations may limit participation (e.g. dress codes or mixed-gender activity restrictions)

Impact: These factors can create feelings of exclusion and reduce participation in sport

How can time act as a barrier to participation in sport?

• Work, school and family commitments can limit availability

• Lack of free time reduces opportunities to take part in sport.

Impact: This can lead to lower participation as individuals prioritise other responsibilities

How can awareness act as a barrier to participation in sport?

• Lack of knowledge about opportunities if activities are poorly advertised

• People may not know what sports are available or how to access them

• Poor experiences in PE can reduce interest in sport

Impact: This can lead to lower participation as individuals are unaware or unwilling to take part

Why may levels of physical activity be on the rise?

Due to:

Health and personal factors

Opportunity and provision factors

Promotional factors

Explain the health and personal reasons why participation in sport is increasing.

• Increased awareness of the health benefits of exercise

• Greater interest in improving fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle

• Exercise used to help recovery and rehabilitation from health conditions

• Physical activity used to reduce stress, especially due to busy lifestyles and long working hours

• Increased focus on body image and appearance (influenced by social media and media)

• Sport and exercise seen as more socially popular or “fashionable”

• Opportunity to meet new people through sport and physical activity

• Opportunity to exercise socially with friends and family

Explain how opportunity and provision affect participation in sport.

• New sports clubs being created in local areas

• Wider range of activities available to take part in

• Improved and more modern sports facilities in local communities

• Sport becoming more inclusive for different groups (e.g. ethnic minorities, disabled people, women)

• Higher quality provision of sport across society

• More accessible opportunities to take part in sport locally

Explain how promotional factors increase participation in sport.

• Positive impact of major sporting events (London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics) inspiring participation

• Initiatives aimed at increasing participation (This Girl Can, Parkrun)

• Increased TV and media coverage of sport (Sky Sports), raising interest and creating role models

• Development of technology (fitness trackers like Fitbits and apps like Strava) encouraging people to track and improve activity levels

• Increased visibility of elite sport through media, making sport more appealing and accessible