Conditions of participation in youth sport in Canada : What strategies
are in place to overcome any difficulties that may arise during sport
participation?
Cecilia Borges1
Marc André Duchesneau1
Thierry Karsenti1
Suzanne Laberge1
Maxim Morin1
Jean-François Desbiens2
Sylvie Beaudoin2
Carlo Spallanzani2
Sylvain Turcotte2
Jérôme Lerîche2
1 University of Montréal - CRIFPE
2 University of Sherbrooke - CRIFPE
Objective: Both in Canadian society1 and abroad2 the decrease in the sport among young people become
problematic because the consequences are numerous for physical health and well-being. In this paper, we
discuss possible strategies to overcome difficulties in their sport. Methodology: A survey was conducted
online with 2,084 high school students. It focused on the conditions of participation, motivation and
enjoyment in sport as well as the perception of their physical education (PE) courses. In total, 2,084
students aged 12 to 17 years old responded to the questionnaire. Preliminary results: Of the total, 61%
of those surveyed said they practice one or more sports compared to 23% who once practiced, and 16%
who have never practiced. On sporting activities, 65% of those surveyed do group sports, compared to
19% for individual sports. In addition, group sport is practiced during school, while individual sports are
practiced outside of school. Regarding the support to do sport activities, 49% of students said they mainly
do sports with friends, and 83% said their parents are their biggest supporters. For those who participate
in sport or who had participated in the past, pleasure and emotional feelings while playing sports and
learning new sports skills are the reasons for participation in sport. As for the three categories of
respondents, the pleasure felt in the PE course, confidence in the teacher, and teachers' responses to the
questions of PE students also appear at the top. In conclusion, it seems that the school promotes group
sports at the expense of individual sport; and that youth sport is associated with pleasure and friendships.
However, considering the socialization as an indispensable element in their development 3, we can
hypothesize that group sports meets their needs, especially if the PE courses meet their needs in terms of
fun, confidence and curiosity.
Cecilia Borges [email protected]
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1
2
3
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mesures de la santé de 2007-2009. Rapports sur la santé, 21 (1). Ottawa : Statistique Canada
Organisation mondiale de la Santé. (2010). L'activité physique des jeunes. Genève: OMS. Récupéré
le 6 oct. 2010 de http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_young_people/fr/index.html
Eivind Åsrum Skille (2007). The meaning of social context: experiences of and educational outcomes
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