Based on data outlined in the recently released Sports Participation in America report from SGMA International, Americas seniors are focusing on health and wellness more, pushing participation in low or non-impact fitness activities higher, while the younger generation has moved away from the neighborhood pick-up game to more individualized “extreme” sports. While pick-up play in team sports has dwindled, many youth leagues have reported increased player enrollment. Other key data in the report reflect a solid shift in participation in fitness to more strength training and “core” activities like yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates, and also highlights the ever-increasing importance of the female participant in many activities and sports.
The study released by SGMA, which assesses participation trends in over 100 sports, outdoor, outdoor and recreational activities, is based on the Superstudy of Sports Participation that was conducted by American Sports Data, Inc. in January of this year.
Of all the major sports and activities categories, Physical Fitness showed the most significant increase in frequent participation since 2001 (see chart page 2), a nice reversal of the decline reflected in the participation numbers from 1998 to 2001. Physical Fitness was also the most popular activity for the categories measured, with 21.1% of the population participating on a frequent basis.
Frequent participation is defined as at least 100 days of fitness activity in a year. Other activities and sports required far fewer days to qualify as a frequent activity, from 15 days for Snow Sports, Camping, and Fishing to 52 days for Team Sports, Mountaineering, and Individual Contact Sports.
In the Fitness category, the report indicates a real shift away from some activities that grew quickly in the early nineties and also reflects the enthusiasm for newer fitness techniques, programs, and products.
While the Aerobic Dance category saw a 2.5% increase in participation in 2003, it has seen a 21.9% drop in participation since 1998.
The Aerobics participation declines were fueled in large part by a 31.0% drop in Low Impact aerobics and a 21.6% decline in Step aerobics. While High Impact aerobics saw a healthy jump in 2003 from 2002 (+9.2%), it is also down 21.3% since the 1998 participation numbers. Frequent participants, which were 21.3% of total Aerobics participants, were less likely to leave the activity, showing a 9.5% decline in participation since 1998. Cardio Kickboxing was also a big decliner, off 23.6% since it was first measured in 2000.
The declines in these activities are more than offset by increases in newer activities such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Stretching, and Pilates Training. Heavily dominated by the female participant, these activities have clearly taken hold as the user takes a more holistic approach to their fitness regimen. These activities are also accompanied by strong increases in the number of frequent participants in strength training and a move to newer types of machines that are expected to give a more balanced low-impact workout.
The Yoga/Tai Chi category saw a 20.7% increase in participation in 2003 from the previous year and registered a 135% jump in participation since 1998. More importantly, the category saw a 60% increase in frequent participation since 1998, with female participation almost doubling. Pilates is a relatively new activity, with those surveyed indicating an average of just 1.9 years in participation in the activity versus 3.9 years for Yoga/Tai Chi and 5.1 years for Aerobics. Pilates is also much more female dominated (89%) than the other activities.
The other key shift in Fitness is the large increase in the use of weights and resistance machines. Use of Free Weights saw a 6.8% increase in 2003 versus the previous year, helping it maintain the top spot in all Fitness activities, in terms of the number of participants, once or more a year.
What is remarkable in the Free Weight category is that more than 35% of the participants are seen as frequent participants and doing so for an average of 7.6 years. Women now make up 44% of all participants in the category and 38% of frequent participants.
Women are using Resistance Machines more, representing 45% of total participants and 41% of frequent participants. Frequent participation by women increased 65% since 1998, outpacing the mens 26% increase and the 39% gain in total frequent participation.
Lastly, the shift to low-impact cardio machines was in full swing over the last five years as Stair-Climbers and Elliptical Motion trainers pulled users from the older Rowing, Aerobic Rider, and Cross-Country Ski machines. The report also saw a clear move from the Upright Bike and Spinning Bikes to the Recumbent Bikes.
This movement in use of the Stationary Bike types may indicate — along with the rise in Water Exercise, Tai Chi, Water Exercise, Treadmill, and Fitness Walking — a shift in demographics that includes more seniors than ever before. The report indicated that the number of fitness club members aged 55 and older jumped 325% since 1987 while the 18- to 34-year-old group increased 64% during the same period.
The Team Sports category is a reflection of the changing interests of todays youth and may well be a result of the increasing suburbanization of America as the middle class moves farther out from city centers. This trend may reflect the lack of local neighborhood schools or recreation centers where children and teenagers can participate in a quick pick up game after school. The movement of more kids into after-school programs due to the increase in two-earner households may have also had an impact.
While the casual participation is down in most sports, participation in organized sports is higher than ever, with more kids, especially girls, playing more sports. The increase in the level of girls participation in organized sports is also cited as one of the primary reasons for the growth in the organized sports participation numbers.
Basketball, which still remains the most played team sport, saw total participation decline 3.3% in 2003 from 2002 and was down 16.5% since 1998. Frequent participation declined 20.6% since 1998.
The SGMA report showed Basketball participation peaking at around 46 million players in 1995, but falling back to 35.4 million players in 2003, about the same as in 1987. But girls surely make up a larger percentage of the total number today, with 29% of all participants, than they did in the late eighties and early nineties. In fact, while total participation in high school basketball programs increased roughly 10% from 1990 to 2003, girls participation jumped 17.9% over the same period.
Total female sports participation in high school sports increased 47% from 1990-91 to 2000-01 and has hit a bit of a plateau since then, gaining just 2.6% since the 200-1 school year.
Soccer participation was roughly flat in 2003 from 2002, but did decline 2.7% since 1998. The sport also saw an 8.6% decline in frequent participation. What was interesting with the study figures was the fact that the average number of days participating in the sport increased by seven days, or 20%, since 1998. One could draw a conclusion here that the frequent participant may be playing on both school and club teams, including travel squads that play through the summer. High school Soccer participation jumped 85% from 1990-91 to the 2002-03 year, but girls participation increased 148% over that same period.
Volleyball and Softball were two of the biggest decliners over the last five years and were most likely impacted by the movement of more girls from the more “traditional” girls team sports to Basketball, Soccer, and Lacrosse.
Baseball also showed a significant decline since 1998, but saw a nice uptick in participation in 2003. Frequent participation in Baseball showed a gain over the five-year period and was being played, on average, five more days a year in 2003 versus 1998. Over the same period, frequent participation in Slow-Pitch Softball declined 27.3%.
Volleyball also lost large numbers on the Beach Volleyball front as more participants opted for the more individualistic action sports.
The Action, or Extreme, Sports have captured a much larger part of that suburban teen participants mind set, but the participation study numbers since 1990 dont reflect much of the gains except in Skateboarding. In-line skating peaked in 1998 at 32 million participants, but has fallen 40% since then, mirroring the trend seen at just about every sporting goods store in the country and the recent Chapter 11 at Blades Board & Skate. The trick here will to be more Board and less Skate as even frequent participation in the In-line segment fell more than 50% since 1998.
Skateboarding showed a 54% increase in participation since 1998, but is u just 1.8% since the 1987 numbers. Skateboarding actually declined 14.6% in 2003 from 2002. Frequent participation jumped nearly 77% over the five-year period, with girls participation quadrupling over that period. The average days of participation also increased to 44 days per year from 39 days in 1998.
Perhaps if Skateboarding wasnt a crime in many of these suburban bedroom communities the numbers could be higher.
