Study Links Team Sports to Higher Participation in Outdoor Recreation

 

Kids who participate in team sports and physical education (P.E.) are significantly more likely to participate in outdoor sports, according to the 2010 Outdoor Recreation Participation Report released last week by the foundation, which is supported by members of the Outdoor Industry Association.

Among those who are current outdoor participants, 45% of 6- to 12-year olds and 51% of 13- to 17-year olds said they participated in team sports, compared to 26% and 32% for non-outdoor participants.  Eighty-three percent of kids 6 to 12 and 81% of kids 13 to 17 who were outdoor participants said they had P.E. in school, compared to 70% and 69% for non-outdoor participants in those age groups. The report found that participation declined in nine of 18 teams sports monitored last year.

This year’s report marked the first time respondents were asked about their participation in team sports and P.E. Until now, team sports had been viewed somewhat as a competitor to outdoor recreation among kids 6-17, who have consistently listed participation in other activities including team sports and fitness among the top reasons they don’t participate more in outdoor activities.

The report is based on responses to an online survey from more than 40,000 Americans ages six and older and covers 114 different outdoor activities, making it the largest survey of its type examining participation in sports and outdoor activities.

The survey also provided some data to support the notion that the outdoor recreation industry is anti-cyclical.  While almost half of outdoor participants said they cut back on non-essentials, and nearly as many said they were cutting back on dining and entertainment, more than half said they spent the same amount on sports, fitness and recreation activities in 2009 as 2008. Outdoor participants were more likely to spend more in 2010 than non-outdoor participants on equipment (26% vs. 19%) and travel for participation in sports and recreation (24% vs. 12%).

Participation in three of five gateway outdoor activities rose in 2009. Those included running/jogging and trail running, up 6.2%; car, backyard and RV camping, up 3.8%; and road biking, mountain biking and BMX, up 4.3%. Participation in hiking and fishing were was essentially flat to slightly down.

Among youth ages 6 to 12 years old, overall participation showed only a two percentage point decline – a much smaller decrease than in years past. Still, participation has now declined to 62% from 78% in 2006.  The rates for older youth showed a similar positive trend. The responses show that declining participation may be stabilizing, said Chris Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation.

Meanwhile, there was little progress closing the gap in participation between racial and ethnic groups. While 67% of Caucasian kids ages 6-12 participated in some form of outdoor recreation in 2009, only 50% of Hispanic kids and 39% of African American kids in the same age group participated.