Increase participation and opportunities By Heather Barker Vermeer Industry Reporter
to information/instructions because of low literacy skills and/or inability to hear”, as well as “seclusion or reduced participation/interest in sports due to lack of communication, access and awareness,” which they explained, “leads to risks of poor mental health and wellbeing and isolation”.
Digital games provide dopamine hit with instant rewards, so perhaps increasing rewards can boost engagement in sports too? With young people so used to the dopamine hit that comes from activity on their devices, the issue of reward and recognition can prove more of a challenge. If, as some studies suggest, devices are steering kids away from sport, how can school sports look to emulate digital experiences? Think bigger than participation trophies! In junior sports, major fast-food chains are known to jump in with burger and drinks vouchers incorporated into ‘player of the day’ type certificates. So why not think local and link up with food, service, or entertainment providers in your neighbourhood to collaborate with on rewards, prizes, and incentives? It can be a win-win-win for school, students, and local businesses. Choosing exceptional coaches can have a major impact on your school sport department’s credibility and help bring new players on board in different sporting areas, depending on sporting expertise.
Post-COVID participation hit Now that the prospect of regional and international sports trips has returned; these are a great way to generate excitement around sport participation for students and staff. Still, compliance with social distancing and strict return-to-play protocols has, perhaps, forever changed the way that children and young people engage in organised sport, according to a 2021 BMC Public Health research paper. Researchers
50
© stock.adobe.com
Reward and recognition
conceptualised the ‘4 Rs’ in their bid to increase understanding about the pandemic’s impact on youth sport: •
Recognising struggle
•
Reconnection
•
Re-engaging after restrictions
•
Reimagining sport
and self-efficacy.” When reimagining sport, the pandemic was seen as an opportunity to refocus and re-evaluate their purpose, responsibility, and involvement in sport.
Develop inclusive sports pathways for students
A broad geographical sample of youth athletes across a range of sports including soccer, netball, swimming, tennis, BMX bike racing, athletics and basketball were part of the project, as were sports administrators, coaches, executives, and teachers, with online and inperson interviews and focus groups used to collect data. In recognising struggle, findings showed, “a shared experience brought on by the pandemic was emotional struggle”, which “provoked a sense of disappointment and ‘mourning’.” “Vitally important” reconnection was established and maintained throughout lockdown between youth participants and coaches via social media platforms, note researchers. Meanwhile, some athletes expressed “a hunger” to re-engage in sport: “However, the struggle to maintain fitness and skill reported by other junior participants appears to have led to a decrease in confidence
School News spoke with Deaf Sport Australia General Manager Phil Harper, and Communications Liaison Officer Lauren Townsend, about how schools can make their sports more accessible for deaf and hard of hearing students and families. One “handy tip for those working at schools with students is to physically demonstrate how an activity should be done--this makes the demonstration much more visually comprehensive for the deaf and hard of hearing students, regardless of their hearing level,” they advised. Some of the issues students and their families may face in schools include a “lack of general awareness in school and sport settings on the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students, in particular communication needs and skills”, and “not knowing what information, opportunities, and resources are readily available for public access”. Another issue that Phil and Lauren have noticed come up for students and families is a “lack of access
SPORTS & RECREATION
“There are two sports participation pathways that deaf and hard of hearing students can consider: the Deaf pathway and the mainstream pathway. The mainstream pathway varies from sport to sport but involves working with the child personally/ collectively within their chosen club or team to achieve goals. “The Deaf pathway encompasses many sporting opportunities as well as individual ones that include competing locally with other deaf athletes, going to National Deaf Championships, the Australian Deaf Games, Deaflympics and World Deaf Championships. Deaf Sport Australia’s (DSA) achievement recognition pathway works with schools through their ADK program under the Government’s Sporting Schools Program, and youth are also given the opportunity to represent their states/territories in a sport they’re eligible to play in. DSA and its state counterparts have rewards that vary from state to state.” “When the SSP funding round opens near the end of each school term, schools have the opportunity apply for funding and select what sport/organisation they’d like for their students to learn in/from, in the following term. DSA is on the directory alongside other National Sporting Organisations (NSO). If DSA is selected in the booking process, staff/coaches appointed under DSA – sometimes including support from NSO staff – will visit schools. The visits ensures that the deaf and hard of hearing students are getting the most out of their learning, especially from those with lived experiences.” Term 2, 2022 | school-news.com.au
