Sociology of Sport: Youth Participation and Sociological Insights

This essay delves into the sociology of sport, examining the declining participation of youth in sports and physical activities, along with the increasing moral concerns regarding their health. It explores factors such as unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyles, and the influence of peer relations on y...Read More

Running head: SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
The past few decades have been witnessing an increasing moral concern and panic
related to the illness and lack of appropriate health conditions especially among the youth
population. It is immensely concerning to witness that there is an almost universal reception
across a series of western societies along with the other developing and developed nations where
a declining participation of youths in sports as well as in other physical activities has been
witnessed (Waddington & Smith, 2013). At the same time it has been observed that there is
immense eating prevalence of unhealthy food habits that has resulted to the declining levels of
regular energy outflow as well as a growing inclination for engaging in sedentary leisure
activities pertaining around the advanced media technologies are considered to be the significant
factors of health crisis of both children and the youths (Green, 2014). The essay will intend to
focus on the moral apprehension and towards the unhealthy life and lack of active participation
in sports of the young generations. The paper will further enlighten the participation of children
and young generation in sports a comprehensive sociological understanding.
The derivative reduction in the level of participation of youth in sport as well as other
physical activities in recent times has been considered as an emotionally charged issue. At this
juncture, it is significant to note that certain factors such as unhealthy and harmful food habits
resulting to obesity and secondary miss has been posing major influence in the level of
participation of children and young adults in physical activities (Haudenhuyse, Theeboom &
Nols, 2013). Several data demonstrate that obesity and overweight along with weariness have
increased in the last few years especially and this has further been predominant among the
particular groups of young people. It has been reported that more than 40% of school children
have been suffering from severe obesity (Crane & Temple, 2015). Sports, at the collective,
recreational all competitive influential level can be regarded as a microcosm of the society.

2
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
However, there can be witnessed a lot of social issues existing in larger society as well as in
sports. These social issues can be observed in the larger domain of the society and also in the
rhythm of sports cultural political religious or youth (King & Church, 2015). Drawing a
sociological perspective in the domain of sports can produce essential as well as differing
approaches that would aid in evaluating alternate methods of perceiving the issue of youth
participation in sports and the way it can be mitigated (Woods, 2015). Sociological perspective it
can be demonstrated that young people in recent times have been continuously establishing their
personal sports and leisure centric personal and collective recognition and father become
significant figures in the kinds of leisure activities in which they have active participation.
It is significant to note that in this context young generation and increased level of
inclination which has occurred as a consequence of the interdependence with peer intensification
in order to choose and feel constraint to involve in health risk behaviours indulging into alcohol
smoke as well as drug uses along with frequent and regular consumption of unhealthy foods
beverages that comprise the life risking and unhealthy way of life of the youths (Haudenhuyse,
Theeboom & Nols, 2013). Such lifestyles have been shoving children, young adults and further
constraining themselves from being engaged into any activities that would require the quest for
enthusiasm and energy (Waddington & Smith, 2013). It is significant to note that activities such
as sports are relatively arousing and encouraging as these activities are performed in the
company of peers or compatible youngsters who seek to assert their autonomy from others while
overcoming with the constraints impelled upon them by several unavoidable inter reliance with
others (Balish et al., 2014). It is important to note here that because of lack of encouragement
children and teenagers often developed a tendency towards alcohol consumption cigarette
smoking and consuming unhealthy food in comparison to other factors that would affirm their

3
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
interdependence from others in particularly their family members. Furthermore it must be taken
into consideration that several youths engage in sports or other physical activities in order to
develop their well established peer association and further involve in legal and illegal drug
consumptions in order to increase their level of exhilaration, recreation and self confidence while
socializing in the company of like-minded people during relaxation times (Crane & Temple,
2015).
In sociological contention it has been witnessed that the lives of youths along with the
importance of vital social procedures such as the enduring developing nature of youth culture
have signified that for many children and teenagers engaging in physical activities or sports is
regarded as a single component in there generally busy or occupied leisure lives (Green, Nelson
& Hartmann, 2014). Furthermore it can be noted that youth are more reliant to spend their leisure
moments buy more secondary activities such as engaging in mobile phones, television watching
or consumption of unhealthy, fattening foods or habitual excessive alcohol consumption and
cigarette smoking. Several evidences have revealed that sedentary or inactive behaviours for
example, excessive rate of watching television, video games or indulging in social media have
been considered as major factors and causes of the increasing rate of lethargy and Incompetence
within the young generation and for the keeping them away from being energetic and healthy
(Woods, 2015). Thus, it can be further notice that extreme dominance of within pure relations
often cause race constraints for youngsters to engage in physical activities and further indulge
them in an activity which is common among their groups.
Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that effective participation in
sports or any physical activities can occur through proper motivation as well as growth and
preservation of social supportive associations. Influence of peer relations further play a crucial

4
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
role in the lives of youths and children for constraining themselves from the realm of physical
activities which would have benefitted them eventually. The essay has effectively evaluated the
elevating hesitations of youth in current times to dynamically indulge in sports along with certain
factors which have been playing a role in involvement by further analysing these areas through
sociological perspective.

5
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT
References
Balish, S. M., McLaren, C., Rainham, D., & Blanchard, C. (2014). Correlates of youth sport
attrition: A review and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15(4), 429-
439.
Crane, J., & Temple, V. (2015). A systematic review of dropout from organized sport among
children and youth. European physical education review, 21(1), 114-131.
Green, K. (2014). Mission impossible? Reflecting upon the relationship between physical
education, youth sport and lifelong participation. Sport, education and society, 19(4),
357-375.
Green, K., Nelson, T. F., & Hartmann, D. (2014). Binge drinking and sports participation in
college: Patterns among athletes and former athletes. International review for the
sociology of sport, 49(3-4), 417-434.
Haudenhuyse, R., Theeboom, M., & Nols, Z. (2013). Sports-based interventions for socially
vulnerable youth: Towards well-defined interventions with easy-to-follow
outcomes?. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 48(4), 471-484.
King, K., & Church, A. (2015). Questioning policy, youth participation and lifestyle
sports. Leisure studies, 34(3), 282-302.
Waddington, I., & Smith, A. (2013). Sport, health and drugs: A critical sociological perspective.
Routledge.
Woods, R. (2015). Social issues in sport. Human Kinetics.