SPARC Trends in Participation in Sport and Active Leisure 1997 - 2001

Overall trends

Young people receiving coaching

Note: Not all differences shown in the figure are significant, as some sample sizes are relatively small. See text for commentary.

• Among young people there has been a significant overall decline in the proportions receiving coaching, from 63.4% in 1997 to 58.7% in 2001.
• These significant declines are reflected among both girls, declining from 60.3% receiving coaching in 1997 to 54.2% in 2001, and boys since 1999, when the proportion was 68.7% and has decreased to 63.0% in 2001.
• It is also particularly apparent among 16-17 year olds, whose participation in coaching has declined significantly from 55.8% in 1997 to 39.2% in 2001, with changes among other age groups not being significant.

Ethnic groups

• The proportion of young Maori people overall who are coached shows little change since 1997 but the proportion of young Maori people aged 13-17 years old who are coached fell from 59% in 1997 to 51% in 2001, although this cannot be considered significant.
• There has been a significant fall between 1997 and 2001 in the proportion of young European people who receive coaching – from 70% in 1997 to 65% in 2001. This is particularly true for girls (falling from 67% to 59%) and those aged 13-17 years (64% to 54%).
• Although not statistically significant, overall there has been a fall in the proportion of Pacific young people who are coached from 43% in 1997 to 35% in 2001 (it had dropped to 32% in 1999). The proportion of Pacific boys who receive coaching also fell from 47% in 1997 to 36% in 2001 (it was 34% in 1999). The figure for Pacific girls hovered around 38% (both in 1997 and 2001) despite dropping to 29% in 1999.
• There was little change in the overall proportion of young people from Other ethnic groups who were coached between 1997 and 1999 (around 47%) but this has since fallen to 42% in 2001 (not statistically significant).

Adults’ participation in club activities, organised competitions and coaching

Note: Not all differences shown in the figure are significant, as some sample sizes are relatively small. See text for commentary.

Adults’ club membership

• There has been little change in club membership among adults overall since 1997, including little change among men and women, among levels of available household income or educational achievement.
• However, there has been a significant decline among 18-24 year olds, from 53.0% in 1997 to 42.5% in 2001. This has been offset somewhat by small increases in club membership among each of the other age groups, none of which can be regarded as significant.

Adults taking part in organised competitions

• Since 1997 there has been little change among adults’ overall participation in organised competitions, although the participation of men has declined significantly since 1999, from 36.7% to 32.5% in 2001.
• Among age groups there have been more changes, particularly among 18-24 year olds whose participation in organised competitions has declined significantly from 45.1% in 1997 to 32.1% in 2001. There have also been significant changes among 35-49 year olds, increasing from 21.9% in 1997 to 26.8% in 1999, before declining again to 21.8% in 2001. On the other hand the participation of those aged 65 years or over in organised competitions has significantly increased since 1999, from 16.9% to 22.5%.
• By education level, the proportion of adults with secondary school education participating in organised competitions has declined significantly since 1997 from 25.3% to 21.9%. Among those with technical, trade or professional training however, participation increased significantly between 1997 and 1999, from 26.3% to 34.7%, and has since dropped back to 26.3% in 2001.
• This latter pattern is repeated for adults with available household incomes over $60,000, where participation increased significantly between 1997 and 1999, from 30.7% to 36.0%, and dropping back to 30.4% in 2001.

Adults receiving coaching

• There have been more significant changes in the proportions of adults receiving coaching, with increases between 1997 and 1999, and dropping again to 2001. Among all adults these changes have been an increase from 22.0% (1997) to 25.1% (1999), and declining to 21.6% in 2001.
• This pattern is repeated among men (23.0%, 25.8% and 22.6% respectively) and among women (20.9%, 24.4% and 20.7% respectively).
• Among different age groups the trend of an increase in those receiving from 1997 to 1999 and decline to 2001 is repeated particularly for 25-34 year olds (23.8%, 31.4% and 25.9% for respective years), and to a lesser extent for 35-49 year olds (19.8%, 23.6% and 21.8%, although the decline since 1999 has not been significant) and 50-64 year olds (15.5%, 18.7% and 13.8%, although the increase between 1997 and 1999 was not significant). Participation among 18-24 year olds and those aged 65 years or over has tended to decline since 1997, although the differences have not been significant.
• The proportions of adults in different education groups who receive coaching show similar patterns to age groups: those with a secondary school education significantly increased between 1997 and 1999, and have since dropped back in 2001 to 1997 levels (19.1%, 22.0% and 19.0% in respective years); this has occurred to a lesser extent for adults with technical, trade or professional training (18.5%, 24.4% and 21.7%, although the decline since 1999 has not been significant) and people with tertiary education (28.8%, 30.9% and 25.7%, although the increase between 1997 and 1999 was not significant). Participation in coaching among those with no secondary schooling has tended to increase since 1997, although the difference has not been significant.
• The rise and fall of participation between 1997 and 2001 is also apparent for adults with an available household income over $60,000 (26.2%, 31.6% and 25.5% in respective years). Changes are not so evident among other income groups however.

Ethnic groups

Maori adults

• Since 1997 there has been little change in the proportion of Maori adults overall who play a sport or participate in an active leisure activity with a club, or who participate in organised competitions, or are coached.
• There has, however, been a significant drop in the proportion of Maori aged 25-34 years who have taken part in organised competition since 1997, from 39% to 27% in 2001.

Europeans adults

• There has also been little change since 1997 in the proportion of European adults overall who play a sport or participate in an active leisure activity with a club, or who participate in organised competitions, or are coached.
• However, there is a significant drop in the proportion of young European adults (those aged 18-24 years) who play a sport or participate in an active leisure activity with a club (from 52% in 1997 to 40% in 1999/2001). They are also less likely to take part in an organised competition and to be coached – in 1997 46% of young adults participated in an organised competition compared with 29% in 2001, and 44% were coached in 1997 compared with 35% in 2001.

Pacific adults

• The proportion of adult Pacific people overall who play a sport or take part in an active leisure activity organised by a club has fluctuated, from 35% in 1997 to 38% in 1999 to 32% in 2001. The proportion of Pacific women with club membership hovered around 30% between 1997 and 1999 but dropped to 19% in 2001, although this cannot be regarded as a significant change).
• Overall, the proportion of Pacific adults participating in organised competition has fallen significantly from 34% in 1997 to 23% in 2001 (despite it fluctuating up to 42% in 1999). Men follow the same pattern (from 41% to 61% to 35%, with a significant change noted between 1999 and 2001) but for women the proportion who take part in organised sport and active leisure competitions has fallen significantly from 27% in 1997 and 25% in 1999 to 11% in 2001.
• The proportion of Pacific adults who receive coaching has ranged between 26% in 2001 and 31% in 1999 (it was 29% in 1997), without there being any significant changes noted. The proportion of men who receive coaching has hovered around 33%, although in 1999 it peaked at 45%. There has been an overall fall in the proportion of women who receive coaching from 25% in 1997 to 16% in 2001.

Other ethnic group adults

• Since 1997 there has been an increase in the proportion of adults from Other ethnic groups who play a sport or participate in an active leisure activity with a club, from 22% to 28% in 2001 – this has occurred among both men and women, but has only significantly increased for those aged 25-34 years.
• Participation levels for those who take part in organised competitions have remained fairly constant overall, although the participation of 18-24 year olds has increased from 20% to 42% - small sample sizes mean this is indicative and not conclusive.
• The proportion of adults from Other ethnic groups who receive coaching has fluctuated over the three surveys.

Regional Sports Trusts

Coaching for young people over time

Only two RSTs experienced significant changes in the overall proportions of young people in their areas that receive coaching, both declines, in Northland and Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne; all significant declines are also among girls in the RST areas affected. Key trends for each RST are summarised below.

Significant changes in young people receiving coaching among Regional Sports Trusts

I Significant increase in RST area overall, since either 1997 or 1999

D Significant decrease in RST area overall, since either 1997 or 1999

– No significant change overall, since either 1997 or 1999

Northland young people

• The proportion of young people in Northland who receive coaching has decreased significantly over the period 1999 to 2001 from 64% to 50%.
• This is largely due to a decline among girls, from 65% in 1999 to 41% in 2001.
• There has also been a decline over this same period for 5-12 year olds, from 67% to 49% although this cannot be regarded as significant due to small sample sizes.

North Harbour and Waitakere, Auckland and Counties Manukau young people

• There have been no significant changes in the proportions of young people who receive coaching in these areas over the period 1997 to 2001.

Waikato young people

• The proportion of young people receiving coaching has declined between 1997 and 2001, from 58% to 47%, although this is not statistically significant.
• The drop has been significant, however, among girls (falling from 67% to 47%) and 5-12 year olds (falling from 62% to 40%).
• On the other hand, there was an increase in the proportion of 13-17 year olds who receive coaching from 52% in 1997 to 58% in 2001 (peaking at 64% in 1999), though these changes are not statistically significant.

Bay of Plenty young people

• The proportion of young people receiving coaching has declined somewhat between 1997 and 2001, from 67% to 56%. The drop has been most noticeable among girls (falling from 62% to 47%), but is only significant among 13-17 year olds (falling from 66% to 42%).

Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu young people

• Overall, there has been little change over the period 1997 to 2001 in the proportion of young people in this region who receive coaching, although the proportion of 5-12 years olds has increased significantly from 64% in 1997 to 81% in 2001.

Hawke's Bay and Gisborne young people

• The proportion of young people in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne who receive coaching has decreased significantly over the period 1997 to 2001. In 1997, 69% received coaching, but by 2001 the figure has fallen to 55%.
• The fall is particularly noticeable for girls, 58% of whom receive coaching in 2001, compared with 79% in 1997.

Wellington young people

• The overall proportion of young people in Wellington who receive coaching has not changed significantly over the period 1997 to 2001, although it has increased from 59% in 1997 to 77% in 1999, before falling to 69% in 2001.
• Changes have been most noticeable among girls, where the proportion receiving coaching increased from 46% in 1997 to 80% in 1999, and dropping back to 69% in 2001 (very small base sample size in 2001 means this number should be treated with caution), and among 5-12 year olds, where the proportion receiving coaching has increased from 60% in 1997 to 74% in 2001.

Tasman young people

• There have been no significant changes in the proportion of young people who receive coaching since 1997.

Canterbury/Westland young people

• There has been no significant overall change over the period 1997 to 2001 in the proportion of young people who receive coaching.
• However, there has been a significant decrease in the proportion of girls and 5-12 year olds who receive coaching (from 75% in 1997 to 50% in 2001 for girls, and from 86% to 70% for 5-12 year olds over the same period).

Otago and Southland young people

• There have been no significant changes over the period 1997 to 2001 in the proportions of young people who receive coaching.
• The most substantial change over this period has been the proportion of boys that receive coaching declining from 68% to 60%.

Adults’ involvement in club activities, competitions and coaching

The following table summarises the significant changes among all adults in each RST area, in terms of their involvement in club activities, organised competitions and receiving coaching. Only one RST area (Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu) has experienced a significant change in the proportion of adults involved in club activities, although more RSTs have had changes in the proportions of adults taking part in organised competitions or receiving coaching. Key changes in all of these areas are summarised for each RST below.

Significant changes in among adults in Regional Sports Trusts

I Significant increase in RST area overall, since either 1997 or 1999

D Significant decrease in RST area overall, since either 1997 or 1999

– No significant change overall, since either 1997 or 1999

Northland adults

• Over the period 1997 to 2001, there has been little overall change in the proportion of Northland adults who are members of a club to play sport or participate in active leisure, take part in competition for a sport or active leisure activity they participate in, or receive coaching.
• However, for those aged 35-49 years, the proportion that is coached increased significantly between 1999 and 2001 from 19% to 32% (it had been 20% in 1997).

North Harbour and Waitakere adults

• Overall, there have been few changes in North Harbour and Waitakere adults’ levels of club membership, participation in organised competition, and the proportion of adults who receive coachingsince 1997.
• However, the proportion of adults who take part in organised competition dropped significantly between 1999 and 2001, from 26% to 18%, with this being particularly the case among men (dropping from 34% to 24% over this period).

Auckland adults

• Again, there have been few major changes in the overall proportions of Auckland adults who are club members, participate in organised competition, or receive coaching.
• However, the proportion of 25-34 year olds who play sport or participate in active leisure with a club has increased significantly from 32% to 51% over the period 1997 to 2001.

Counties Manukau adults

• Overall, there have been few major changes in the proportion of Counties Manukau adults who are club members, participate in organised competition, or receive coaching.
• However, the proportion of 25-34 year olds who take part in at least one organised sport or active leisure competition over a year has significantly decreased from 29% in 1997 to 15% in 2001 (although it had been higher in 1999 at 33%).

Waikato adults

• There have been few major changes in the overall proportions of Waikato adults who are club members, participate in organised competition, or receive coaching.
• However, there has been a peak and decline since 1999 in the overall proportions involved in organised competition (rising from 27% in 1997 to 33% in 1999, and since falling significantly to 23% in 2001), or being coached (20% in 1997 to 28% in 1999 and falling significantly to 18% in 2001.
• The proportions of 18-24 and 25-34 year olds who are club members have increased (though not significantly), but the rate of club membership among those aged 50 years or over has declined significantly since 1997 (from 31% to 21%)
• The proportions of 18-24 year olds who take part in organised competition has tended to increase over the period 1997 (34%) to 2001 (40%), while among other age groups it has generally peaked in 1999 before falling away again by 2001. This is particularly the case for the older age group (50 years or over), where it rose from 22% to 30%, and dropped significantly to 14% in 2001

Bay of Plenty adults

• Overall, there have been few substantive changes in the proportion of Bay of Plenty adults who are club members. There has, however, been a peak and decline since 1997 in the proportions of 25-34 year olds involved, from 30% in 1997 to 52% in 1999 and significantly falling again to 23% in 2001. This pattern is reversed for 18-24 year olds, where proportions initially dropped from 45% to 23% in 1999, and appear to have risen again since then to 37% in 2001 (small sample sizes mean this is indicative rather than conclusive).
• The proportion of those involved in organised competition has declined significantly from 29% in 1999 to 21% in 2001. Much of this is due to a significant decline among men, from 34% in 1997 to 41% (1999) and 24% in 2001, and among 25-34 year olds whose participation peaked at 44% in 1999 and has since dropped to 17% in 2001. Participation among women and other age groups has remained fairly static, with no significant differences observed.
• The numbers being coached have also declined significantly overall, from 1997 (23%) to 2001 (17%). Again, much of this is due to the significant reduction of Bay of Plenty men being coached, from 28% in 1999 to 15% in 2001, but there has been a general decline across most of the age groups (25 years or older) in the order of 7-8% between 1997 and 2001.

Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu adults

• Over the period 1997 to 2001, there have been some significant changes in the proportions of Taranaki, Wanganui, and Manawatu adults who are members of a club to play sport or participate in active leisure, take part in competition for a sport or active leisure activity they participate in, or receive coaching.
• The proportion of adults who are members of a club has decreased from 43% in 1999 to 35% in 2001. This decline is especially evident among those aged 35-49 years (falling from 50% to 31% between 1999 and 2001).
• Participation in organised competition has also fallen significantly, from 34% in 1999 to 25% in 2001, particularly among men (whose participation rate has fallen from 48% to 34% over this period) and for adults aged 25-49 years.
• The proportion of adults in this region who receive coaching has also fallen significantly (from 29% in 1999 to 22% in 2001), especially for those aged 50 years or over (8% of whom received coaching in 2001, down significantly from 18% in 1997 and 16% in 1999).

Hawke's Bay and Gisborne adults

• Over the period 1997 to 2001, there have been no significant changes in the overall proportions of Hawke's Bay and Gisborne adults who are members of a club to play sport or participate in active leisure, take part in competition for a sport or active leisure activity they participate in, or receive coaching.
• However, the proportion of men who are club members has significantly fell during this period from 51% in 1997 to 35% in 1999, before increasing again to 48% in 2001.
• Similarly, the proportion of men who receive coaching dropped from 25% in 1997 to 21% in 1999, but since then has risen significantly to 34% in 2001.

Wellington adults

• Over the period 1997 to 2001, there have been some significant changes in the proportion of Wellington adults who are members of a club to play sport or participate in active leisure, take part in competition for a sport or active leisure activity they participate in, or receive coaching.
• The proportion who are club members has not changed overall, but club membership for 18-24 years olds living in Wellington has declined significantly over this period from 61% to 26%. For the next age group (25-34 years), however, it increased significantly from 33% in 1997 to 62% in 2001.
• Adults aged 25-34 years also significantly increased their participation in competition over this period, from 30% to 50%.
• The overall proportion of Wellington adults who receive coaching has swung from 26% in 1997 to 32% in 1999, before decreasing significantly to 24% by 2001. This is largely reflected among men’s participation (from 28% in 1997 to 34% in 1999 and significantly declining to 23% by 2001).
• Among age groups, however, the proportion receiving coaching has decreased significantly for 18-24 year olds from 51% in 1997 to 27% in 2001 (having increased to 67% in 1999), but for 25-34 year olds, it increased from 24% to 40% in 1999, and has remained at 38% in 2001.

Tasman adults

• Over the period 1997 to 2001, there has been little change in the proportion of Tasman people in who are club members, take part in competition or receive coaching.
• The exception is a significant decrease in the likelihood of men receiving coaching for at least one sport or active leisure activity they participate in. In 1997 this figure was 27%, which had fallen to 17% in 2001.

Canterbury/Westland adults

• Over the period 1997 to 2001, there has been little change in the proportion of people in Canterbury/Westland who are club members, take part in competition or receive coaching.
• However, there has been a significant increase between 1999 and 2001 in the proportion of people taking part in competition, rising from 20% to 27% (even though it had been 30% in 1997). There has also been a significant changes among people aged 50 years or older – swinging from 28% in 1997, to 11% in 1999 and rising again to 27% in 2001.

Otago and Southland adults

• Overall there has been little change during the period 1997 to 2001 in the proportion of Otago and Southland adults who are members of a club to play sport or participate in active leisure, take part in competition for a sport or active leisure activity they participate in, or receive coaching. However, there have been some significant changes for those aged 50 years or over.
• In 1997, 15% of this age group took part in organised competition. This increased to 23% in 1999 and has risen again to 29% in 2001. There has also been a significant increase between 1999 and 2001 in the proportion of this group that receive coaching, with the figure doubling from 9% to 18%.

Older adults

• Since 1997 there has been little change in the proportions of older adults who play a sport or participate in an active leisure activity with a club, or who participate in organised competitions, although there are also some variations among different groups of older people.
• There has also been a small but significant decline in the proportion that is coached, from 15% in 1997 to 12% in 2001.
• The proportion of older men who are members of a club has significantly declined from 40% in 1997 to 32% in 2001. This is reflected also in significant declines among 55-64 year olds (from 32% to 26%) and among 75+ year olds (from 34% to 26%) over the same period. It has been offset somewhat by an increase in the proportion of 65-74 year olds who are club members, increasing significantly from 35% in 1999 (and 37% in 1997) to 43% in 2001.
• Participation in organised competitions has declined significantly since 1999 among 55-64 year olds (from 22% to 18% in 2001), but has increased significantly among 65-74 year olds over the same period (from 19% to 27% in 2001).
• The proportion of older men who receive coaching has declined significantly since 1997 from 15% to 11% in 2001, and from 17% (1999) to 12% (2001) among older women; 55-64 year olds have also experienced a significant decline in the proportion receiving coaching, from 18% in 1997 to 12% in 2001.

Volunteers

• The proportions of volunteers overall who play a sport or participate in an active leisure activity with a club, participate in organised competitions or are coached, have all declined by small but significant amounts between 1999 and 2001.
• Club membership has declined from 56% to 51%, particularly among women (falling significantly from 49% in 1997 to 41% in 2001) and Pacific volunteers (from 68% in 1997 to 37% in 2001).
• Participation in organised competition has declined from 48% to 40%, with significant changes being observed among male volunteers (61% in 1999 to 51% in 2001); 25-49 year olds (50% and 42% for 25-34 and 35-49 year olds respectively in 1999, to 40% and 33% in 2001); Europeans (48% in 1999 to 41% in 2001); and Pacific volunteers (67% in 1997 to 33% in 2001).
• The proportion receiving coaching has fallen from 38% to 32% over this period, particularly with significant decreases among men (40% in 1999 to 32% in 2001), and European volunteers (35% in 1997 and 1999 to 29% in 2001); they have significantly increased, however, among Maori volunteers, from 36% in 1997 to 48% in 2001.