Social class and Sport

1. Social class and Sport

2. Learning objectives: • To be able to describe what is meant by the term ‘social class’ • To list ways in which Leisure Providers can target the unemployed to become more involved in sport

3. Is class still a determining factor in the activities in which I participate and in my likelihood of developing my performance? Social class and sport: What is social class? • The term used to define social inequalities, that is, that certain groups have greater access to wealth, income and power than others. • Also factors such as a person's family background, education and income contribute to social class. • One of the most significant factors determining the opportunities people have to participate in sport is their social class background.

4. The following table identifies socioeconomic group by employment type. It can be seen that people in `higher‘ socioeconomic positions have more opportunities to participate. • GROUP % PARTICIPATION 1987 1990 • Professional 78 79 • Managers 68 71 • Semi-skilled 51 55 • Unskilled 42 46 • Full-time students 89 91 • Those people higher up the socioeconomic scale are more likely to have access to resources e.g. higher disposable income. more time and more equipment

5. This can help to increase standards of performance e.g. better equipment/facilities, better coaching/training/practice time. • They also have better attitudes towards and better awareness of, the benefits of sport e.g. character building, health enhancing, socially desirable. • They have also been socialised into sport by the influence of schools, parents and peers.

6. List ways to help the unemployed become involved in sport: • Extend opening hours • Reduce costs, special rates • Reduced equipment hire costs • Special sessions • Organised activities • Employment advice in leisure centres • Daytime use • Better/increased facility provision in areas of high unemployment • Direct publicity • Encourage unemployed to become volunteer coaches/staff after being trained

7. Sport tends to have social class associations:

8. Some sports cross all boundaries e.g. football and cricket. • There are also regional and national identities of sport within the UK e.g. English cricket, Welsh rugby. Scottish curling, (Irish) Gaelic football • However, these class and sub‑culture boundaries are becoming increasingly less evident.

9. Social class and sporting involvement in an historical context: By the late 19th century, as a long‑term result of the industrial revolution, the working classes had more time and money to pursue leisure activities. Working week decreased initially to 54 hours, by 1920 to 48 hours ‑ half day on Saturdays and Wednesdays given. Between 1875 and 1900 ‑ wages increased by one third.

10. Factory sports created and sponsored teams established. • Development of railways ‑ allowing better travel. • 1870's = improvement of provision of public leisure facilities... parks etc. • Park provision aimed to: • • Improve health • • Discourage crime • • Distract from social deviance (drinking etc) • 1870’s sport become more commercialised.. .. attendance at football and horse riding events increased • 1900's - by now there was a large involvement of working class sporting activity.

11. However.... despite the increase involvement of the working class, sport was still controlled by the middle class in terms of ownership and management. e.g. those in public schools were being prepared for leadership roles through team games, the working classes were given drill and therapeutic gymnastics to provide discipline and improve health.

12. Task: • Complete the work sheets