Essay On Sports And Recreation

Sport contributes to community identity, serving as a focal point for engagement, pride, and achievement. The diversity of sports and sporting activities (including social sport and physical recreation) makes it an ideal medium to reach men and women from every age-group, culture, and socio-economic background. The broader benefits of sport go beyond the personal benefits derived from participation. Sport is a popular focal point for strategies that underpin government policy for community development and social inclusion. As Nelson Mandela states: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.

This document outlines the not-so-obvious benefits that sport and recreation provides. Among the key messages, this report supports the case that: sport and recreation serve as a catalyst for community gatherings, bringing people together for play, talk and shared experiences. Importantly, sport has a positive effect that reaches many levels of our society, providing an important thread that ties our social fabric. Also in most regional and remote communities, sports clubs sustain community interaction; bringing people together to boost confidence through times of prosperity and galvanising communities in times of need. Recreational and sporting activities rely upon a significant voluntary workforce that enriches people’s lives and improve their connections within the wider community. Sport and recreation is a key medium for creating new relationships among disparate social groups. Youth’s participation in sport may contribute to academic performance; but more importantly, participation contributes to social development and can teach valuable life skills. Sport and recreation may also help to divert young people from anti-social behaviour by targeting those most at