Diversity In Sports AND Well-Being Essay Example

Inequalities have been a traditional part of sports. Throughout history one can find many examples of inequality in sports due to race, gender, or disability. This inequality is becoming unacceptable in society and organizations, societies and clubs that are created to exclude individuals are seen as unacceptable. Now more and more organizations are seeking guidance in planning inclusion activities for women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities. In this paper I will be focusing primarily on the inclusion of disabled people in sports activities.
According to Bickerton (2005, citing Stafford 1995) physical literacy has been defined as “as developing the fundamentals of movement through appropriate opportunities and environments for learning and attainment” Coaches and non-disabled participants must understand that physical latency does not develop naturally, but must be taught and improved upon (Bickerton 1995). This means that anyone can learn to play a sport as long as the sport is adapted to their capabilities. This is why it is essential that everyone, no matter their limitations are given the means and access to participate in sports. Sports as defined by The European Sport's Charter (Council of Europe, 1992) is all forms of physical activity, rather the participation is casual or organised that is aimed at improving or expressing one’s physical or mental well-being, while helping to improve a person’s ability to form social relationships. Exercise was also defined as “physical activity that is structured, purposeful and done for health and fitness benefits” (Council of Europe 1992
Sports equality is being given the same opportunities to participate in a sport as others. It is about the establishment recognizing inequalities and taking the adequate steps to address them. This is why it is important for the governing bodies of an organisations to enact policies that address recruitment, grievance and disciplinary procedures in regards to sports inequality. (sports and rec. org). Many organizations governing bodies have already begun to address the issue of inequality in sports by putting together policies and action plans. (sports and rec.org). These plans are necessary in order to prevent discrimination by providing opportunity, choice and accessibility, although it cannot be assumed that all sports are open and accessible to all (sports and rec.org). Sports England formerly known as Sports Council has been promoting equity in sports for the past ten years. They have worked with a large array of governing bodies in order to design policies and programmes that would help implement fairness in sports. (sports and rec.org). Providing equal access to sports is socially and psychologically beneficial to participants.
The health and social benefits of sports participation include improvements in social interactions, improved self-esteem, less depression symptoms. People who participate in sports are less likely to develop certain medical conditions then inactive people (US Dept. of Health 2008, and Janssen 2007). The recommendations regarding exercise for children and teens differs from the recommendations for adults. Children and adolescents should get an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise a day in order to improve their overall physical and mental health. (US Dept. of Health 2008). These benefits are not enough to motivate people to stay involved in sports especially when other factors are involved.
The social benefits of inclusion in sports is that the individual develops relationships outside of the familiar circle. Sports allows them to interact with other players, and coaches. This helps them develop social skills through teamwork. Other benefits include developing emotional control, discipline, academic improvement, and weight control (Holt et.al.2011). Studies have found that participation in sports is not only linked with “enhanced self-concept” (Marsh 1993), and improvements in shyness including anxiety (Findlay and Coplan 2008). Inclusion in sports has also been shown to help reduce “thoughts and intentions regarding suicide” (Taliaferro et.al 2011 pg. 8). This can be especially helpful for people who have newly acquired their disability in terms of coming to accept their disability, regaining the desire to integrate socially and it can help them regain their self-esteem. (Chawla, 1994). Other positive effects of physical activity in individuals with disabilities are improved bone metabolism, increased independence, increased mobility and a decrease in chronic disease and minor complications (Moon et al, 1982; Nishiyama et al, 1986; Lancioni et al, 1994 and 1998; Washburn et al, 2002; Nary et al, 2000 cited by Boland, 2005). In fact, the lack of physical activity has been shown to have the “same health risk as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol and it has been shown to cause premature aging, chronic disease and numerous cardiovascular and skeletal related issues” (Frank and Patla, 2003).
Some of the obstacles that cause people with disabilities to not participate in sports are: low expectations from teachers and peers, lack of information about what is available in regards to facilities and programmes, transportation difficulties, lack of people to assist in helping people with disabilities access facilities and programmes if needed, and untrained staff. (Bickerton, 2005). These obstacles along with the negative attitudes and perceptions of others can cause a disabled person to view themselves as not being good enough to participate in a sport (disabledworld.com). One way to overcome these obstacles is for the program facilitators and the disabled participants to work together to enable the person to participate in the manner they chose, rather that involves helping from the sidelines or actively participating. This can only be done if the facility has the appropriate resources and trained assistants.
When developing a fitness regimen one must remember that no two people are the same in regards to their needs or desires when it comes to being included in sports activities. Some people just want to be part of the team and would rather referee or take score. Others want to be part of the action. I tried to come up with an activity programme that would include all disabilities. I wanted to ensure that a disabled person would be able to do the activities along-side an able bodied person with little to no assistance. So far my hour long inclusive activity program includes the following:

Swimming

Swimming and water aerobics are excellent exercises for anyone no matter their fitness levels or disability. One huge benefit of swimming is that it takes the stress of impact off of a person’s body. This is especially advantageous to people who are confined to wheelchairs. Swimming helps improve, endurance, reflexes, motor skills and coordination. It also helps improve physical strength, and swimming improves cardiovascular health by strengthening the heart.

Archery

Archery is another sport that can be played by anyone despite their disability. The only adjustment I can see being needed is that a visually impaired person would need someone to help aim the bow. Archery is good for motor skills and coordination. It can also help with focus.

Yoga

Yoga consists of exercises a person can do standing up or sitting down. This makes it an ideal exercise for people to do. Yoga helps improve muscle tone, dexterity, improves breathing, and helps with cardiovascular health.

Dance

Dance is another sport that is all inclusive. The health benefits of dance include improved joint flexibility and balance as well as weight loss. Plus, dance allows people to interact and be more social than most other sports

Strength training

Strength training includes endurance, flexibility and stretching exercises that help improve muscle strength. These exercises help disabled people by strengthening their bones, which helps decrease risk of injury to the body and improves posture. For the best results a person should do strength training exercises at least three days a week, or every other day in order to give their muscles time to rest.

Weight training

Weight training is another exercise that anyone can participate in. Weight machines provide resistance which helps to exercise a variety of muscle groups. The individual increases and muscular endurance due to the repetition of the moves. This enables people in wheelchairs to strengthen both their upper and lower bodies.
In conclusion, it is important for everybody to be able to participate in sports or an exercise programme if one chooses. Everyone needs to be given the chance to participate in sports to the best of their capabilities. The ability to participate in sports, especially along-side side people without disabilities is both mentally and emotionally beneficial. This is because by enabling everyone to participate despite their abilities or disabilities helps to improve self-worth and social relationships, while also improving their overall health, motor skills and flexibility. Participation in sports has also been shown to reduce behavioural problems and depression, which helps to reduce the rate of suicides amount people with disabilities. Exercise has also been shown to have other positive effects, such as boosting self-esteem, helping with social anxiety and giving disabled people the opportunity to meet and build relationships with people outside of their family and close friends, and helping people learn discipline and teamwork. The physical effects of exercise are weight loss, bone strength, flexibility. Exercise also acts as a natural anti-aging solution because when you work out chemicals are released into the body. These chemicals help reduce pain and produce a feeling of bliss, which in turn contributes to a person looking and feeling younger.

References

Bickerton, P. 2005 “Learning to Move”. Sports Coach UK, Available at <www.sportscoachuk.org. >
Chawla, JC. 1994 “Sport for People with Disability”. British Medical Journal vol.308 no.1500, p.4.
Council of Europe 1992 The European Sports Charter, Available at <http://www.sportdevelopment.org.uk/html/eucharter.htm>
Disability Sports Information on Sport for the Disabled 2015, [Online] [Accessed 8 th January 2016], Available at <http://www.disabled-world.com/sports/ >
Findlay L& Coplan R. 2008 “Come out and play: Shyness in childhood and the benefits of organized sports participation”. Can J Behav Sci. vol.40, no.3, pp.153–161
Frank, J.S. & Patla, A.E. 2003 “Balance and mobility challenges in older adults: Implications for preserving community mobility”. American Journal of Preventive Medicine vol.25 (Suppl 2) pp. 157-163.
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