Sport participation in Soweto locations, South Africa: A qualitative study among high school learners

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the patterns of sport participation among high school learners of the South Western Townships (widely known as Soweto) of the Gauteng Province in South Africa. A total of 57 learners (28 girls and 29 boys) aged 14 to 20 years were randomly selected. A qualitative design using a semi-structured questionnaire was chosen. The interviews were conducted actively by the researchers. Results indicated that more boys (52 %) than girls (18 %) participate in school sport activities. Further, whereas boys were more involved in contact sports, girls were found to be more involved in other forms of recreational activities or non-physical and/or non-contact activities such as drama (acting), music (singing) and watching television. The results of this study have practical implications for promoting school sport programmes in South Africa, especially in the predominantly Black location schools.

Keywords: Sport, participation, Soweto, location, learners.