Sports and recreation participation in three communities in Botswana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess sports and recreation participation of three communities in Botswana. A total number of 438 (228 men and 210 women) aged 18 to 40 years were randomly selected to participate in the study. A questionnaire was used to gather information about sports and recreation participation, participation in sports and recreation activities, using the integrated sports facilities and reasons for low participation in sports and recreation activities. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed that soccer, netball, watching TV and listening to music were the most popular non-competitive sports and recreation activities among both men and women. Furthermore, a low levels of participation that ranged from 0.0% to 47.4% in the other remaining non-competitive sports and recreation items were observed. Participation in sports using the integrated sports facilities was as follows: 17.7% for men and 11.8% for women in Molepolole, 23.2% for men and 2.9% for women in Serowe and 43.1% for men and 10.3% for women in Masunga. These low levels of participation were due to lack of awareness, lack of sports and recreation skills, lack of sports and recreation promotion, lack of sports and recreation facilities and lack of recreation personnel. For these low levels of participation to be addressed this study recommended the following: the introduction of various sports and recreation programmes, construction of additional sports and recreation facilities which should be accessible to all members of the community,, introduction of health and wellness programmes through sport and recreation, and training of personnel in sports and recreation programming.

Key Words: Sports and recreation participation, communities, constraints, facilities, personnel, programmes, Botswana.

AJPHERD Vol.10(4) 2004: 295-305