Abstract
Females continue to be poorly represented in sport as participants, coaches, advisers
and as team administrators and are seldom seen in the capacity as managers of
different sporting codes.
This study sets out to determine the different psychosocial factors that influence female
sport participation in the high school milieu. This study will provide knowledge that will
aid the understanding of the phenomenon of participation and non-participation of high
school girls.
After studying available literature on the subject, several factors were identified as
influential determinants of whether girls decide to participate or not to participate in
sport. The following factors were identified: financial benefits; family support; career
opportunities; stereotypes about female sport participation; physiological nature of
females; self-esteem; ability; motivation; competitions; need for recognition; coaching
preferences and how well females get the recognition over their male counterparts.
The study was motivated by the realization that females in South Africa are generally
poorly represented in the world of sport. This poor representation becomes more
evident when the girls enter the senior secondary classes. Educational Institutions
should maintain the spirit of sport participation and by so doing generate sport
participation by women as a life long skill.
A questionnaire, based on the literature review, was designed to gather information on
the psychosocial reasons why high school girls participate or do not participate in sport.
After a pilot study was done, the questionnaire was distributed to three former model C
high schools in the southern regions of Johannesburg. The High School Personality
Questionnaire (H.S.P.Q.) was the instrument used to compare personality factors
between the two groups. A total of 266 girls (grades ten to twelve) were included in this
study.
The results indicated that various psychosocial factors influence female sport
participation. Only a few girls (n=98) in the sample participated in sport while most girls
(n=168) did not. The reasons why girls seemed to participate in sport included the fact
that they enjoy sport, wanting a healthy life style, and they also enjoy the competition.
The reasons why girls did not participate include the need to pay attention to academic
commitments, lack of motivation, pressure and the competitive nature of the world of
sport.
Awareness of the influence of and negative impact of these psychosocial factors can
help sport psychologists, sport educators, coaches, administrators, sport organisations
and the government to develop programmes/systems that will promote female
participation in sport.
Mr. R.L. Van Niekerk