What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Many benefits and advantages are routinely claimed for participation in sports, games and physical activities. They are the justification for the enormous commitment of resources to these activities, both in schools and in wider society. Whilst the physiological impacts of exercise are an indisputable matter of science, the claims for the advantages of competition, team games and personal development are more variable. Are positive outcomes inevitable, or is it possible that participation in school sport might actually have a negative impact on some pupils?
There is significant evidence that a poor experience of school games can lead to lifelong aversion not just to sport, but also to physical activity. Traditional, competitive games, playing outdoors in adverse weather and inadequate kit, insensitive teaching have all been shown to lead to rejection of active lifestyles, especially amongst teenage girls. Conversely, a great experience can stimulate a lifetime of enjoyment of physical activity, but clearly identifiable factors indicate that it is not inevitable.
So, what of the enthusiasts? Surely the impact of sports on them must be positive?
Player behaviour often emulates the top level of the game, and is is certainly not always positive. Players dispute decisions, disrespect opponents and disregard the conventions of sportsmanship with increasing regularity. The ECB has expressed explicit concern about declining standards of behaviour of players in school games, both towards opponents through facile "sledging", but also in attitudes to umpires.
The final whistle does not always promote "winning with dignity and losing with honour" as the Victorians believed. Not unknown are ugly scenes, and a sour atmosphere of blame, with the referee and the coach the most obvious victims of parents whose definition of "winning" is narrowly mathematical. Many games finish in an atmosphere of deep mutual respect. Adaptive competition provides benefits for all, including spectators and coaches: maladaptive competition damages participants
Neither does school sport necessarily bring out the best in the adults involved. Many create a stimulating and supportive environment that enables young players to learn games in a creative and blame free environment. However, the example of self discipline and impulse control is not always evident from teachers and parents, where some succumb to the emotional nature of sport and suspend better judgement and sense of perspective. When the players are victims of adult frustration, this can have a wounding impact on their self esteem and love of activity. And what is the impact of those not selected, or the substitutes who don't get game time - or those who field at fine leg at both ends? Where is the positive outcome here ?
But what of personal qualities? Do children really learn bravery from Rugby and selflessness from Netball, as is widely claimed? And what of the increasingly fashionable "resilience"? Certainly these are possible outcomes, and many children from all backgrounds enthusiastically cite their experience of sport as life changing in a positive way. But it is far from inevitable. Probably as many boys learn cowardice from their experience of Rugby as others learn courage: maybe as many cricketers learn selfishness as learn teamship and empathy. The bats of dismissed players rattle around changing rooms sufficiently frequently to suggest that self control is not an unquestioned outcome.
Certainly, the experience of sport can change lives. But confirmation bias makes the search for positive evidence more active than the consideration of the possible negatives. If schools believe in the capacity of games to impact on desirable personal qualities, their concern for planning these outcomes with the same enthusiasm as they document learning objectives is infrequent. And control of the quality of adult behaviour is variable. Skills and technique inputs are carefully planned. Maybe it's time to aim for the same inspector-satisfying rigour for "progress" in the wider impacts.
Sport is neutral. It's how the experience is presented that determines whether it is a positive or negative influence. And exactly how it changes lives. Rarely do adults report ambivalence about their experience of school sport - they loved it or hated it. School sport has the rare capacity to enrich lives and develop people: the, impact, however is not inevitable