MINISTER CALLS ON SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP SPORTING OPTIONS

Sport, Fitness & Leisure Minister Trevor Mallard today called on communities to work with secondary schools so they can continue to develop sporting options.

Trevor Mallard, who is also Education Minister, was speaking at the launch in Wellington of the Hillary Commission's new Sportfit strategy for secondary school sport to 2005.

"Schools are the place where most young people develop their active lifestyles, and they have always been the factory for our top achievers in sport.

"School sport throughout New Zealand is generally well organised and well structured, but the system is under pressure as we move into the new century. There has been a lot of recent attention on coaching shortages and the time pressures teachers face. This is a serious issue for the whole of sport.

"Meanwhile we know that most students want to try new activities - there is demand and enthusiasm.”

"Our young people are among the most active in the world, and that's great news. The Hillary Commission's Sportfit programme has operated for ten years, and has strengthened sport in schools. This new five year strategy is necessary for the pressures schools face, and has been agreed by the NZ Secondary School Sport Council and all the national sports bodies. It will tackle the issues and hopefully make a huge difference.”

The four goals of the new Sportfit strategy are:

 to increase the sport and physical activity levels of students
 to train 100,000 young people as Sport Leaders, able to coach and manage sport.

 to have 75% (300) of secondary schools' sports programmes achieve the SportsMark quality mark
 to have competent coaches for 80% of teams in 300 or more schools.

But the Minister stressed these goals can only be achieved if schools give sport real priority. To do this they will need help from the sports clubs and individuals in their community.

"Nearly every school now has at least one sports co-ordinator, this is a feature of the Sportfit approach and a good base to build on.

“Community sports clubs also need to make a commitment to help schools. They can often provide the coaching students need. It’s in their best interests because the students of today are the adult club members of tomorrow”.

Trevor Mallard pointed to some issues of concern that the Hillary Commission and Ministry of Education needed to focus on.

"It seems that some low decile schools have slightly poorer levels of teacher and student involvement in school teams. In Decile 1 schools last year 47% of students represented their school, against 56% in Decile 10 schools. 39% of staff in Decile 1 schools were involved, against 47% in Decile 10 schools.

"Our job is help the schools which are struggling however we can. But they also have to look at their own performance"

There was also a broader level issue related to young people aged 5-17. Despite an internationally high level of physical activity for New Zealand young people (at 69%), there were regions of New Zealand where the levels are alarmingly low.

"It is a great concern that young people (aged 5-17) in Auckland are less active than elsewhere, with only 59% of girls and 65% of boys active for 2.5 hours each week.

"We also have to keep a strong focus on girls' levels of activity. It is a priority for Sportfit and regions such as Manawatu/Taranaki/Wanganui where only 50% of girls are active, and Wellington (57%), show us there is a lot of work to do on this issue.

"As a Government we also have a vested interest in increasing participation in sport and fitness activities. The health benefits are particularly critical with latest reports showing that one of the causal factors in 6 out of 10 biggest killers in New Zealand was a lack of physical activity. Research reports estimate that a 10% increase in the number of people who are active would return health cost savings of at least $55 million per year.

"Through the Sportfit programme our young people will have the opportunity to learn about the lifelong benefits from physical activity."

(Attachment - regional graphs of youth physical activity levels).

ends

John Boyd (Hillary Commission) 04 496 3998 or 025 457 785
How active are young people in Auckland?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

GREATER AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
Active 65% 59% 62% 74% 64% 69%
Inactive 35% 41% 38% 26% 36% 31%
Hours active per week (average) 6.1 4.7 5.4 6.9 5.4 6.2
Number surveyed 195 194 389 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Auckland

How active are young people in the Bay of Plenty?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

BAY OF PLENTY NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 72% 62% 68% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 28% 38% 32% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 5.6 5.0 5.3 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 78 84 162 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in the Bay of Plenty

How active are young people in Canterbury/Westland?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

CANTERBURY/WESTLAND NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 77% 64% 71% 74% 64% 69%
Inactive 23% 36% 29% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 8.3 4.7 6.5 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 60 53 113 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Canterbury/Westland

How active are young people in Hawke's Bay and Eastland?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

HAWKE'S BAY/EASTLAND NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 79% 74% 76% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 21% 26% 24% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 8.5 7.6 8.1 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 57 67 124 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in the Hawke's Bay and Eastland

How active are young people in Northland?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

NORTHLAND NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
Active 74% 77% 76% 74% 64% 69%
Inactive 26% 23% 24% 26% 36% 31%
Hours active per week (average) 8.1 7.1 7.6 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 86 69 155 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.

Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Northland

How active are young people in Otago and Southland?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

OTAGO/SOUTHLAND NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 76% 74% 75% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 24% 26% 25% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 7.2 6.5 6.9 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 43 60 103 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Otago and Southland
How active are young people in Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

TARANAKI/WANGANUI/MANAWATU NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 86% 50% 69% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 14% 50% 31% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 7.8 5.7 6.2 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 63 46 109 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu

How active are young people in Tasman?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

TASMAN NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 88% 67% 78% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 12% 33% 22% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 7.6 5.3 6.5 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 52 66 118 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Tasman

How active are young people in the Waikato?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

WAIKATO NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 67% 79% 73% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 33% 21% 27% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 5.8 6.9 6.3 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 66 52 118 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in the Waikato

How active are young people in Wellington?

This research relates to young people aged 5-17 years old, not only secondary school children. Findings are from the Hillary Commission Sport and Physical Activity Survey 1998.

WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND

Boys
Girls Young people
Boys
Girls Young people
active 81% 57% 69% 74% 64% 69%
inactive 19% 43% 31% 26% 36% 31%
hours active per week (average) 6.6 4.5 5.6 6.9 5.4 6.2
number surveyed 74 53 127 774 744 1518
Definition of activity levels: Active = doing 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week. Inactive = doing less than 2.5 hours or more of sport and physical active leisure a week.
Note that average hours per week are calculated for young people who take part in sport and active leisure.

Young people's participation in sport and active leisure in Wellington

© Scoop Media