The Participant as an Individual

Age Physical Differences -Higher levels of Flexibility in younger people -Strength decreases as we get older -Oxygen capacity reduces with age and the heart becomes less efficient -Skill levels improve with age as we improve with age and experience -The older you are the longer it takes to recover from injuries

Age Age Divisions To combat the effect of age, youth sport is organised into age divisions so that are players are able to develop.

Disability Sporting Adaptations -Paralympics are held every four years immediately after the main Olympics. -Sports are adapted such as wheelchair basketball. -Equipment is adapted for those such as visually impaired (bigger ball, bell in ball etc) -Disability classifications exist meaning that competitions are still fair as all disabilities are different.

Disability Facilities Legal requirements now mean that those who are disabled must be catered for. This is done by: -Access: ensuring doors and doorways are wide enough for wheelchairs -Parking: disabled bays -Provision: lifts must be installed, disabled toilets and specialised clubs.

Gender Physical Differences -Body shape, size and physique are different in men and women. -Women have smaller hearts and lungs -Men usually have higher levels of muscular strength -Women have less muscle mass Women can compete with males in some sporting events where physical attributes are less important but most sports are run as SINGLE SEX SPORTS.

Gender Perceived Differences -Discrimination has historically happened towards women in sport. This means that it has been hard for them to break through in sport. -Religion also forbids some women from competing in sport. - There is still a lack of females in coaching, officiating and admin roles. These are often still taken by men in female matches.

Physique Body Types Your body type or somatotype can be classified in three different ways: -Endomorph -Ectomorph -Mesomorph

Endomorph -Pear shaped body -Wide hips and shoulders -Tendency to gain fat -Short legs Suited to sports such as sumo wrestling and front row in rugby.

Ectomorph -Long, slender and thin -Very little muscle and body fat -Not suited to power and strength events Suited to sports such as marathon running and gymnastics.

Mesomorph -Wedge shaped body with broad and wide shoulders -Muscley arms and legs -Narrow hips -Minimum amount of fat -Excel in strength, speed and agility events Suited to team sports and individual sports such as swimming.

Environment Factors affecting participation -Weather: in poor weather people are unable to train and compete, this could be due to snow, ice or rain. -Pollution: those who live in an area of high air pollution may not be able to participate without risking their own health. -Altitude: living and training at altitude will have an impact on performance of endurance athletes. -Humidity: this related to the amount of water vapour in the air. High levels of humidity make it hard for performers to compete without suffering from dehydration. -Terrain: For certain sports you need a certain type of terrain/surface and this is not always possible.

Risk and Challenge Challenging Activities “A challenge is a test of your ability in a demanding situation.” “A risk is the possibility of suffering harm or loss.” There are many mental physical and mental challenges available to us. These can help increase confidence, motivation and allow us to try something new and exciting.

Risk Control To ensure risks are managed the following things must happen: -Participants must play within the rules -Avoid foul play -Check equipment is in good order -Qualified organisers -Correct warm-up -Safe numbers

Activity Levels “Competitive is an activity that involves some form of contest, rivalry or game” “Recreational is any form is play, amusement or relaxation performed as a game, sport or hobby”

The higher the level you perform at the more benefits there will be physically, mentally and socially.