Teachers volunteering their services are the main organisers of sports for schoolchildren, according to a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published today.
The study School Children and Sport in Irelandsays that while extra-curricular participation rates are generally good; at second-level, 38 per cent of girls and 17 per cent of boys engage in little or no extra-curricular sport.
Some 46 per cent of second-level students get four or more sessions of sport per week from either volunteers teachers or other adult volunteers. A further 26 per cent get two to three sessions of sport per week from these sources.
Speaking this morning, Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue said: "The report highlights the immense voluntary input that teachers and adults in the community make in energising children in sport. This is a phenomenon that should be applauded and supported".
Physical Education (PE) classes in schools are an important "third pillar" of children's sport but account for a relatively small proportion of children's sporting activity. The study found the average student in second-level schools gets 69 minutes of PE per week, compared to the two hours recommended in the syllabus.
Sport and PE have a role to play in combating overweight and obesity among children. But, as has been found in international research, the study finds that differences in levels of physical activity among young people correlate weakly with risk of being overweight.
Sport has many benefits for the physical, social and emotional health of children. Policy on children's sport should keep the full range of these benefits in mind and not become overly focused on its role in protecting against overweight.
Although attitudes to sport among students are generally positive, the main cause of concern to students was a fear of the exclusionary effect of being perceived as lacking in sporting ability.
The lack of facilities is an important constraint on sport for students in many schools, though it is often not as important a constraint as pressure of time from school-work.
Schools rely heavily on off-site facilities for sport, and about eight out of ten schools at both primary and second level receive help from local sports clubs, the report said.
John Treacy, CEO of the Irish Sports Council, said the report "highlights the enormous support that sport enjoys among young people and the positive role that it plays in their lives. However, it also raises important challenges such as the drop-off in participation as young people approach adulthood. This is especially marked among women and is something we need to address".
The study is based on surveys carried out by ESRI in November and December of 2004 among 7,300 school children in 217 primary and second-level schools. The samples included students from fifth class in primary school up to sixth year in second-level schools.
The report is the third in a series of reports prepared by the ESRI in collaboration with the Irish Sports Council over the past two years.