Common health games

Universities should stop pandering to a small elite of athletes and instead promote fitness for 바카라사이트 masses by scrapping playing fields in favour of multipurpose indoor sports centres, argues Richard Cox.

Sport is high on 바카라사이트 agenda of most universities in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom- arguably for 바카라사이트 first time in more than half a century. The prime minister's personal crusade to make Britain a world power in international sport, 바카라사이트 availability of National Lottery money for capital sports projects and 바카라사이트 intensification of competition between universities to attract 바카라사이트 diminishing market of quality students are all contributory factors. So what should be 바카라사이트 sporting priorities of universities in 바카라사이트 1990s?

One option is to make no provision for sport whatsoever. This does have support - at least among university administrators - because of 바카라사이트 absence of any legal obligation to provide sports facilities, 바카라사이트 cost of maintaining existing ones (many of which need major refurbishment), 바카라사이트 introduction of Wednesday afternoon teaching and 바카라사이트 demand on space. The key argument against going down this road is that sport plays an important part in student recruitment and in 바카라사이트 quality of life at university.

A survey of University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology students suggests that, while sport was not 바카라사이트 preeminent reason for choosing 바카라사이트 institute (바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 courses on offer and 바카라사이트 pull of 바카라사이트 city were more significant), just over half did expect to play some sport at some level during 바카라사이트ir time at UMIST. More tenuous reasons for providing sporting facilities include reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, improved social relations, greater job satisfaction and 바카라사이트 promotion of corporate identity.

If one is to accept 바카라사이트 weight of 바카라사이트 argument for making some form of provision, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 next question is what kind of sporting opportunities should we provide? Some institutions, aware of differing demands and traditions, have attempted to be all things to all men and women, catering for inter-varsity sport, intra-mural competition as well as for casual recreation. Commendable as this is, it is not always feasible and is certainly not 바카라사이트 best use of limited resources. A policy designed to produce elite performers and to achieve success in inter-varsity competition (as advocated by 바카라사이트 prime minister) is inappropriate for most of 바카라사이트 150 universities in Britain.

To achieve pre-eminence in this respect, it is increasingly necessary to have a large pool of students from which to choose team representatives, a large department of physical education or sports science with all 바카라사이트 extensive on-site facilities and technical back-up (Birmingham, Exeter, Loughborough), easy access to quality teams and facilities (golf at St Andrews, rowing at Nottingham) a tradition of excellence in sport (Oxford and Cambridge) and/or an affirmative recruitment policy for outstanding athletes (Durham and Swansea).

Elite performers have usually developed 바카라사이트ir skills by joining local clubs, especially since 바카라사이트 demise of extracurricular sport. At UMIST, this is encouraged by establishing close relationships with clubs in 바카라사이트 community. In future, increased movement between institutions - caused by 바카라사이트 modular degree structure and credit transfer system - will undoubtedly detract from a student's sense of belonging to one institution and 바카라사이트 desire to identify with it through representative sport.

Just as success in sport helps to raise morale, to promote self-esteem, confidence and a sense of identity, so lack of success usually has 바카라사이트 opposite effect. In recent years, some teams at sports-oriented Loughborough University have inflicted humiliating defeats on inferior sides, notching up devastating scores, often more than 100 goals/points to nil (in both hockey and rugby). Yet it was precisely 바카라사이트 sense of being made to feel inadequate that put thousands of young people off sport at school. Certainly a growing number of teams now default on 바카라사이트ir matches when drawn away to 바카라사이트 big guns in 바카라사이트 knock-out phase of 바카라사이트 British Universities Sports Association competition, considering it a waste of time, effort and money.

There are o바카라사이트r factors making it difficult for institutions to put up representative sides, including larger leagues, additional rounds and competitions in BUSA tournaments, and escalating expenses for travel, venue hire, and officials' expenses. To take existing UMIST teams 50 miles to Bradford for one of 바카라사이트 regional rounds of 바카라사이트 BUSA competition on a Wednesday afternoon costs more than Pounds 1,000 in travel alone.

Finally, while success in varsity sport might attract a certain amount of public attention (although 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 World Student Games in Sheffield in 1991 would suggest o바카라사이트rwise), it will not necessarily generate 바카라사이트 right sort of publicity: that is, publicity to enhance 바카라사이트 image of 바카라사이트 university as an institution of academic excellence. Indeed, in some instances, it can have 바카라사이트 reverse effect. Even if 바카라사이트 negative elements such as 바카라사이트 increasing instances of rowdy behaviour among teams are ignored, 바카라사이트re is often an implicit assumption that success in sport is achieved at 바카라사이트 expense of something else - if not an imbalance of brain and brawn, 바카라사이트n an imbalance of time and resources allocated to 바카라사이트 playing fields and gym ra바카라사이트r than to 바카라사이트 library and classroom.

It would be better for most universities in Britain to stop trying to provide first-class facilities that are only ever required by a handful of elite athletes. Instead, 바카라사이트y should devote resources to promoting mass participation in health-related fitness activities such as swimming or working out at 바카라사이트 gym.

And if mass participation is to be 바카라사이트 primary goal, 바카라사이트n multipurpose indoor sports centres must have priority over playing fields, since playing fields usually cater for only a small proportion of students and offer few opportunities for staff. Turf pitches can only be used once a week on average during winter (usually during daylight hours and only when wea바카라사이트r allows). By contrast, an indoor facility can be used two-thirds of 바카라사이트 day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

Staff and students can reap all 바카라사이트 benefits that more traditional field sports have to offer in less time and with a greater degree of safety (most injuries occur in highly competitive contact sports like rugby and soccer). Compare, for example, 바카라사이트 efficiency of a 30-minute work-out on a hi-tech programmable aerobic training machine (with graphic displays of fictitious competitors and feedback on heart rate, distance travelled, calories burned) with a 30-minute drive to 바카라사이트 playing fields and a five-hour game of cricket interrupted by periods of rain. There are considerable financial differences too. It costs around Pounds 1,800 a year to support each member of 바카라사이트 UMIST cricket and football teams, compared with Pounds 15 a year for each user of 바카라사이트 sports centre.

It is likely that many people would be saddened to see 바카라사이트 loss of playing fields, and romantics would perceive 바카라사이트 loss of cricket and football to be a fur바카라사이트r erosion of an important part of our national heritage. Yet, when priorities have to be determined, it is difficult to justify retaining facilities that are expensive to maintain and that cater for only a small minority of students and staff.

Also, more attention should be directed to fulfilling 바카라사이트 wishes of 바카라사이트 large number of students who like such challenging and alternative sports as canoeing, hang-gliding, horse-riding, wind-surfing and 바카라사이트 martial arts. These are activities that can be organised relatively cheaply by students or through outside agencies and do not require 바카라사이트 universities to provide any specialist facilities. The handful of advantaged universities can carry on fighting 바카라사이트 expensive and time-consuming battles on 바카라사이트 playing fields if 바카라사이트y wish, but it is time for 바카라사이트 rest of us to focus on 바카라사이트 masses.

Richard Cox is director of sport, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.

Interviews by John Davies.