Amateur Sports Clubs. Their Salient Features and Major Advantages

Abstract

The promotion of sport, the extension of the sporting experience into an ever wider section of the population, is an important aim which can be pursued in many different ways. Some of the most important agents in providing an initial experience of sport are amateur sports clubs, about which little is known. Such clubs have several advantages in sports promotion, being close to their actual and potential membership both physically and socially. For such reasons, clubs are often popular with sportsmen and women as an organisational focus of their activities. One of the clubs' strongest advantages is their ability to provide sports activity within a framework of demo cratic self-organisation. So popular are clubs that in an era of expensive public sports facilities, they continue to provide much needed facilities, organisation, and social support.

We’re not too old to play sports: the career of women lawn bowlers

“…Corresponding to previous findings, this investigation discovered that bowls appealed to older women due to the nature of the sport itself (Boothby and Tungatt, 1978;Snyder, 1986;Elling et al, 2001;Groff and Kleiber, 2001) and the physical activity associated with it (Boothby and Tungatt, 1978;Lenskyj, 1988;Fournier and Fine, 1990;Burnside, 1993;Meltzer, 1996;Laverie, 1998;Siegenthaler and Vaughan, 1998;Traphagan, 1998;Elling et al, 2001;Grant, 2001). While other studies (Bouet, 1966;Boothby and Tungatt, 1978;Snyder, 1986;Fournier and Fine, 1990;Henderson, 1990a;Burnside, 1993;Blinde et al, 1994;Meltzer, 1996;Laverie, 1998;Traphagan, 1998;Elling et al, 2001;Grant, 2001;Groff and Kleiber, 2001) have also noted the social benefits of participation in physical activity and sports, the affiliative nature of lawn bowls proved to be remarkably striking.…”

“…While other studies (Bouet, 1966;Boothby and Tungatt, 1978;Snyder, 1986;Fournier and Fine, 1990;Henderson, 1990a;Burnside, 1993;Blinde et al, 1994;Meltzer, 1996;Laverie, 1998;Traphagan, 1998;Elling et al, 2001;Grant, 2001;Groff and Kleiber, 2001) have also noted the social benefits of participation in physical activity and sports, the affiliative nature of lawn bowls proved to be remarkably striking.…”