Abstract
ObjectiveTo identify the challenges adult community sport participants anticipate when returning to sport in Victoria, Australia, post a COVID‐19 shutdown. MethodsUsing online concept mapping, participants brainstormed challenges to returning to community sport, sorted them into groups and rated them for impact and ability/capacity to overcome. Analysis included multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. ResultsForty‐five community sport participants representing 24 sports identified 69 unique challenges to returning to sport. Eight clusters/questions participants need answered emerged from the sorting data (mean cluster impact and ability/capacity rating out of 5): Will we have enough participants? (3.32, 2.89); How do we stay safe? (3.31, 3.35); How will our sport change? (3.17, 2.85); How can we stay together? (3.15, 3.01); Will I be physically ready? (3.15, 3.05); What about the money? (2.86, 2.53); What about me? (2.65, 3.13); and What about the facilities? (2.49, 2.45). ConclusionsParticipants perceived paradoxical challenges to returning to sport after COVID‐19 shutdown, which revolved around staying safe, staying connected and accessing meaningful sport activities. Implications for public healthSport organisations and public health practitioners should address the participant‐centred challenges identified in this study to maximise the public health benefits of participants returning to community sport.
Published Version
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