Community-level Sports Research Articles

Comparing the healthy development of youth Australian Rules Footballers across talent development and community settings

ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare talent development athletes to community-level athletes in Australian Rules Football across various markers of healthy youth development.MethodsSurvey data were collected from 363 youth athletes (126...

Highlighting Rural Cricket: Prevalence, Aetiology, and Risk Factors of Injury among Cricket Players in a Community Setting

Objective: Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played among teams. The game is correlated with complex proficiencies and strategies that require remarkable physical fitness levels. Investigations on competitive cricketers based on the community level are scanty. Furthermore, injuries occurring during play at this level are not well understood and additional research is required for injury prevention. The study explored the prevalence, aetiology, and risk factors of cricket injuries (sustained over a single season) among cricketers in a community setting. Methods: An epidemiological cross-sectional quantitative study design was performed. Data were collected from participants (n = 96), based on two cricket boards. A self-reported questionnaire for a single season was administered, which focused on demographics, the prevalence of injury, risk factors, and aetiology of injury. Results: A total of eighty-seven participants (90.6%) experienced injury or related musculoskeletal pain (K-S 0.145, p < 0.000). The most common sites were the upper limbs (51%), followed by the lower limbs (45.8). Specific anatomical sites prevalent were the shoulder (33.3%), ankle (33.3%), hand (25%), and thigh (22.9%). Overuse injuries (45.8%) were prevalent, as well as sprains (49%), strains (41.7%), and bruising (49%). Mechanisms included overuse (51%), rapid rotation (44.8%), and struck by ball (41.7%). Majority (82.3%) of the participants reported not having access to primary healthcare in the clubs. Conclusion: Community cricket players have a high overuse injury rate, concentrated mainly in the shoulder. Prevention and early primary healthcare are crucial in community-level sports.

Community-level social participation and functional disability among older adults: A JAGES multilevel longitudinal study

PurposeThis study investigates the contextual association between types of community-level social participation and functional disability. MethodsWe used 6-year prospective cohort data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study 2010–2016, a nationwide survey of 35,519 functionally independent older adults (mean age: 73.30 ± 5.91 years, 49.6% females). The incidence of functional disability was obtained from municipal long-term care insurance databases. Social participation was assessed at individual and community levels and was categorized as: volunteer, sports, hobby and neighborhood groups, and senior citizen clubs. We calculated the 95% confidence interval (CI) and the hazard ratio (HR) by applying a three-level multilevel survival analysis. ResultsDuring the 6-year observation period, the onset of functional disability occurred among 3473 adults. A higher prevalence of sports (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.96) and hobby group participation (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.96) showed significant contextual relationships with functional disability after adjusting for potential confounders. Among females, community-level neighborhood group participation significantly lowered the incidence of functional disability (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.998). ConclusionsWe found a beneficial effect of a contextual relationship between community-level sports and hobby group participation and functional disability among older adults. Moreover, females benefited a lot from community-level social participation. We propose that promoting sports and hobby groups in a community may help to prevent functional disability among older adults.

Understanding Girls' Motivation to Participate in Sport: The Effects of Social Identity and Physical Self-Concept.

Introduction: Girls are often less motivated to participate in community sport compared to boys. Having a strong social identity with a sports team is positively associated with motivation to continue participation in sport, yet the mechanisms explaining this association are not well-known. In the current study, physical self-concept is tested as a mediator of the association between social identity and motivation.Method: Girl badminton athletes were recruited to examine how the team environment shapes physical self-concept, and whether this association relates to motivation to participate in sport. Ninety-two girls completed a self-report survey to measure social identity, physical self-perceptions, and motivation. Two mediation models were conducted to examine whether physical self-concept mediated the relationship between social identity and autonomous motivation and controlled motivation.Results: Physical self-concept partially mediated the relationship between social identity and autonomous motivation. The bootstrapped unstandardized indirect effect was, b = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.002 to.14. Physical self-concept fully mediated the relationship between social identity and controlled motivation. The bootstrapped unstandardized indirect effect was, b = −0.13, 95% CI = −0.30 to −0.01, p = 0.04.Discussion: These results highlight the importance of the group context in relation to individual physical self-concept and motivation. Overall, targeting aspects of the team environment in community-level sport may be an important strategy to improve girls' physical self-concept, and autonomous motivation to continue sport participation.

Sport policy formation and enactment in post-devolution Wales: 1999–2020

ABSTRACT Sport Wales (previously the Sports Council for Wales) is the lead non-government organisation for the delivery and management of sport policy in Wales and receives an annual grant from the Welsh Government, which is supplemented by additional money from the National Lottery. There are also 22 unitary authorities that are responsible for school and community-level sport and physical activity provision. The purpose of this article is to undertake a policy critique of sport in Wales since devolution. The provided commentary charts the development of Welsh sport policy since 1999 as part of an overall governmental emphasis on physical health and wellbeing. It is divided into the three organising themes that reflect three domains of sport and physical activity participation – school, community and elite. The analysis is predicated on a review of outcomes and impact on different sectors and draws upon (some) comparisons with the English context. The principal conclusion is that even though the Welsh Government has been led by the Labour Party since devolution, the adoption of neo-liberal principles has (at least implicitly) impacted negatively on policy formation and enactment. This article offers new insight into sports policy development and enactment in Wales since 1999 and draws attention, in particular, to the importance of sport and physical activity at a time of global pandemic as well as the neglect of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in policy discourses.

Five-Year Changes in Community-Level Sport Participation, and the Role of Gender Strategies.

Background: The rate of participation in community-based sport by boys and men has been double that of girls and women. Contributing to this is the fact that some sports have been traditionally male-only or at least very male-dominated.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in participation in sport by sex and age across 10 major sports in Australia over a 5-year period. In conjunction with the analysis of participation trends, the gender strategies that were developed and implemented during this time are reviewed.Methods: This study encompassed all sport participants registered with one of 10 State Sporting Associations in Victoria, Australia in 2015 and in 2019. Participation rates by region, age and sex were calculated. State sport and health policies relating to female participation in sport were reviewed.Results: There were 749,037 registrations in 2015 and 868,266 in 2019. A comparison between 2015 and 2019 shows increases in participation for women and girls across all age groups (4–84 years), and highest increases for those aged 4 (6.6%) and 5–9 (4.7%). For boys there was a considerable decrease in participation for those aged 5–9 years (−3.8%).Discussion: This study provides evidence that whilst participation in sport is still dominated by males, the gap might be gradually closing and this is in line with recent strategies and investments into sport and wider cultural developments in society. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Reimagining Sustainable Community Sports Fields of the Future: a Framework for Convergent Science-Stakeholder Decision-Making

Community-level sports fields are public spaces that provide numerous physical, mental, and societal benefits. These fields are often governed, constructed, managed, and used by various interacting groups who have different value systems and preferences that impact their decisions. While sports fields offer an opportunity for community engagement and physical activity to residents of communities, poor field quality or lack of access from misinformed decisions can increase health issues and decrease physical activity participation, especially among youth. That is in addition to decisions made regarding water and energy resources required to maintain these fields. Those who have decision-making authority should consider input from the entire community and other relevant stakeholders; however, there is a lack of convergence and breakdown in communication among stakeholders’ needs and priorities. Additionally, decision-makers often lack effective tools and proper knowledge to select and manage fields to meet demand in a sustainable and just manner. The objective of this white paper is to propose an innovative framework for research that could lead to the development of a common platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue about issues related to improving the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of community-level sports fields. The framework can be implemented by innovatively bringing together physical and social scientists to (1) map and assemble pertinent stakeholders and visualize the stakeholder network, (2) measure leverage points within the stakeholder network that optimize sustainable and inclusive communication and decision-making, (3) identify perspectives surrounding decisions at the community level (through prioritizing different social, economic, and environmental indicators, with particular focus on health outcomes), and (4) develop a decision support tool to evaluate the trade-offs associated with different options. Subsequently, findings should promote and catalyze dialogue between diverse stakeholders to assist with making the complex decisions for these important public spaces.

Gender inclusive sporting environments: the proportion of women in non-player roles over recent years

BackgroundThroughout the ecosystem of sport, women have been and continue to be underrepresented at all levels compared to men. The capacity of community-level sport is heavily reliant on the many non-player roles including governance, as well as administration, coaching and officiating. Recently there has been increased attention to improving the gender balance in sport. The aim of this study is to investigate the proportions of women engaged in non-playing roles in sport (2016–2018).MethodsThis study involved secondary analysis of the AusPlay survey, a national population survey, funded by Sport Australia. This study utilised data from people aged 15-years or older about their involvement in non-playing roles in sport, and their demographic data. Survey respondents were asked “During the last 12 months, have you been involved with any sports in a nonplaying role, such as official, coach, referee, administrator, etc?” Analysis of non-player role responses focussed specifically on the top four non-player role categories; coach, official, administrator and manager. Frequency analysis concentrated on the distribution of men and women involvement in a non-player capacity for the three years, with detailed analysis of the most recent year (2018).ResultsIn this study of 61,578 Australians there was a higher proportion of men in non-player roles in sport compared to women, across each of the three years (2018: men 55 %, women 46 %). Involvement of women in coaching increased significantly from 38 % to 2016 to 44 % in 2018 (p < 0.001). The proportion of women involved in administration roles significantly decreased from a peak of 51 % in 2017 to 46 % in 2018 (p < 0.001).ConclusionsAligned with strategic policy and investment strategies, there are gradual increased representation of women in non-playing sport, coaching roles. Women are still underrepresented in terms of coaches, officials and administrators, but are more likely to be managers. It is recommended that there is continued mentoring, identification and emphasising of female role models, and further strategies to increase female presence in non-playing roles. We recommend that future research, in line with appropriate gender and cultural-change theories, investigates and discusses the progress of gender equality throughout playing and non-playing role in sport.

Community-Level Sports Group Participation and Health Behaviors Among Older Non-Participants in a Sports Group: A Multilevel Cross-Sectional Study.

This study validates the relationship between community-level sports group participation and the frequency of leaving the house and transtheoretical model stages of behavior change for exercise among older individuals who did not participate in a sports group. We used cross-sectional data from the 2016 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. The proportion of sports group participants at the community level was calculated using the data from 157,233 older individuals living in 1000 communities. We conducted a multilevel regression analysis to examine the relationship between the proportion of sports group participants and the frequency of leaving the house (1 day/week or less) and the transtheoretical model stages of behavior change for exercise. A statistically significant relationship was observed between a high prevalence of sports group participation and lower risk of homeboundness (odds ratio: 0.94) and high transtheoretical model stages (partial regression coefficient: 0.06) as estimated by 10 percentage points of participation proportion. Older individuals, even those not participating in a sports group, living in a community with a high prevalence of sports group participation are less likely to be homebound; they are highly interested and have numerous opportunities to engage in exercise.

Multidimensional Ground Reaction Forces and Moments From Wearable Sensor Accelerations via Deep Learning.

Monitoring athlete internal workload exposure, including prevention of catastrophic non-contact knee injuries, relies on the existence of a custom early-warning detection system. This system must be able to estimate accurate, reliable, and valid musculoskeletal joint loads, for sporting maneuvers in near real-time and during match play. However, current methods are constrained to laboratory instrumentation, are labor and cost intensive, and require highly trained specialist knowledge, thereby limiting their ecological validity and wider deployment. An informative next step towards this goal would be a new method to obtain ground kinetics in the field. Here we show that kinematic data obtained from wearable sensor accelerometers, in lieu of embedded force platforms, can leverage recent supervised learning techniques to predict near real-time multidimensional ground reaction forces and moments (GRF/M). Competing convolutional neural network (CNN) deep learning models were trained using laboratory-derived stance phase GRF/M data and simulated sensor accelerations for running and sidestepping maneuvers derived from nearly half a million legacy motion trials. Then, predictions were made from each model driven by five sensor accelerations recorded during independent inter-laboratory data capture sessions. The proposed deep learning workbench achieved correlations to ground truth, by maximum discrete GRF component, of vertical Fz 0.97, anterior Fy 0.96 (both running), and lateral Fx 0.87 (sidestepping), with the strongest mean recorded across GRF components 0.89, and for GRM 0.65 (both sidestepping). These best-case correlations indicate the plausibility of the approach although the range of results was disappointing. The goal to accurately estimate near real-time on-field GRF/M will be improved by the lessons learned in this study. Coaching, medical, and allied health staff could ultimately use this technology to monitor a range of joint loading indicators during game play, with the aim to minimize the occurrence of non-contact injuries in elite and community-level sports.

Community sports fields and atmospheric climate impacts: Australian and Canadian perspectives

ABSTRACT Purpose: This paper presents a study of atmospheric climate impacts on community-level sports clubs’ (CLSC) in Australia and Canada, their vulnerability and resilience, and organisational responses. Design/Methods: A qualitative methodology was used with a multiple case research design. Data (interviews, documents) was collected from a sample of 23 CLSC organisations managing grass turf sport fields exposed to climatic extremes in temperate regions of both countries. Findings: CLSCs in both nations experienced vulnerability to climate impacts. Direct damage to playing fields resulted from extreme climate events. Indirect impacts include higher injury risks, interrupted and/or cancelled competitions, insurance risks, plus higher operating and capital costs. Adapted management was evident for water resources, playing turf, and organisational policies. Practical Implications: Provides insights into the changing practice of sport management at the community-level. Research Contribution: The results challenge the assumption that climate is a static and benign resource for sport. This study demonstrates impacts of climate extremes on sport in the northern and southern hemispheres, the potential for adapting sport management practices, and developing resilience.

The implications of female sport policy developments for the community-level sport sector: a perspective from Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACTThis study examined trends in sport participation among females over a six-year period (2011–2016) within five popular sports, by age and region. It also identified future challenges community sports face in increasing female sport participation. De-identified participant registration data for the five sports were obtained and analysed according to age, gender and region (metropolitan v non-metropolitan) within the state of Victoria, Australia. Data for all sports were aggregated and analysed collectively to produce a broad participation profile. Interviews were held with community sport stakeholders (n = 17) across a low socio-economic metropolitan and non-metropolitan region to understand challenges associated with increasing female sport participation. Results showed that female sport participation levels increased over the six-year period, with greater proportional increases among the youngest age group (4–9 years) – the common entry age into the organised sport through modified sports programs. Retention of females in sport throughout adolescence and adulthood remains a challenge. Community-level sports face challenges to accommodate growth in female sport participation in terms of availability and quality of sport infrastructure and volunteer capacity – both human resources to deliver sport and organisational capacity to devise and implement strategies to recruit and retain females. They also face challenges associated with the social construction of gender within sport and club environments. Sport policies that encourage female sport participation need to also consider the supply of sport such as maximising infrastructure usage, gender equity facility usage policies and developing volunteer capacity.

Community-Level Sports Group Participation and the Risk of Cognitive Impairment

Community-level group participation is a structural aspect of social capital that may have a contextual influence on individual health. We investigated the contextual effect of community-level prevalence of sports group participation on the risk of cognitive impairment among older individuals. We analyzed prospective cohort data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a nationwide survey of 40,308 functionally independent older individuals from 346 communities. Cognitive impairment was assessed by the nationally standardized dementia scale proposed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. Participation in a sports group 1 d per month or more frequently was defined as "participation." We applied a two-level multilevel survival analysis to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The cumulative incidence of cognitive impairment during the 6-yr follow-up period was 9.8%. The mean proportion of sports group participation was 25.2% (range, 0.0%-56.5%). Higher prevalence of community-level sports group participation was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99, estimated by 10 percentage points of participation proportion) after adjusting for individual-level sports group participation, sex, age, disease, obesity, social isolation, alcohol, smoking, education, income, depression, daily walking time, population density, and sunlight hours. We found cross-level interaction between individual- and community-level sports group participation (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.76-0.99). We found a contextual preventive effect of community-level sports group participation on developing cognitive impairment among older individuals. Furthermore, the benefit may favor sports group participants. Therefore, promoting sports groups in a community setting may be effective as a population-based strategy for the prevention of dementia.

Community-level Sports Group Participation and Older Individuals' Depressive Symptoms.

ABSTRACTPurposeCommunity-level group participation is a structural aspect of social capital that may have a contextual influence on an individual’s health. Herein, we sought to investigate a contextual relationship between community-level prevalence of sports group participation and depressive symptoms in older individuals.MethodsWe used data from the 2010 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a population-based, cross-sectional study of individuals 65 yr or older without long-term care needs in Japan. Overall, 74,681 participants in 516 communities were analyzed. Depressive symptoms were diagnosed as a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale score of ≥5. Participation in a sports group 1 d·month−1 or more often was defined as “participation.” For this study, we applied two-level multilevel Poisson regression analysis stratified by sex, calculated prevalence ratios (PR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOverall, 17,420 individuals (23.3%) had depressive symptoms, and 16,915 (22.6%) participated in a sports group. Higher prevalence of community-level sports group participation had a statistically significant relationship with a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms (male: PR, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.85–0.92); female: PR, 0.96 (95% CI, 0.92–0.99), estimated by 10% of participation proportion) after adjusting for individual-level sports group participation, age, diseases, family form, alcohol, smoking, education, equivalent income, and population density. We found statistically significant cross-level interaction terms in male participants only (PR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77–0.95).ConclusionsWe found a contextual preventive relationship between community-level sports group participation and depressive symptoms in older individuals. Therefore, promoting sports groups in a community may be effective as a population-based strategy for the prevention of depression in older individuals. Furthermore, the benefit may favor male sports group participants.

Targeting associated mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament injury in female community-level athletes

This study aims to determine if biomechanically informed injury prevention training can reduce associated factors of anterior cruciate ligament injury risk among a general female athletic population. Female community-level team sport athletes, split into intervention (n = 8) and comparison groups (n = 10), completed a sidestepping movement assessment prior to and following a 9-week training period, in which kinetic, kinematic and neuromuscular data were collected. The intervention group completed a biomechanically informed training protocol, consisting of plyometric, resistance and balance exercises, adjunct to normal training, for 15–20 min twice a week. Following the 9-week intervention, total activation of the muscles crossing the knee (n = 7) decreased for both the training (∆ −15.02%, d = 0.45) and comparison (∆ −9.68%, d = 0.47) groups. This decrease was accompanied by elevated peak knee valgus (∆ +27.78%, d = −0.36) and internal rotation moments (∆ +37.50%, d = −0.56) in the comparison group, suggesting that female community athletes are at an increased risk of injury after a season of play. Peak knee valgus and internal rotation knee moments among athletes who participated in training intervention did not change over the intervention period. Results suggest participation in a biomechanically informed training intervention may mitigate the apparent deleterious effects of community-level sport participation.

Long‐term Effect of Open‐Spoon Aerification on Plant and Soil Properties of Community Level Sports Fields

Core Ideas In 2013, 47% of sports turf managers reported using open‐spoon aerification. Long‐term effect of open‐spoon aerification was minimal on measured properties. It is recommended that sports turf managers explore other cultivation techniques. Aerification is a common cultivation practice used on natural turfgrass sports fields to alleviate soil compaction, improve plant growth, and enhance field playability and safety. Minimal research has evaluated the effect of open‐spoon (OS) aerification on sports fields, although it is one of the most common forms of aerification. The objective of this 2‐year, in situ study was to evaluate the effect of OS aerification timing and frequency on the soil compaction (penetration resistance), surface hardness, turfgrass vigor (normalized difference vegetative index; NDVI), and root mass of two community level sports fields (sand and sandy loam soils). Treatments were applied May through September in 2013 and 2014 and included a single aerification event (late spring or midsummer) or multiple aerifications (two, three, or four times) each year. Data were collected in May 2013 (baseline), 2014, and 2015 to determine long‐term treatment effects after each year. There were no significant differences between treatments for any measured variable after 1 or 2 years on the sand field. The only significant difference observed on the sandy loam field was in 2014 with respect to surface hardness in response to four OS aerification events. However, in 2015, after 2 years of aerification, there were no observed differences between treatments for any measured variable. These results conclude that the long‐term effects of using OS aerification, up to four times per year, are minimal. It is recommended that sports turf managers explore other cultivation techniques to improve soil compaction dynamics of community level sports fields.

Reflections on two decades of concussion research, policy and practice

Background: The author has been involved in concussion research, policy and practice for two decades. He was first exposed to the topic from a science and engineering perspective while undertaking his doctoral research on head injury biomechanics in the 1990s. Since that time concerns about concussion in sport have come and gone, and returned, our understanding of concussion has improved considerably, and policy and practical approaches to its prevention and management have developed iteratively.Content: The presentation will provide a historical perspective and reflections on the last twenty years and identify the differences and similarities in key areas between then and now in our knowledge and approach to concussion. For example, our understanding of the biomechanics of concussion has improved greatly from a theoretical basis and primate experiments twenty years ago to a substantial knowledge base on humans in sporting situations. Although opportunities to improve padded headgear for contact sports exist, key drivers are still missing, e.g. product standards and rules. Issues related to the prevention and management of concussion in community level sports will be highlighted. In contrast to professional sports, where rules and guidelines around concussion have changed considerably, many challenges remain in community sport. Background: The author has been involved in concussion research, policy and practice for two decades. He was first exposed to the topic from a science and engineering perspective while undertaking his doctoral research on head injury biomechanics in the 1990s. Since that time concerns about concussion in sport have come and gone, and returned, our understanding of concussion has improved considerably, and policy and practical approaches to its prevention and management have developed iteratively. Content: The presentation will provide a historical perspective and reflections on the last twenty years and identify the differences and similarities in key areas between then and now in our knowledge and approach to concussion. For example, our understanding of the biomechanics of concussion has improved greatly from a theoretical basis and primate experiments twenty years ago to a substantial knowledge base on humans in sporting situations. Although opportunities to improve padded headgear for contact sports exist, key drivers are still missing, e.g. product standards and rules. Issues related to the prevention and management of concussion in community level sports will be highlighted. In contrast to professional sports, where rules and guidelines around concussion have changed considerably, many challenges remain in community sport.

Social capital, network governance and the strategic delivery of grassroots sport in England

There has been a growing debate concerning the increasing salience of sport to government in the UK and the role and value of community-level sport policy. Much of this debate has centred on the role of voluntary sport clubs (VSCs) and the extent to which they can contribute to the creation of social capital. This paper contributes to this debate through a case study of sport policy implementation in England. The case study firstly highlights the strategic importance attached to social capital and its associated policy context and secondly presents key stakeholder interpretations of the likelihood that VSCs will act as agents of delivery. The analysis is served by three considerations. Firstly, what is the political and policy context for a strategic orientation to social capital? Secondly, how does this orientation relate to stakeholder perceptions of what VSCs do? Thirdly, how do stakeholder perceptions of what VSCs do affect their perceptions of how they do it? The analysis is informed by a series of 14 semi-structured interviews with a number of key stakeholders and a range of public documents produced by government, local authorities and regional agencies. The conclusions suggest that, firstly, the democratic form of social capital is most dominant in relation to sport policy and, secondly, that when considered alongside VSC stakeholder perceptions, then anticipated democratic social capital outcomes may become distorted and even corrupted.

Sports injury experiences from the Western Australian Sports Injury Cohort Study.

The Western Australian Sports Injury Study is the first prospective cohort study of sports injuries sustained during community-level sports participation in Australia. The players were nonprofessional/non-elite participants of hockey, Australian football, basketball and netball from metropolitan Perth. Players completed a baseline questionnaire relating to their sports injury history, training practices, protective equipment use, demographic profile, general health and lifestyle factors. Sports participation and injury experiences were monitored by monthly telephone surveys over two consecutive five-month winter sporting seasons during 1997 and 1998. Of the 1,512 players recruited into the initial cohort, 966 (i.e. 64%) responded to at least 700% of the callback surveys over the two-year follow-up. Across all sports, the injury incidence rate was 16.1 injuries/ 1,000 exposure hours (both games and training). Injury rates were highest in Australian football and lowest in netball. Lower limb injuries were twice as common as those to the upper limb (67% vs. 31%). Three-quarters of injured players sought treatment from a health care practitioner. This is the first longitudinal study of injuries to community-based sports participants in Australia. Compared with elite sports participants, the risk of injury is relatively low. The results provide valuable direction for the design and conduct of further aetiological studies.

The saftey practices of sporting clubs/centres in the city of Hume

Sports injuries are a significant public health problem in Australia. However, little information is available about community level sports injuries, or about the sports safety policies and practices of community level sports organisations in Australia. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a survey of local clubs and sporting centres in the City of Hume, a local council in Victoria. This is the first reported survey of safety practices of sporting clubs/centres at the community level in Australia. Sixty-four clubs/centres participated in the survey, which involved face-to-face interviews with representatives from the participating clubs/centres. A major finding was that whilst sports bodies perform certain activities typically associated with preventing sports injuries, they often do not have formal policies or written objectives which recognise the safety of their participants as an important goal. The sports safety measures reported to be adopted by the surveyed clubs/centres included use of protective equipment, accredited coaches, sports trainers, encouraging warm-ups, modified rules for juniors and checking of playing areas and facilities for environmental hazards. The provision of first aid services (including personnel and equipment) varied across the sporting clubs/centres. The major barriers towards improving sports safety were reported to be a lack of funds, the media's attitude towards sports injuries and the role of the local council as the owner of sporting facilities. There is also a clear role for researchers to improve the dissemination of key findings from their injury prevention research in a form that can be readily used at the grass roots of sports participation.