The constraints to participation in recreational sport by university students in Zimbabwe: A perspective of Africa University

Abstract

Sport in Zimbabwe universities is mainly competitive. This has seen students being active only during the period for collegiate games. Thereafter, they get back to being inactive. This is the background from which this study was drawn upon. Its aim was to investigate the factors that constrain university students from taking part in recreational sport. From this aim, came out the research question

what are the intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural constraints faced by Zimbabwe University students in recreational sport participation?

Eight female and eight male Africa University students were interviewed. These were selected using stratified random sampling method. The students were divided into five groups, according to their year of study coming up with five groups. One group was excluded from the study because the students were away on internship. Two males and two females were randomly selected from each group.

The findings of the study show that Africa University students are able to counteract both intrapersonal and with some assistance, interpersonal constraints. The study attributed the ability to overcome these two constraints to students firm sport background which was built during their primary and/or high school days. However they failed to overcome structural constraints leading to none engagement in recreational sport. The structural constraints noted to affect students participation in recreational sport are: sport facilities quality, quantity, variety, accessibility and sports services offered by the University as well as the amount of free time at students disposal.

The study found out that the number of students who overcome constraints to recreational sport participation tend to decrease as they move up the hierarchy described in the hierarchical leisure constraints model. No major differences were discovered on how these constraints affected participation by gender and this gives a conclusion that the effects of the constraints are similar to both females and males. Finally the study discovered that it is more of the external environments that affect students participation hence universities should do a lot in terms of sport infrastructure and services. Once these reach the expected standard, students are most likely motivated to engage in recreational sport. If the external sport environment is not attractive, students lose their interest which they carried over from high school to university.

The study concluded that the university is currently contributing to low levels of recreational sport participation by the way it provides sport services to the students. The University puts emphasis on competitive sport and rarely on recreational sport. This way it paints a picture showing competitive sport being of importance than recreational sport and students are therefore encouraged to view it likewise.

Keywords: Recreational Sport, Constraints to Sport Participation, Zimbabwe University Students, Africa University