Abstract: This research work dealt with Societal Perception and Female Students Participation in Sporting Activities among Secondary Schools. The study was conducted in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire for the respondents. The sample size of the study consisted of seventy five female students randomly selected from five secondary schools in the study area using a simple random sampling technique. Three research hypotheses were formulated and used to guide the study. Independent t-test computation was used to analyse the data collected.
Societal Perception and Female Students Participation in Sporting Activities among Secondary Schools
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Female participation in sports has been a controversial issue all over the world and Nigeria is not an exception. Involvement in sports has taken a new turn in which those who engage in sports have various reasons for participation. In the olden days, the reasons for participation in sports was for the sole purpose of survival but in the world today, those who engage in sports have various intrinsic and extrinsic motivation such as financial, satisfaction, social, psychological, fulfillment etc.
Researchers in the field of Physical Education (PE) have indicated that identifying and understanding the factors that are associated with female students participation in sporting activities are critical to the promotion of current and lifelong physical activity participation (Chung and Phillips, 2002; Ding et al., 2006; Sallis et al., 2000). Among many factors, societal perception is considered to be a key factor that influences female students participation in physical activity (Chung and Phillips, 2002; Ding et al., 2006; Hagger et al., 2002; Solmon, 2003).
It is well accepted that female student’s participation in sporting activity is associated with numerous physical and psychological health benefits. Sparing activity can effectively reduce the risk for developing disorders such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, some forms of cancer, and type 2 diabetes (Warburton, Katzmarzyk, Rhodes, and Shepard, 2007). Being active during childhood and adolescence is especially important as sporting activity is essential for the healthy development of musculoskeletal tissues, cardiovascular systems, social and mental well-being, and for the maintenance of healthy body composition (Hills, King, and Armstrong, 2007). Unfortunately, it appears that female students are not reaping the benefits of sparing activities.
Although there are no laws, which stated that women should not engage in sporting activities but there are societal perceptions, which hinder them from doing so. These societal beliefs are strong to prevent women from venturing into areas believed to be for men only. Orunaboka (2003), Okonkwor (2011) and Ojeme, (2007) stated that what has conditioned the women folks to be what they are, is deeply rooted in the prejudicial social patterns of different cultures. Women, through the ages, have always been viewed to be made of
sugar and spices. Consequently and in keeping with this metaphor, a feminine picture of woman was conjoined up which seems to militate against females doing anything too physical.
Studies over time has indicated that in women feel unenthusiastic to expose certain parts of their body and thus, women in this case cannot engage in sports because they have to put on dresses that would make them free to participate such as bikini for swimming, pants for athletics, shorts and vests for games Phillips (2002).
Babatunde, (2001) and Okonkwor, (2007), found that culture and tradition, age, gender, ordinal position, parents, as significant socio-cultural factors which influence female participation in sports. Hence, Nigerian culture discourages female participation in sports because of the traditional view of associating sports with male role and any female engaged in it was regarded as operating outside the societal normative values Okonkwor, (2012). Some Nigerians also believe that women who engage in sports would look like a man (i.e masculine) thereby would not look attractive or feminine as created by God, the human system in female is adversely affected and are prone to injuries.
This is in contrast to earlier studies of Solomon,(2008) who established that masculine features in female has nothing to do with sporting activities, but has to do with hormone level and the individual potential, therefore, low participation of females in sports is the value placed on women in traditional cultures. Thus, there is need to find out societal perception and female students participation in sporting activities among secondary schools in Uruan Local Government Area.
Societal Perception and Female Students Participation in Sporting Activities among Secondary Schools
1.2 Statement of the Problem
An examination of the literature reveals that there is a decline in levels of female students’ participation in sports and physical activities despite the reported benefits obtainable from participation (Kimm et al., 2002; WHO, 2010; McVeigh and Meiring, 2014; WHO, 2014; DOHSA, 2015; Halforty and Radder, 2015). Several researchers across the country have conducted studies to address the issue of low levels of female students participation in sport and physical at secondary school (Asihel, Jones and Malcom, 2005; Peters et al., 2014; Kubayi and Surujal, 2014; Mugwedi and Mulibana, 2014). Understanding the current factors which affect female student participation in sporting activities is important for school policy makers.
In Akwa Ibom State, institutional sports has always been the basis for selection of athletes for competitions. Apart from this, an institutional sport has been used by students to keep fit, socialize and prolong life. Both male and female participates in sports to keep fit and live a healthy life devoid of disease or any infirmity. Many secondary school provide sporting facilities for both male and female students to keep them relaxed after rigorous academic work. At times female secondary school students participate in sports in order to be physically fit. According to Jones, Ainsworth and Croft (2004) and Vuori (2009) regular physical activities remain an important behavior of promoting health, postponing or preventing prevalence of neuromuscular disorders, such as, mechanical low back pain, neck and shoulder pain and decreasing the risk of developing coronary heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity and colon cancers.
However, in spite of the importance of sports and physical activities to the female students, many factors seem to be hindering their participation. These include societal perception their participation, parental influence, availability of standard facilities and equipment, coping with academic stress and school policy on sports.
At times many parents frown at their children’s participation in sports. Babatunde, (2001) and Okonkwor, (2007), found that culture and tradition, age, gender, ordinal position, parents, as significant socio-cultural factors which influence female student’s participation in sports. There is therefore need to further investigate on Societal Perception and Female Students Participation in Sporting Activities among Secondary Schools in the study area.