Putting sport on the Menu: Why sport is like Brussel Sprouts

For my Welsh Sport_The Conversation a range of experts share their thoughts on the future of sport in Wales.

Today sees Sport Wales Senior Insight Officer Lauren Carter-Davies explain why she thinks sport is like Brussel Sprouts. 

Like Brussel sprouts, sport can contribute to the wellbeing of future generations, but it isn’t essential

We all know that vegetables are good for us. In particular, there are many benefits to eating Brussel sprouts. They are a good source of vitamins C and K, and have been shown to contribute to lowering cholesterol. In this way, Brussel sprouts can contribute to wellbeing, but so too can other vegetables. You could go your whole life and never eat a Brussel sprout and still have your health.

In the same way, it is well established that physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Specifically, studies have shown that participation in sport, one of several forms of physical activity, can improve physical and mental health. Therefore, can sport contribute to a healthy lifestyle? Yes. But is sport essential to a healthy lifestyle? No.

Indeed, sport can contribute to many of the well-being goals laid out in the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Sport can help to develop individual skills and attributes, provide employment opportunities and wealth in the pursuit of a Prosperous Wales. Likewise, sport can bring people together and provide an avenue for well-connected social groups through shared team pride and sporting clubs in pursuit of a Wales of Cohesive Communities. Like Brussel sprouts, sport has a lot to offer, but it isn’t essential to wellbeing.

Like Brussel sprouts, sport is about the experience

If all Brussel sprout crops were wiped out this year, the human race would survive. Nonetheless, Brussel sprouts are an important part of the traditional Christmas time experience here in Wales.

Similarly, though sport isn’t essential, it has an important part to play in the lives of many. If we look at the definition of sport in the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s described as a source of amusement or entertainment from which success or pleasure is derived. Indeed, the true value of sport centres on the experience it provides. To this end, if sport were to be placed on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid, it wouldn’t fit into the lower ‘basic need’ tiers like food or safety. More likely, sport would be placed near to the top of the pyramid among the categories of ‘esteem need’ or ‘self-actualisation’.

Yes, for the most part sport is a leisure pursuit. And while arguably it is a very valuable leisure pursuit, it is a leisure pursuit nonetheless. Sport is competing with other demands for people’s time and other leisure activities, and for those struggling with health, family or financial problems, sport is likely to be low on the list of priorities. We therefore need to be realistic when thinking about sport. In such a busy world, promoting active travel as a health inspiring form of physical activity could arguably be a more efficient way of improving the physical health of future generations than promoting sport, because it reduces our CO2 footprint at the same time. But still we promote sport. Why?

Because sport offers something above and beyond what active travel and other forms of physical activity can provide. Sport offers far more than just a way to stay physically active, it offers experiences that fulfil higher-level needs crucially important to a flourishing society. Therefore, if we want future generations to thrive rather than just survive, sport needs to stay on the agenda.

Like Brussel sprouts, everyone should have the option of enjoying well-delivered sport

Overcooking Brussel sprouts makes them smell like rotten eggs. On the other hand, roasted, sautéed or grilled sprouts can taste sweet and nutty – and delicious. Everyone should have the option of trying well prepared Brussel sprouts, no matter who they are. After all, there are more than 110 different varieties of sprouts to choose from so there should be a sprout for everyone.

Similarly, everyone, no matter how old, of what gender, skin colour, religion, sexuality should have the chance to take part in high quality sporting opportunities and experience the delights of sport if they want to. Indeed, participation in sport is a choice that everyone should have the opportunity to make.

But for people to realise the benefits for themselves, sport needs to be ‘cooked’ properly. Like an overcooked Brussel sprout, a bad experience can put an individual off for life. Sport isn’t a basic need, therefore it needs to be appealing if it’s going to attract people to do it. It needs to be available at the right place, at the right time, in the right form, for the right price and delivered by the right people. If it’s not, like Brussel sprouts, sport will be merely tolerated, or worse, discarded.

Like Brussel sprouts, sport can’t be the only option and it can’t be served on its own

Brussel sprouts are only a small part of a Christmas dinner. There are other vegetables and there are other food groups which contribute to making it delicious.

Similarly, sport is only one part of the physical activity spectrum. There are other forms of physical activity and there are other organisations in Wales who must contribute to a coordinated menu of options on offer for keeping physically active and fulfilling higher level needs. Some people will choose sport. Others won’t. And that’s ok, as long as lack of opportunity is not the thing holding them back.

What does all this mean for sport in Wales?

In sum, we need to recognise that sport can contribute to the wellbeing of future generations, but it isn’t essential. Sport isn’t a basic need, rather sport enables the participant to fulfil higher level needs, to escape or experience the pleasures of collective or individual achievement and pride. In this way, sport has a lot to offer and should be on offer to everyone. Every child should be enabled to experience these pleasures and every adult should have the opportunity to continue to enjoy them if they want to. But sport isn’t the only option to engage in physical activity and leisure, and not everyone will choose to do sport. Some will love it. Others won’t care for it. And that’s ok. In a time when society is increasingly recognising the benefits of and embracing diversity we need to accept that there will be diversity in how the people of Wales choose to spend their time. We need to recognise that there are other options for physical activity and leisure available, and that by working with other partners we can ensure that the menu of options on offer to engage in physical and leisure activities is rich and varied.

So, what does this mean for sport in Wales?

1.      Our new vision needs to be realistic and clear about the role of sport in contributing to the wellbeing of future generations.
2.      For children, our vision needs to ensure that every child in Wales has positive sporting experiences so that they can decide whether sport is the avenue through which they are going to stay physically active and be fulfilled in life.
3.      For adults, we need to recognise that sport is a choice. If we accept this, then it could be worth considering whether our success as a sector might better be measured by the number of accessible, enjoyable, confidence boosting opportunities we create for people to participate if they want to, rather than just the number of participants.
4.      Sport is just one item on a menu of options that Wales should have to offer for keeping active and enjoying life. We need to work together with other partners to ensure this menu of options is coordinated and prepared by the right people, at the right time, in the right places...

So, sport is a bit like Brussel sprouts. Some love them, some tolerate them for the health benefits and some hate them. Regardless, everyone should have the opportunity to eat them if they want to, alongside carrots, parsnips and cranberry sauce of course…

Lauren Carter-Davies


Now it's time to let us have your thoughts. Use the Comments section below to share your views.

Sport Wales has launched 'My Welsh Sport _ The Conversation', an opportunity for everyone in Wales to give their view on Wales's sporting future.


For more information and to give your views visit www.mywelshsport.wales

You can read the Welsh version of this thought piece here.

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