Last night we dined with Fiachra and Cathy, who lead Community Games and Irish Squash, respectively. In our conversations, Dave and I find ourselves increasingly envious of the level of sport participation in Ireland. The structure of sport is just so different. While both the US and Ireland have highly competitive teams at the older age levels, in Ireland you do not have to be on an elite team if you want to play a sport throughout your life. There are opportunities for all abilities at almost every age level. And it’s not just the big sports (Gaelic football, hurling, handball, soccer, and rugby) it’s also basketball, squash, handball, gymnastics...you name it! Moreover, because of the way sports are structured and governed, they don’t have to sell the ideal of inclusiveness—whether race, ethnicity, gender, ability. The inclusion and appreciation of all is actively promoted.We want to see this model of sports in the US. There are vast shortages of participation opportunities on all levels that could be remedied with a more community or club-based system.
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I miss playing in the European club system. I think Europeans are eons ahead of the U.S. in utilizing elite revenue to fund participation at all levels. I also think that Europe has been much more successful at utilizing government policy to make sport more accessible - in some countries taxes on sport gambling provide funding for community sports, and sport is overseen by both the ministries of culture and education to ensure that the benefits of sport are promoted to all.
ReplyDeleteI really did feel like part of a community in the European system - where youth and adult neighbors are members of a common team, to the effect where even elite players would be working in the arena concession stand to generate money for the community teams. It's unfortunate that individuals in the U.S. think that the government taking a roll in sport means that the government will merely interfere with sport, rather than providing methods to make sport - and its benefits - more accessible to all.
I'm interested to learn more about what you hear (if anything) from athletes representing the diversity of Irish sport - females, disabled athletes, etc - in my own research I did find that while regulations may be in place to ensure equitable treatment, the actual sporting experiences of these athletes is not always perceived as equal (e.g.getting less attractive playing times and fields, less funding for equipment, etc). Have you gotten a sense that these leagues truly practice what they preach?