Child Physical Performance Participation in Physical Activity Essay

Child Physical Performance Participation in Physical Activity - Essay Example Physical activity habits and preferences are not static but are continually in a state of flux throughout the life cycle. The most substantial changes occur at major passages in peoples lives and these activities are added and deleted as personal and situational factors change over time. There is an inverse relationship between age and physical activity levels. Physical activity patterns peak in childhood, but an incipient decline continues through the life cycle. Relatively active adolescents become increasingly inactive adults. Situational factors specific to adolescence, such as beginning to drive, beginning part-time employment, and disengaging from competitive sports, may be contributory factors to a less vigorous lifestyle. The high attrition rate in organized sports may be partially due to the confluence of averslye or negative experiences. The work-like approach to sports may result in a spillover effect in which not only the sport but all physical activity is perceived negat ively. As athletes are pressured to succeed and spend long hours in repetitive, almost assembly-line type practices, they may be inhibited from developing a positive attitude toward physical activities. Blair (2004, 585) noted that with increasing age, there was an increasing professionalization of attitude toward play. Consequently, as childrens activities evolve from free play to more organized contexts, there is a corresponding transition from an expressive orientation to a more instrumental one. This transition results in an increasing emphasis on winning and defeating an opponent and a decreasing emphasis on playing fair and having fun. This transformation of attitude is most pervasive and pronounced with young men, although young women may be expected to exhibit a similar trend or transition as sporting opportunities continue to unfold. It is thus plausible that the spillover effect and the progressive professionalism of play coupled with the increased