"Choose a leisure activity and discuss what motivates individuals to participate in this activity. Use theoretical models, perspectives and practical examples to justify your argument"

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Essay title: “Choose a leisure activity and discuss what motivates individuals to participate in this activity. Use theoretical models, perspectives and practical examples to justify your argument

 The leisure activity I have chosen to look at is the participation of individuals in football, both at an amateur and professional level. Football used to be played as a running battle between villages and small towns. There were no boundaries and there were no limits to the amount of people on each side. It was often played on bank holidays on some open ground; in many ways it was a form of gang warfare.

   These battles were contested between sides of working-class men. They often took place when the factory had closed early or on Sundays, a day of rest. The later introduction of the half-day off proved to be vital, allowing men to both play and watch football.

   Pupils of public schools created the ‘new’ football, with the aim of channelling their energies during their free periods. The main difference was that new football had rules, penalties, boundaries and a timekeeper. Football clubs were formed by companies, chapels, churches and publicans, each having their own pitch and provided changing room facilities.

   The Football Association was formed in 1863 with the first FA Cup Final being held in 1871, football was growing and the 1900 FA Cup Final (held at Crystal Palace) attracted over 100 000 people. Football as a leisure activity had arrived.

   There are many reasons for the participation of football between both genders and all ages. Roberts (1996) argues that young people’s and adult’s sport participation levels are characteristically distributed among a bell-shaped curve. Despite this since the 1980’s a major increase has become apparent in the participation of sports and leisurely activities by adults. This indicates that more people are participating in sport and leisure than they were twenty years ago. Coalter (1996) puts this down to the increase of lifestyle activities and the change in attitude towards sport and leisure. It is apparent that individual sports such as swimming, walking, keep-fit and cycling are in the top five sports (OMS, 1999). Although this shows a great increase in participation of individual pastimes football is still the most popular team game in Britain.

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   Roberts also points out that according to Governmental research the number of children playing sports in and out of school had rapidly increased. He blamed this on the narrowing of social class and gender differences. It seems that young people prefer to play team games and this is probably reflected by their time in education.

   People of all ages play football, however. The reasons for such a high level of participation in football are varied. Leisure time is free time. It is an opportunity to do whatever you want, it also offers the chance to escape the ...

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