Parental Perceptions of the Impact of COVID-19 on the Interruption of Youth Sport
Oral Presentation C1.3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.364Keywords:
Physical Activity Participation, Sport Participation, Children and Adolescents, COVID-19Abstract
Background: The global COVID-19 health crisis resulted in a cessation of youth sport. While COVID-related restrictions were necessary to limit spread, the impact of interruptions to sport participation on children and youth during critical periods of development is unclear. Purpose: To examine parental perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on their child’s sport participation. Methods: Parents and/or guardians of children/youth (between 6 and 18 years) registered in at least one organized sport in British Columbia, Canada completed an online survey. Questions asked parents about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on their child’s sport development via 10-point Likert scales and open-ended responses. A descriptive analysis of the data was conducted and inductive thematic analysis was used to examined parental statements. Results: A total of 63 parents completed the survey, representing athletes ranging in age from 7 to 18 years (mean = 13.7, SD = 2.8) across 33 unique sports. Overall, parents perceived COVID had a major impact on sport participation and major emerging themes included concerns around lost opportunities for competition, decreased access to training and facilities, and a negative impact on mental health. Conclusions: The childhood and adolescent years are critical years for promoting sport engagement and establishing healthy physical activity behaviours. This data highlights parental concerns on their child’s physical and mental health in relation to COVID-19 restrictions on sport participation. A major question that emerges from this work is “to what extent will cessation of sport impact youth sport participation and physical activity behaviours post-pandemic?” Funding: No funding was provided.
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