Sport and physical activity are poorly linked across schools, sports clubs, community organisations, parks, and playgrounds. Despite numerous reports highlighting the benefits of being active, actual activity levels remain stubbornly low. Sports councils, health bodies, charities, and think tanks continue to amass evidence that sport and physical activity contribute to healthier, happier lives, better academic performance, increased productivity, stronger communities, and reduced crime. Yet, translating this evidence into reality remains a challenge.
Coordination Gaps Persist
Recent inquiries, including the House of Commons report Game On: Community and School Sport, call for better coordination. However, sport and physical activity remain fragmented among schools, clubs, community groups, and public spaces. In an age of advanced technology, it is puzzling that progress has been so slow.
Innovative Solutions Emerge
Structural change and innovation are essential. Mark Davies, entrepreneur and former chair of British Rowing and Archery GB, has long advocated for linking local schools and sports clubs, an idea first raised during Tracey Crouch's tenure as sports minister (2015-2018). Frustrated by inaction, Davies created The Big Map, a platform enabling schools and clubs to connect directly and engage funders in entrepreneurial approaches.
Nationally, integrating sport and physical activity into health, education, and community building has been difficult. Greater Manchester's Moving Partnership offers a pioneering model, connecting health, transport, urban design, and community groups rather than relying on individual willpower. With a 10-year strategy and strong political backing, they continuously experiment, learn, and adapt to achieve unprecedented results.
Political Will and Vision Required
Major change demands political will and a vision for sport that extends beyond hosting major events like the Olympics or World Cup. This vision is lacking due to long-term shortcomings in health, education, and political systems. Education has prioritised individual academic subjects over a holistic approach to learning, development, and lifelong thriving.
Physical education (PE) has become almost optional. The Youth Sport Trust advocates for better PE, highlighting the urgent needs of the Class of 2035. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report Inactive Nation underscores a growing health crisis among primary school children and calls for placing physical activity at the core of school life. The CSJ urges national scaling of Bradford's Creating Active Schools framework, which demonstrates the potential when schools organise life around movement.
Health System's Focus on Treatment Over Prevention
The health system has long prioritised medical treatment over holistic, preventative approaches that include movement. Social prescribing offers piecemeal solutions, but a national shift to prevention requires a proactive approach that makes sport and physical activity more accessible.
A recent survey by Age UK revealed an uncomfortable truth: many people had negative experiences of sport and PE during childhood. The Act Now, Age Better campaign found that over 4 million mid-lifers remain traumatised by memories of PE lessons, and a similar number were put off physical activity for life by school PE. This serves as a stark reminder that the impact of schooling extends far beyond exam results. If there was ever a compelling argument to radically reshape school PE, Age UK has provided it.
Personal stories resonate deeply. As a tall, uncoordinated teenager who could not run fast, I was labelled unsporty and spent most PE lessons trying to hide. My father had a similar experience in the 1950s. It was only by chance at university that I tried rowing and discovered a different way to experience sport—one that offered camaraderie, joy, and a sense of belonging. Decades later, that community still supports me.
Experience Matters Most
Age UK's campaign reminds everyone in sport that experience is paramount. Too often, the focus has been on increasing participation, assuming people will feel better simply by taking part. However, the survey shows that experiences determine whether people stay involved or are put off for life. Many have felt unwelcome, excluded, or quickly labelled unsporty because sport was not designed around people; instead, people had to fit into sport.
We have lost sight of sport's potential to be a core ingredient in a good life. Sport can be adapted to individual needs, whether supporting a child to attend school regularly, helping teenagers thrive, or steering individuals away from crime. A growing body of evidence supports this.
The Sport for Development Sector
While rarely featured in sports coverage or government policy, the sport for development sector understands how to use sport and physical activity to address wide-ranging social issues. Organisations like the Alliance for Sport in Criminal Justice and Street Games know how to adapt sport to meet complex social challenges, rather than focusing solely on winning local leagues.
Shaping positive, meaningful experiences over the long term that address serious social issues must become the central vision for the future of sport and physical activity. The goal should be to create an inclusive environment where everyone can find joy and connection through movement.
