Alberta Centre for Active Living: Student Survey

Prepared for
Alberta Schools' Athletic Association and Metro Edmonton High School Athletic Association
Prepared by
Pauline Poon, M.A. & John C. Spence, Ph.D., Alberta Centre for Well-Being
Funded by
Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation

Introduction
In Alberta, government cutbacks have affected all sectors of the community including education ("Alberta Plummets", 1997). As a result, schools are viewing all "non-essential" school activities with a sceptical eye. One area that schools and school boards have placed under the financial microscope is athletics. In fact, some school boards have already reduced, if not cut altogether, funding to high-school athletics. Such reductions have resulted in individual schools, parents, students, and local community organizations having to raise sufficient funding to keep their programs alive. Ironically, these cuts are coming at a time when the benefits of sport participation and leading an active lifestyle are being advocated in the research literature (Bouchard, Shephard, & Stephens, 1994).

Apart from the obvious physical and psychological benefits associated with vigorous physical activity, some evidence exists to suggest that students who participate in high-school athletics do just as well academically, if not better, than non-sport participants and are less likely to drop out of school (McNeal, 1995; Spreitzer, 1994). A recent survey conducted with 1,230 high school students in Manitoba (Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association, 1994) found the following: 76% agree that participation in school athletics increases the likelihood of staying in school; 77% agree that participating in school athletics makes school a more enjoyable experience; and, students participating in both school and non-school athletics are most likely to have positive attitudes and be engaged in the life of the school.

The above mentioned studies have been very specific to the regions in which they were conducted, and while one can attempt to extrapolate results and apply them to Alberta, it is important to take into account the unique provincial context. Thus, the Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (ASAA), in conjunction with the Metro Edmonton High School Athletic Association and the Alberta Centre for Well-Being (ACFWB), conducted a survey to assess the potential impact that high school athletics has on the lives and attitudes of students in the province of Alberta.

Method
A stratified random sample of schools was selected from all high schools in Alberta. The schools were stratified by school classification (i.e., size of school and level they compete at athletically) with nine schools chosen from each of four levels (A, 2A, 3A, 4A). Thirty-five of the 36 originally selected schools participated in the survey resulting in a 97% response rate by those schools. One alternate school was surveyed to bring the total number of participating schools back up to 36. The selected schools provided reasonable geographic representation whether that be by the eight ASAA school zones in the province, rural vs. urban, or north vs. south. Within the selected schools, students from one language arts class were asked to complete the survey.

A total of 883 student questionnaires were collected, with an equal proportion of males and females participating. Respondents' age ranged from 15 years or younger to 18 years old.

Results
More students (53%) reported participating in some school-based sports. The majority of those students (38%) participated in both school and non-school sports.

As opposed to the respondents who did not participate in sports, those involved in some school-based sports reported having better grades, considered participating in extracurricular activities (e.g., athletics/sports, drama) to be important, and were less likely to abuse substances such as cigarettes and drugs (see Table A). While a greater percentage of those students involved in some school sports reported ever having consumed alcohol (84% vs. 74%), there was relatively no difference in reported alcohol consumption within the last 12 months (95% vs. 96%). In fact, non-sport participants were more likely to report using alcohol "more than once a week" (20%) when compared to school sport participants (9%).

Discrepancies occurred between female and male respondents with respect to the reasons why they participate in sports. While 79% of male students participated because they reported being "good at sports", only 60% of female students cited this reason. On the other hand, 68% of female respondents participated because "sports help me make new friends", but only 59% of male respondents reported this reason. In addition, male sport participants were more likely to be involved in competitive sports (70%) while female sport participants reported more recreational involvement (62%).

Table A. Academic performance, importance of extracurricular participation, and lifestyle behaviour as related to sport participation (%)*
	Some School- based Sports	Only Non-school Sports	Don't Participate
Above average academic	33	29	22
Extracurricular activities	19	7	4
Criminal offenses	3	8	4
Cigarette use (currently)	30	38	44
Alcohol use (ever)	84	83	74
Alcohol use (last 12 months)#	95	96	96
Drug use (last 12 months)	35	37	42

* Error rate, CI +/- 5%
# Note: Alcohol use (last 12 months) only includes those students reporting alcohol use ever. Thus, percentages may seem higher than alcohol use (ever).

Summary
The findings from this survey show that students participating in school sports are good school citizens, and may be even better school citizens than their non-sport peers. As well, a greater proportion of school sport participants report an above average academic record. Finally, while the data are only correlational, there should be no doubt that high school sport participation is associated with positive lifestyle behaviours.