Bay urged to get moving as participation in organised sports decreases

The number of Bay of Plenty people participating in weekly sport and recreation has fallen in the last few years, with busier lives and the use of technology cited as reasons.

Sport New Zealand's most recent Active survey found almost three-quarters of Bay residents, 72 per cent, do some form of sport and recreation each week.

This is about the same as the national average, but a slight decline from nine years ago when 77 per cent of Bay residents said they exercised weekly.

The most popular activity in the Bay, by a significant margin, was walking. Sixty per cent of the population said they went for a stroll as fitness or leisure activity during the year.

Around a quarter of the population swim, fish or cycle, and 20 per cent lift weights, run or cycle in a gym or at home.

Women were more likely to do pilates, yoga, aerobics, dance or bodyweight training, while men were more likely to play golf, hunt, tramp or surf.

The survey, conducted in 2013/14 and released last year, found the nature of participation was changing due to a number of lifestyle factors.

Sport New Zealand's (SNZ) general manager of community sport Geoff Barry said participation was declining around the country.

Mr Barry said Kiwis were finding it difficult to fit sport and exercise into increasingly time-poor lifestyles. As a result, there has been a shift toward casual, flexible activities, such as going for a walk or hitting the gym, and away from club and organised sport.

"There are changes that are happening in the way people are participating. People are looking at physical activity that suits the time and cost structure they have available," Mr Barry said.

"People might be more inclined to go to a gym ... where they can do it when they want and when they have time, rather than making long-term commitments like a 16-week football or cricket season."

This has resulted in greater attention and investment directed to local and regional sporting trusts, and less into more traditional national sporting bodies.

It was hoped this would allow local bodies to adapt to each region's needs.

Most Bay residents (70 per cent) said they were interested in doing more of a sport or an activity, but most people said they couldn't due to a lack of time.

Mr Barry said a particular challenge was instilling positive, healthy values in young people. He said this was becoming difficult, in part due to technology.

"How we respond to that challenge of young kids having lots of other things they can do with their time these days is a real challenge.

"What we're finding these days is young people need a constant fix. They need to understand why they're doing things, and they need the experience to be really good or they get turned off quickly."

A SNZ Strategic Plan document estimated Kiwis more than 12 years of age spent 80 per cent of their leisure time on passive media and social entertainment activities.

Have a hit out

Almost 70 per cent of adults in the Bay wanted to try a new activity or do more of a current one. One commonly desired activity was golf.

Matt Wooten played golf while growing up but stopped for 10 years after having kids. He's recently started playing again, and became a member at Tauranga Golf Club a year ago.

The 36-year-old said, as good as it is for you physically, it's also a fantastic social sport.

"It's getting more and more popular, especially socially. My three mates who I play with have the same age kids as well, and we're all members," Mr Wooten said.

"My son is into golf as well. When he started, it was just him and he didn't have any mates playing. Now heaps of them are playing, and their dads are getting into it so they can play with their kids as well."

Mr Wooten, who has played his way to an 8 handicap, said the game's relaxed physicality means he might be playing for a few more years yet.

"There's a lotta old guys still going around. One of the guys here is 94 I think, and he still gets around. It's gotta be quite good for you. You must walk about five kilometres going around."