Lifelong Sport

Modified sports is the modification of sports away from their traditional adult format into a format that allows different population segments to participate.

Most sport formats that we are familiar with, or that we see on TV, are designed for adults and most often they are specifically designed for male adults. While this is great for us adult males, it leaves a lot of our population sitting on the sideline.

Sports that are bold and not afraid of out of the box thinking are having huge success with different formats of their games.

Whether you are just like Ned Haig and David Sanderson; a pair of Scottish butchers who, in 1883, conceived Rugby 7’s as a way to involve people from the community in a weekend of short sided matches, enabling them to raise funds for the local club. (Today Rugby 7s is an Olympic sport!)

Or maybe you are trying to give the youth in your sport a better playing experience, so like Football Australia you’re creating a smaller pitch to suit the players size. While also reducing the numbers on each team, giving the players more touches of the ball and more opportunities to be involved and develop.

Or maybe your club need to examine the length and structure for the game to better suit the changing needs and time demands on your players. If people are struggling to commit to a long season, maybe its time to look at shorter series or weekend tournaments/galas that can be attended as a one off commitment.

Modifying equipment to enable disabled individuals to join in and play is not something new and while clubs continue to move ahead in this area, it is a mindset we can borrow to adapt our sports and club environments to fit players of all types.

Because its not just about finding a sport that suits a set of physical characteristics. It is about creating a sense of belonging and being welcomed and becoming part of a community.

You cant belong to somewhere if there isn’t an alignment of the individual’s characteristics with the format.

Like the great Tracey Chapman said: “Give me one reason to stay here, and I’ll turn right back around”

There are too many reasons to leave, or to not turn up. We only need one good one to stay. Giving them a sense of belonging, by giving them a game format that matches with their physicality and needs and it can be the one good reason to stay in your club.