Personal, Social and Environmental Correlates of Sports Participation Among Varsity Student-Athletes in Insurgency Ridden Areas of Northern Nigeria.

Abstract

Purpose: An understanding of the personal, social and environmental factors as correlates of sports participation among varsity athletes in insurgency ridden areas in Nigeria will allow for the optimizing of student-athletes participation and minimize morbidity. The purpose of this study was to discuss the personal, social and environmental factors that affect varsity student-athletes in northern Nigeria, an area ridden with insurgency for the past six years. Personal factors in this study include the demographic attributes of the student-athletes such as cognition, motives and interests. Social factors include parents, teammates, course mates, lecturers, coaches, media, policy, security and legislature. Environmental factors identified include weather, air quality, playing surfaces, proximity to safe facilities. There are evidence in research that demonstrates that sports programmes provides many positive benefits for students especially when sound educational policies and quality leadership are in place. There has been copious literature that supports the use of sports in improving personal, social and environmental factors of sport participants. Some of these include; improvement in motor skills, enhancement of normal physical, social growth and maturation, improvement of socialization, self-esteem, self-perception and psychological wellbeing.

Keywords: Personal, Social, Environmental, Sport participation, Varsity student-athletes, Insurgency