Role Models - Born or Bred

February 03 2010 All eyes have been on the sporting world this weekend. Andy Murray got Great Britain closer to a grand slam title than any other man since the era of Fred Perry, and John Terry dominated the headlines with allegations of off the pitch antics. The impact of others on our commitment to sporting participation is proven. The Taking Part survey shows dance participation increased from 8.4% to 9.7%*, and a 97% increase in dance undergraduate students with the success of Strictly Come Dancing in recent years. Equally though a recent study from the University of Alberta has found that P.E teachers can have a negative impact on the likelihood of young people sustaining sporting participation into adulthood.

With this in mind, what can be done to work with those whose successes result in them being burst into the limelight? Are role model qualities innate or developed over time? We work with a broad range of athletes whose skills we have helped develop to make them good role models for young people. They deliver to clubs, schools and community groups inspiring change not only in sport, but also in the young people’s behaviour, and life skills. However I can’t help but wonder, when we recruited the athletes that deliver Sporting Champions and RAMP, what was it that attracted us to them in the first place? I personally feel that many of the qualities of a good role model are innate or at least shaped by very early experiences. It’s not the wow factor of a gold medal or world champion title, it’s something less tangible and more relative that makes us feel that the role model’s achievements are almost within our reach, and that a small change could make a big difference. Is this perhaps why four out of the 10 worst sporting role models identified in Skills Active’s recent poll were footballers. Their achievements and wealth are too much to comprehend.

Who is your sporting role model? Mine is Charlie Simpson, the seven year old who cycled three laps of his local park to raise £136,000 for the Haiti appeal. A little input that made a big difference!

*Taking Part survey figures from 2005/6 and 2007/8