Sports clubs aren’t just for kids’ play
MONTREAL — Competitive sports don’t have to be something you age out of once you’re past your athletic prime. But while there are plenty of opportunities to play and compete at a variety of levels in youth sports, the same can’t be said for adult sports.
Sure, there are beer leagues that play for fun and a bit of exercise, but for those who are still motivated to realize their full potential within a competitive format, or who want to try their hand at a new sport, the choices are limited.
The problem for many older athletes is finding a program that matches their goals. Is there too much or too little focus on competition? How about training and coaching — is the program geared toward performance, or is there more of a “fitness for life” vibe that encourages participation and camaraderie?
Masters sports are typically geared toward athletes who have graduated from competing at the age-group level. Some programs welcome athletes as young as 18, but there are many that require participants to be over 25 or 30. And while many masters athletes choose to return to the sport in which they once competed, there are those who opt to take up a new sport or compete athletically for the first time. There are others who want to train hard, but value the social aspect of sport over competition.
It’s this range in skill level, competitiveness and motivation that makes it difficult to offer a quality experience for everyone who wants to participate, which is why a research team out of the University of Alberta polled a group of swimmers to gather more information about their motivation to join a local masters club.
Swimming boasts some of the highest participation rates in masters programs across North America and Europe. Masters Swimming Canada has 10,000 members ranging from 18 to 105 years of age, and claims to have one of the largest adult fitness populations in the country. In a poll of its members, the organization discovered that the majority participate simply because they love to swim and want to reap the health and wellness benefits from regular exercise. But there’s also a large number of swimmers looking to get faster and compete against their peers, while still another group consists of less experienced swimmers who want to improve their strokes.
Results of a survey sent by the University of Alberta researchers to swimmers registered in Canadian masters swim clubs allowed them to identify three distinct profiles of athletes: low competitive specializers, high competitive specializers and samplers. Anyone who stated that swimming was their main sport was considered a specializer. Anyone who considered swimming as just one of the sports they participate in was considered a sampler.
Interestingly, the demographics of all three groups were similar — age, gender, marital status, number of children and how competitive they were as a younger athlete didn’t seem to be a defining characteristic as to whether they were a sampler or a specializer. This diversity is typical of most masters programs, regardless of the sport, with membership consisting of athletes of all ages who are highly skilled and highly competitive combined with those who are training more for fun and fitness.
It’s not always easy reentering the sports scene after years spent managing a packed schedule of personal and professional commitments. Yet worries about a lack of fitness or not having the skills to fit in shouldn’t deter people from taking the plunge. The opportunity to learn new skills, benefit from good coaching, have a place to train, revel in the thrill of competition and enjoy camaraderie with like-minded individuals shouldn’t be limited to youth sports. Adults should have a variety of ways in which they can become either a sampler or specializer in the sports of their choice — just like their kids do.
Ultimately, masters programs and adult leagues need to foster a “sport for life” mentality and adopt a structure that encourages participants of all ages and abilities to stay engaged and active. The idea is to get to know the motivation and goals of new members and find a pathway for them to succeed. Admittedly, it’s a challenge to provide an atmosphere that attracts athletes who want to compete and also supports those who want to work off a bit of stress, engage with others and improve their skills. But it’s clear that a successful masters program demands more than just a coach on the sidelines.
If you want to rekindle your love of sport but in a way that reflects your current lifestyle and goals, do a little research to make sure your local masters programs offer the right fit.