How Does Sport Bring Communities Together?

_{Title Picture - Young couple running in the city (RgStudio / Getty Images)}

^{Harry Crowe investigates the importance and significance of how sport and physical activity can benefit people and communities through a range of social and cultural outcomes and what more needs to be done to help further raise awareness. This article focuses on how the sports university of the year in 2019 has been helping to tackle mental wellbeing issues.}

“It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigour.”

Compelling words from a highly respected roman lawyer and politician, Marcus Tullius Cicero believed exercise and physical activity was fundamental in living a long and healthy life.

Fast forward centuries later and it is hard to disagree with this statement.

The University of Nottingham launched a campaign group in 2015 called ‘Welfare in Sport’ with the main goal to remove barriers for students who suffer with mental health issues and wish to participate in sport and raise awareness within their sports clubs.

“Mostly it’s about trying to create the right atmosphere within sports,” says Alec Lewis, Chair of Welfare in Sport.

“The university has 75 sports clubs so what we try and do is keep in contact with all of the sports clubs making sure that their looking after their members and that people within those sports clubs are feeling supported by their club.”

Alec acknowledged that he is part of the 'Men's Health Active Campaign', which targets male students who lack confidence but would like to get involved in the programme.

“It’s about identifying where the barriers are and what’s stopping it. I mean for some people they’re not particularly competitive, they can feel like going into some sports and they’re not looking to compete, they’re just looking to be active so it’s about making sure there are opportunities for everyone and that nothing is exclusive to certain groups it’s all open.

“It’s kind of what’s going on with the ‘Men’s Health Active Campaign’ and we’ve got an engaged programme that is putting on sessions for different sports, they are not competitive. We trying to make it accessible for everyone.”

Student Minds, as part of #UniMentalHealthDay in 2017, highlighted how staff and students had been getting active for their own mental health.

According to analysis from the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and Student Minds, 'most lifetime mental health difficulties first begin at 24-years-old'.

“It’s nice to just have a chat,” says Louise Chapman, who has been with the synchronised swimming sports club at the university for four years.

“Sport and exercise definitely helps just in terms of releasing those happy hormones and all that kind of stuff but I think it’s more than that and it provides short term goals for people to work towards and something like outside of the course or other personal life things where they might feel they aren’t getting any of that satisfaction or they might be really struggling maybe in uni or with family life.

“But sport can provide a short term goal for them to work towards and when they get that there’s that sense of achievement that they might not get from anywhere else and it gives them a sense of purpose and meaning and I think that’s really important in someone that maybe is lacking with motivation.” 

Louise admitted she used to participate in competitive synchronised swimming before she came to university but prefers the vibe in the club as its “more relaxed, more social and more enjoyable,” she said.

“It’s also quite good for people with body image problems because it’s kind of the only sport, apart from maybe dancing or cheerleading, where if you want to perform you have to get dressed up in a swimming costume,” says Louise.

“You can wear makeup which I think attracts a lot of people because I think a lot of women say barriers to getting involved with sport is they might sweat and they don’t want to smell and they can’t wear makeup and I think that can put a lot of people off, whereas synchronised swimming can give them a chance to still feel that they look their best.”     

Research from the UK's leading mental health sports charity 'Sport in Mind' shows over 10,000 participants who engaged in their programmes have benefited astronomically with '94 per cent improving their mental wellbeing and 91 per cent improving their self-esteem and confidence'.

“We canvas potential participants about the types of sport they might be interested in playing and which venue would be most accessible,” says Liz McElroy, Development Officer at Sport in Mind.

“With the help of qualified coaches and empathetic volunteers, we aim to make the sessions fun, catering for all levels of ability, supportive and in a friendly environment, running throughout the year to help add structure to participants week.

“There is evidence that regularly doing sport/physical activity, helps you sleep better, improves your concentration and cognitive functioning, reduces stress hormones in your body and stimulates production of endorphins which boosts your mood. For people experiencing difficult thoughts a fun activity session can be a welcome distraction.

“Providing free opportunities where people feel valued whatever their ability, where they have a warm welcome and support and where they can be open about their mental health without being judged all help to make the Sport in Mind sessions so popular and well attended.”

Members of the triathlon sports club at the university discussed their experiences in how they got involved with the sport.

Ali Kahn, welfare and general secretary, says: “For me, it was to get fit really. Triathlon seemed the best sport to get into to peak fitness and I guess the social aspect aswell, it was quite a big love, and everyone seemed quite friendly.”

George Budden, social secretary, says: “I spoke to the president and club captain on the door of freshers fair when I was a young fresher and I didn’t really know what was going on and they were just so friendly and I just spoke to more people and everyone that I spoke to was lovely and really encouraged to join. So, I gave it a go and haven’t looked back.”

Ben Lyons, club captain, says: “I knew quite a few family members who did it. I did seven races when I was younger, so I came to uni and just wanted to do something that was different. I enjoyed it and just carried it on.”

Luke Donald, president, says: “For me, in my first year of university I didn’t actually do triathlon because I did think it was a bit too intimidating and I didn’t think I’d be able to do all the sports because I couldn’t really swim and I didn’t have my own bike, so it wasn’t until my second year when I thought it actually looked quite fun and you don’t have to know any of the sports to take part, I decided I would just go for it and now triathlon is basically all I do.”