AS MOD 2
SOCIO-CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL EFFECTS
ON PARTICIPATION IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON PERFORMANCE
THE CHANGING NATURE OF BRITISH SOCIETY
20th CENTURY BRITAIN
THE 20TH CENTURY
Ordinary people realised that sport wasn’t just for the privileged, they had a RIGHT to leisure.
This depended on spare cash and ability of masses to pay for their pleasure
Sport became ever more organised with:
- Bureaucracies
- Finances
- Performers
- Officials
- Spectators
- Sport publications
Local/regional events became national/international affairs controlled by international committees (eg FIFA, 1904)
WORLD WAR 1 (1914-18)
WOMEN
- Took on many of MEN’S jobs (factories and on land)
- Enjoyed escape of dance halls and cinemas
= gave them life experiences unheard of before
- Relaxation of domestic and social roles
- Became more independent and confident
Establishment of Women’s League of Health and Beauty (1930) demonstrated changes, esp the increase in
physical activity and growing knowledge of therapeutic effects of exercise
Exercises based on remedial health exercises, taught by highly trained instructors and put on in workplace for
mill workers, office and shop employees.
Many women would perform movement in large groups to music in public
ANTI-MILITARISM
Changing views of children were reflected in Syllabuses of PT in schools
More account taken of children’s ages and stages of development
Lessons more informal than previous drill style
More fun and play activities
More interactive teaching style
ENTERTAINMENT
Cinema – Took over from Church and Pub
Why?
- Cheap
- Entertaining
- Sociable
- Educational
RADIO dominated all homes (home based entertainment)
MOTORCAR development/trade enabled escape to new environments
COACH TRIPS would collect people from their streets, whilst giving a sense of community
TRAVEL FIRMS catered for low income groups (eg trips to Blackpool)
Prior to WW1 - became recognised all workers had the right to a holiday
Late 1930’s – recognised, through legislation, everyone had a right to HOLIDAYS WITH PAY
OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL activities became National pastimes (made popular by Scout movement)
E.g
Walking
Cycling
Climbing
Camping
COMMERCIALISATION
1950’S, “People never had it so good” - due to increased wages, developments of domestic hardware (esp TV) and
opportunities for hire purchase
Television – blamed for a decline in Church attendance, Cinema and even attendance at Football matches
- Major sports events could be watched by millions (e.g Olympics, World Cup)
ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIP and TV COVERAGE became multi-million pound businesses
MUNICIPAL FACILITIES allowed more people to participate purely for enjoyment, with many spending vast amounts
for their children to experience more expensive sports
THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL
Classic example of a TRADITIONAL working class popular recreation transformed into an activity that is:
1.
Rational
2.
Rule bound
3.
Disciplined
4.
Possessing qualities that would bring society together in a common aim
POPULAR or MOB VERSION
- Flourished in British Isles from 8th to 9th C
- Variety of local and regional versions making up present days sport of Association Football and Rugby Football
- “Popular” status suggests that they were initially
1.
Disorganised
2.
Violent
3.
Spontaneous
4.
Indefinite numbers of players
- Heated contests between whole village communities or townships – through streets, village squares, across fields,
hedges, fences and streams
- Played only occasionally, eg Holy days, when lower classes enjoyed some free time
REASONS FOR DISAPPROVAL OF AUTHORITIES
1.
With spread of PURITANISM, frivolous amusements (eg sport) was a violation of peace on the Sabbath
2.
It was regarded as a public disturbance, resulting in damaged property
3.
Industrialised society required a DISCIPLINED, PUNCTUAL and FIT workforce
RATIONALISATION OF FOOTBALL
- Beginning of 19th C, sons of gentry took “village boys” game into Public Schools, here it was given technical developments via
1.
Skills
2.
Tactics
3.
Facilities
4.
General organisation
- Eventually CODIFICATION via Universities took place allowing inter school fixtures
- 1860’s, Clarendon Commission (govt report) formally recognised educational value of team games, and a useful
distraction to less desirable occupations eg heavy drinking and gambling
- “Games Cult” in Public Schools derived fine character building qualities from team games such as:
- Loyalty
- Selflessness
- Co-operation
- Subordination
- Team spirit
- Team games became integral part of school curriculum
- This organised form matched concept of ATHLETICISM
= Physical endeavour with moral integrity, a
movement developed in Public Schools
MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY =
Healthy bodies and minds to serve God, a
movement developed in society
- 26 Oct 1863, birth of FA. The first football comp in the world, the FA Cup, was est in the same year
- The rational game of football was introduced to working classes via;
- Churches
- Schools
- Workplace
- In INDUSTRIAL HEARTLAND the game was reclaimed by the working classes becoming “the game of the people”
- “Broken-time payments” led to eventual professionalising of the game thus improving standards of performance
- Boom in organised football brought staggering crowds of spectators
- Spread of Football outside Great Britain mainly due to British influence abroad, in 1912, 21 National Associations
were affiliated ti Federation Internationale de Football association (FIFA). At present FIFA has 204 members
throughout the world
- Maximum wage was abolished in 1961