'Now' sports lure youngsters

DIFFERENT AIM: Are other sports, such as archery, taking over from traditional codes in Wairarapa?

Wairarapa kids are turning away from rugby and netball to less traditional codes such as table tennis and rifle shooting.

The revelations come amid new warnings that couch-potato kids who watch too much TV are missing out on vital social and physical interaction.

Sport Wellington regional development manager for Wairarapa Dayle Clarkson said participation rates at primary and secondary schools were still high, though many children were opting to try "of-the-now" sports such as table tennis, archery, rifle shooting or martial arts.

"The Wairarapa is a rural community where sport is a connector - we're quite fortunate as a sports trust to be in a region where it's still highly valued," she said.

However, anecdotal information suggested children's entry-level sporting ability was lacking: "The new wave of technology is changing what the kids are capable of doing."

PlayStation games required finer hand and eye movement skills, which could be useful for table tennis, but did not help with kicking a ball, she said.

Sports Wellington was one of several regional sports trusts that offered fundamental movement programmes to schools because many children lacked the confidence or ability to get into in sport without extra coaching.

A just-released British Government briefing document showed children who spent too much time in front of the television or playing computer games had less confidence, were more anxious, and developed depression.

"We can still see that kids are playing sport but they're choosing to play different sports that offer different types of experiences," said Mrs Clarkson.

Wellington clinical psychologist Josephine Leech said children who spent a lot of time inside and in front of a TV were more likely to have problems and were not exposed to life's challenges.

"I think [the briefing] is consistent with other research about television-watching and the effects on children ... children who are not out exercising, not out mixing socially, are more likely to have problems, less likely to have concentration spans that allow them to succeed at school and less likely to have exposure to both successes and failures that life throws up and develop a more resilient temperament as a result," she said.

The study, How Healthy Behaviour Supports Children's Wellbeing, was published at the weekend by Public Health England. APNZ, additional reporting George Driver