◄UNIT 2:Individual and SocietyUNIT 4: Effective Communication►

UNIT 3:Sport and Leisure

  • UNIT 3:Sport and Leisure

    Key unit competence: To be able to argue how sports, leisure and
    competition contribute to personal, collective identity shared with others

    and social development

    3.1 Difference between sport and leisure

    Activity 1

    In groups answer the following

    question.

    What are the benefits of
    mparticipating in sports, leisure

    and competitions?

    At school, you have realised that in between the lessons there is break, lunch
    and games. Think of watching TV at home, visiting friends, playing board
    games or any other game in your home environment, tennis, football, and
    how you feel, after watching your favourite game or movie. It feels very
    good to come home after a long day and watch your favorite show on the
    television. However, it will not give the same feeling and benefit if you were
    engaged in sporting activities.

    The difference between leisure and sports is that leisure refers to free time
    spent away from business, work, domestic chores and education. It excludes
    time spent on necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. That means
    to be free from compulsory work and engage in leisure activities such as
    entertaining friends, going on vacation, doing hobbies such as reading,

    watching television, listening or dancing to music, among others.

    Sport, on the other hand, involves all forms of competitive physical activities
    which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain
    or improve physical ability and skills while providing entertainment to
    participants. In sports there are indoor activities such as gymnastics, dance
    sports, cricket and outdoor activities such as swimming, football, basketball,

    hockey, golf, canoeing and sailing.

    3.2 Contribution of leisure, sport and competition to personal
    and collective identity

    Case study 1

    Teta has a low self-esteem so she avoids eye contact and speaks in a
    hushed tone. However, she always says ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ which is
    a learned behaviour.

    1. In groups, discuss how you think Teta really feels.
    2. Imagine you are a teacher. In what ways would you help Teta develop selfesteem?
    How would you make her feel part of the class environment?
    3. Suggest an activity that Teta would focus on to improve her self-esteem

    and practise direct eye contact.

    It is important for people to be included in corporate activities if they are to
    feel that they are part of the group. This is especially true in the school setting.
    Role playing is one of the most helpful activities for improving social skills, as
    it allows one to feel confident in handling different types of situations. Role
    playing can be done through drama where an individual is given a role that
    is different from his/ her personality.

    For example, Teta whose self-esteem is
    low can be given the role of someone in authority. This way she can practise
    how to be self-confident. Drama, music and other performances are some
    of the leisure activities that are carried out in schools. They are encouraged
    through competitions among schools; that is inter-school competitions.

    These help in reducing the barrier to positive social interactions.

    Sport and leisure are also effective in achieving the inclusion and building of

    a collective identity.

    Activity 2

    1. What is happening in the picture?d
    2. What do country representatives in a
    race usually have to identify them?
    3. Whenever an athlete wins a race, the
    country is said to have won. Explain

    this in relation to collective identity.

    During Olympics, athletes represent their respective countries. The symbol of
    the national flag helps in identifying the various countries represented. From
    your discussion of the above identities, you realize that sports contribute to
    identity both at the personal and collective level. Some sports have actually
    been related to certain social groups due to their remarkable performance
    in them. Other national and cultural groups have gained recognition and
    prestige from various leisure and sports activities that they are known for and
    which are mostly used as a tourism attraction in their countries. An example
    is the Brazilian Samba dance, band groups such as the Ingeli band of Rwanda
    which carries the prestige of winning the African Kora awards among others.

    Sport and leisure also bring a sense of national unity. When sporting activities
    are supported by the government and citizens own them, they contribute to
    national identity as people identify with these activities and enjoy participating
    in them either as players or as fans. The president of Rwanda for example
    has highly supported sports through giving prizes for events such as The
    Kigali International Marathon.

    Another example is the World Cup. It brings citizens together in celebrating
    players of soccer at a global level. Socially, sports and leisure have contributed
    greatly in cultivating inclusion in community building, character building and

    social cohesion.

    Case study 2

    Victory for Team Rwanda

    It was a moment of glory for all of us in Rwanda. We had all gathered in
    hotels and restaurants to watch the riders from Rwanda participate in the
    Tour de Rio. They were all riding with passion. It was the stretch between
    Valenca and Teresopolis, a total distance of 153km that left all Rwandans
    at the edge of their seats.

    Team Rwanda rider Camera Hakuzimana broke away from the leading
    park. For 100km he remained in the lead, at some time reaching the
    highest point of a four and a half minute lead. It looked likely that he
    would win this race. We chanted and cheered. We clapped in anticipation.
    I had never felt such excitement due to watching a sporting event, least
    of all, cycling. The cheers brought even more people to the restaurants.
    Rwanda was going to win! It was our time of glory. One of us was making
    us proud.

    Though he did not finally win, he was among the top finishers. He
    crossed the finish line only 54 seconds after the winner, Kleber Ramos
    Silva of Brasilinvest. Other Rwandans in the race did well too. Jean Bosco
    Nsengimana and Patrick Byukusenge finished in 14th and 16th positions
    respectively, to register a remarkable performance for the national side
    that was the only African team in the competition. Teenage debutant
    Joseph Aleluya was in 22nd position. Team captain Janvier Hadi and
    national road race champion Joseph Biziyaremye who had suffered a
    mechanical problem settled for 44th and 58th positions in that order.

    Team Rwanda did the whole country proud. We were all so patriotic
    in cheering for them. They brought us together. There were no tribal
    considerations in cheering them on. No grudge could be remembered
    during this moment. They were Rwandans. We had to cheer them on.
    Though the success was theirs, the glory was shared among all Rwandans.

    It promoted a collective identity.

    Questions

    1. How do you think the riders felt during the competition?
    2. In what ways do you think Hakuzimana’s identity changed after this
    competition?
    3. Describe how the performance of Team Rwanda in the riding
    competition contributed to a feeling of collective identity among the
    people of Rwanda.
    4. Share with your group other occasions when sport or leisure has

    promoted collective identity either at a community or national level.

    3.3 Contribution of sports, leisure and competition to

    personal and social development

    Activity 3

    1. Consider the various sports you know of. Do they have rules which the
    players must adhere to? Name some of them.

    2. What values do these rules develop in social life and how do they
    contribute to social cohesion? Apart from the rules, how else do the

    games enhance social development?

    From the discussions, you find out the following:

    • Moral behaviour and inculcation of values such as honesty, fairness and
    determination are enhanced through social interaction that occurs in the
    regulated physical activities conducted in sports.
    • They also engage young people in their communities through volunteering
    hence reinforcing values of social development.
    • Sport and leisure offer equal opportunities to all regardless of gender,
    ethnicity or ability. This reinforces the values of equality and inclusiveness.
    • It also helps young people become more reasonable and critical as

    competitions involve playing tactfully with the aim of winning.

    Exercise 1

    Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow in
    groups.

    Sonelle had always been a shy girl. She had always feared expressing her
    opinion. She believed it did not matter. After all, others seemed to have
    the solution to every problem. What would they think if she opened her
    mouth to say things she was not even sure of ?

    One day, she was invited by her friends to play the game of Scrabble. Her
    friends seemed to know the game very well. They were making words so

    easily. Indeed, this is what they used to do whenever they were free. 

    Theywere used to it. They knew all the rules and the tricks of the game.

    This day, they decided to play in groups of three. Since Sonelle was so
    timid that she shook whenever she tried to create a word on the board,
    her group suggested that she become the group leader. She would be
    telling them what word to make.

    Hesitantly, Sonelle suggested the first word and it was correct! Then came
    the second word, the third one and so forth. Her group was winning. At
    some point a disagreement arose between the two groups. Encouraged
    by her success in suggesting words for her team, Sonelle decided to
    arbitrate between the two groups. Soon, they were back to the game and
    everybody was happy.

    From that day, everyone wanted Sonelle in her team. They wanted her
    to be the leader too. This extended to school and within no time, Sonelle
    was appointed a prefect. Today, Sonelle is a Chief Executive Officer of
    a multinational company. She discovered her leadership skills in the
    Scrabble game and she never looked back. She became assertive but
    considerate because of guiding her friends during the game. Who knew a

    game of Scrabble can bring such a transformation?

    Questions

    1. What leisure activity was Sonnelle and her friends involved in?
    2. Explain how the competition in this leisure activity helped Sonelle to
    discover her abilities.
    3. In what ways did Sonelle’s friends help her to develop her abilities?
    4. Draw a chart showing Sonelle’s personal development from the day she
    was invited for a game of Scrabble to where she is today.
    5. In what ways can we use leisure and competition to develop ourselves

    and others around us?

    3.4 Unit summary

    Sport - free time spent away from business, work, domestic chores and

    education.

    Leisure - all forms of competitive physical activities which, through casual
    or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability

    and skills while providing entertainment to participants.

    Contribution of leisure and sport to personal and collective

    identity

    1. Leisure activities such as drama allow one to feel confident in handling
    different situations.
    2. Sport and leisure activities promote positive social interactions thus
    social cohesion.
    3. Team sports and leisure activities enhance social inclusion thus building
    collective identity.
    4. Sports can lead to individual, collective and national recognition hence
    individual and collective prestige.
    5. Sport and leisure contribute greatly in character building hence persona

    growth.

    Contribution of sports, leisure and competition to personal
    and social development

    1. Regulated sport and leisure activities inculcate values such as honesty,
    fairness and integrity leading to personal development.
    2. They also engage young people in their communities through
    volunteering hence promote social development.
    3. Sport and leisure offer equal opportunities to all regardless of gender,
    ethnicity or ability hence reinforcing gender equality and inclusiveness.

    4. They help young people to become more reasonable and critical.

    3.5 Test your competence

    Write an essay on the role of sport and leisure to:
    1. Personal development.
    2. Collective identity.

    3. Social development.

    ◄UNIT 2:Individual and SocietyUNIT 4: Effective Communication►