A new study shows that even though Ontario schools are providing phys-ed programs, student participation continues to fall.

The report, published in the current issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, shows that in 2004 less than half of students beyond Grade 9 take gym classes and a small fraction are involved in school sports programs

A 2004 survey shows how participation in phys-ed classes drops after Grade 9.
(CBC)

Participation in physical education dropped drastically after Grade 9 when it is mandatory, to 50 per cent in Grade 10. It fell further in Grade 11 to 43 per cent, and by Grade 12, just over one-third are taking gym classes.

That's about a 10 per cent decrease for Grades 10, 11 and 12 compared with six years earlier.

A 1998 study showed gym class involvement was 63 per cent in Grade 10, 54 per cent in Grade 11, and 45 per cent in Grade 12.

Fourteen-year-old Liam Thompson, who enters Grade 10 this fall, is one of many students who have no plans to fit a physical education class into his timetable.

"Once you get up into Grade 10, 11, 12, because there's so many courses you have to take, it's harder to fit it in," he said.

Calls for mandatory phys ed

John Dwyer, an associate professor at the University of Guelph and one of the study's authors, said providing opportunities for students is not enough and called for mandatory physical education classes for all high school students.

"It needs to be recognized as a course that not only benefits kids physically, but mentally, emotionally, socially," said Dwyer.

Thompson agrees that physical education should be mandatory, but wants it to be more accessible to non-athletes. He notes that some academic students stay out of gym for fear a poor mark will threaten to lower their overall grade-point average.

But the report also found the number of students participating in extracurricular sports programs has fallen in the past five years.

About two-thirds of the 474 public and Catholic secondary schools surveyed for the study reported having an intramural program, while 97 per cent had inter-school sports programs.

At the schools where the programs were available, only 15 per cent of students participated in intramural sports, and 25 per cent were involved in inter-school sports.

In the 24-question survey schools completed for the study, some cited lack of funding, supervision issues and safety concerns as reasons for not offering sports programs.