Sports involvement of girls and boys in basketball

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the sports involvement of girls and boys participating in the Basketball for All Program (Santa Catarina, Brazil). A total of 80 basketball players attending the program participated in 2016. A survey composed of closed-ended questions was used, which was analyzed by means of statistical resources, both descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential (chi-square, Cramér's V, adjusted residuals). Results revealed an association between sex and time of general sports practice, showing that girls had a shorter time of experience with basketball than boys did. As for weekly training frequency, the participants with fewer weekly training hours were consequently those who trained less often (days) during the week. Boys with a shorter time of participation in the Program and who engaged in sports initiation activities had a lower weekly training frequency, while those with a longer experience time and who engaged in activities aimed at competitive preparation would train more often during the week. In conclusion, the girls had a shorter sports practice time, and the organization of the Program determines the boys' weekly frequency of involvement in basketball.