The Complexity of Sport-as-Leisure in Later Life

Abstract

In this chapter, we review research on sport participation in later life, and posit the concept of sport-as-leisure. A sport-as-leisure conceptualization posits that sport is a form of leisure that contributes to later life growth and meaning but not to the exclusion of other forms of leisure that also provide meaning and fulfillment. Topics discussed include the privileged nature of sport participation, the multifold meanings of sport across the lifespan - including gendered perspectives, the paradox of older adult sports, societal and policy implications of sport, and future directions in later life sports. An exploration of sport-as-leisure in later life provides fertile ground to examine the value of sport in the context of a positive sociology of leisure and aging.