The pandemic may have limited sports choices for many people in Singapore but it hasn’t dented their willingness to try a new sport.
However, actually overcoming the initial hurdle to do so is proving a barrier for many in the little red dot.
A recent survey by leading sporting retailer, Decathlon, shows that 63 per cent of residents in the city are keen to consider trying a new sport but just haven’t done so.
While 43 per cent of those surveyed cited that the easing of the pandemic restrictions would be a main push factor in encouraging them to get active again, several barriers came up for those who indicated that they wanted to try a new sport.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, over a third of respondents (35.9 per cent) reported that time was a major factor in not exploring new sporting avenues.
A third (34.9 per cent) also felt that they didn’t have access to the right venue or equipment while a fifth (19.3 per cent) cited cost concerns as reasons for not giving it a go.
However, surprisingly, a few confidence issues appear to be impacting people’s adventurousness in new sports, despite an initial inclination to embark on something new: nearly a third (32.5 per cent) said they didn’t know where to start with almost another third (32.3 per cent) thinking they would not be physically capable or good at it.
Another 36.1 per cent struggled to find people to play with.
The survey was conducted in partnership with Singapore-based data and insights agency, Pure Profile. The findings suggest a burgeoning appetite for people in Singapore to expand their sporting horizons but that they stumble at the starting blocks with a few perceived barriers.
To overcome these barriers, Decathlon, which is on a mission to make sports accessible for all sustainably, is aiming to re-trigger the starting gun for trying a new sport.
To achieve this, it has created a series of products to show Singaporeans how easy it is to ‘Just Start Playing’.
The range shows Singaporeans how they can take everyday products around the house and turn them into fun sports gear.
The product line-up features substitute products such as a rolled newspaper ‘baseball bat’, a crushed paper ‘basketball’, a notebook ‘tennis racket’, a cotton string ‘volleyball net’, a disposable plate ‘frisbee disc’, and two paper cups as a ‘football goal post’.
“We’re encouraged by our survey results which show that nearly two-thirds of Singaporeans are still keen to try new sports,” said Hieu Pham Tran, Marketing & Communications Lead of Decathlon Singapore.
“However, we appreciate that they might need just that extra little bit of help to get them started. It is our hope that our Just Start Playing products give them the gentle nudge they need to have some fun and just start playing, whether at home, at their nearest park or out on the track or field.”
“Sport Singapore applauds Decathlon’s efforts in leveraging everyday objects to play sport, in a creative manner. When we shifted our academies’ sport programmes to a virtual platform, the team of coaches and players had to challenge themselves to think out of the box, to improvise household items to allow the game to continue safely, within confined spaces in their homes. There is much value in this ‘strategy’, with it being cost-effective and convenient. At the same time, it creates play opportunities that are imaginative and encourages everyone to get active and stay active. As the pandemic restriction eases, our ActiveSG Academies and Clubs will also be expanding our offerings – we hope Singaporeans will be inspired to pick up a new sport, or two, revive friendly competition in a safe yet fun way, and more importantly, stay healthy and active,” said Marcus Tan, Chief, Sport Development Group, Sport Singapore.
Just Start Playing is the first step in Decathlon’s mission to make sports accessible for all sustainably.
As such, Singaporeans can look forward to a slew of exciting initiatives, including Decathlon’s new Activities Platform to enjoy free physical and online events, new website refresh and their upcoming Store Opening at Northshore Plaza.