Disturbing Decline In Athletic Registrations

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31542, 2 December 1967, Page 11

Disturbing Decline In Athletic Registrations

rpHE latest drop In national x athletic registrations is a clear indication that officials and clubs throughout the country must take some positive action to arrest the present trend if their sport is not to slip into obscurity. At the last count there were only 6290 athletes registered in New Zealand, 246 down on 1966 figures and 772 down on the 1965 total —which was the highest in the last five years. Thousands of athletes less than 16 years old are not required to be registered unless they are competing against older registered athletes. This makes the total figure rather unrealistic and perhaps indicates that the situation is far worse than it really is. It is obvious, nevertheless, that any further major slump in athletic registrations would be disastrous. And yet, although the future of the sport seems to lie in the balance, the recent annual report of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association produced by the secretary (Mr C. L W. Archibald) and the chairman of the executive (Mr C. A. Blazey), passed the state of affairs over rather lightly with the comment that vigorous steps should be taken to correct the situation. It did not make any suggestions as to how to go about it. “It is particularly disturbing to note that there is a further reduction this year, especially when the 1967 figure is compared with that for 1965, a decrease of over 10 per cent in two years,” says the report “It is not known whether the reduction is caused , by a decline in the total number of athletes in clubs or a reduction in the number of children registered.lf it is the former it must be a matter of concern to the centres and clubs affected and vigorous steps should be taken to correct the position.” If the New Zealand association, or any other athletes body for that matter, feels that the situation will right itself it may be in for a surprise. There are so many sports bidding for youngsters these days that Any organisation which does not promote its interests at the lowest

possible levels can expect a very bleak future. Part of the trouble is probably caused by the passing of the Halberg-Snell era. There are still world class athletes in New Zealand but they are in events which do not capture the imagination of youngsters. Nobody could doubt the brilliance of L. R. Mills in the shot or M. Ryan and D. C. McKenzie in the marathon—but they only have limited appeal to the ordinary public. An unofficial world record in the marathon is not the same as a world record in the mile, and putting the shot is hardly the greatest spectacle in the sport. Partly because of this, athletics seems to be losing its spectator appeal. Many spectators are parents, and if there is nothing to attract their interest they are hardly going to encourage their offspring to take up the sport But some of the blame must be laid at the door of the athletes. Many top competitors seem obsessed with the idea that competition too early in the season will upset their schedules and prevent them reaching their peak at the

desired time. Consequently, fields for inter-dub events any time before Christmas are invariably thin. Any spectator who paid to watch an inter-club meeting in this period certainly would not bother to come again. Once there was a time when athletes competed in every meeting they could, and treated this as part of their training. Meetings were always interesting in those days. Now many top athletes spend 90 per cent of their time training and when they make an appearance on the track it Is rather an occasion. This attitude is doing the sport tremendous harm. Officials at all levels must encourage young people to take up the sport, too. They must seek these people out and provide regular competition and facilities for them. Canterbury is the largest centre in the Dominion. It had 1291 registered athletes last season, an increase of 89 on the previous season. But this was still short of its 1965 total of 1384. Nevertheless, Canterbury's position is healthier than most

Its annual children’s representative fixture against Marlborough must pay handsome dividends in the future and once the all-weather track is established as the home of the sport in Christchurch it should go ahead in leaps and bounds. Other South Island centres are also making progress. Southland's total of 304 is an increase of 73 on the previous year, its highest total in the last five years. Otago, too, has increased its registrations. There were 22 more registered athletes in Otago last season than the one before and the final figure of 611 was the highest in the last five years. In the north the picture is not so good. Auckland’s total of 1047 is the lowest for five years at least, and Northland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay, West Coast North Island and Wellington are all down by varying degrees. Officals and athletes in these centres should be taking a very careful look at themselves. Their attitude to athletics may need a complete overhaul. Only they can provide the remedies.