FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW PARTICIPATION OF FEMALES IN UNIVERSITY SPORTS IN GHANA

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to obtain information regarding factors associated with low female participation in university sports. The population of the study was made up of university sports ladies from University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, University of Education, Winneba and University of Development Studies. Two hundred and fifty respondents were used for the study. Sports ladies from the mentioned five public universities who took part in the Ghana University Sport Association (GUSA) games which took place in Tamale were used for the study. The questionnaire was developed by the researcher with a Crombach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.92. The methods employed for data analysis were frequencies, percentages and Chi square test, which were used to judge the relationships among the variables. The results of the study revealed that the factors associated with for low female participation in University sports in Ghana included: Coaches’ attitude toward female sportswomen, low skill level of females, low motivation of females, peer influence, the values placed on sports, lack of facilities and equipment, and administrative policies for sports. The need for more female coaches in the universities to take care of women sports and the need for the university authorities to make provision for more and modern sports facilities and equipment were all identified and recommended.