Recreation as the basis of competitive sports in Kenyan universities

Abstract

This paper emphasizes the vital role played by recreation as a foundation of enhancing mass participation and competitive engagement in sports in Kenyan universities. The tendency of Kenyan universities has been to put more emphasis on competitive sports at the expense' of recreation. A related approach suggests a need for a change. Based on the spillover, and philosophical model of sporting programmes, the paper examines recreational sport as the basis of competitive sports. This is done against the existing background of various types of competitive and recreation sports in Kenyan public universities. Sport involvement requires an understanding of constraints related to provision and availability of facilities, equipment, funding, programmes, time, manpower, and sport policy. The paper outlines various suggestions to increasing levels of recreative participation by first emphasizing recreation followed by instructional physical education and competitive sports while diminishing constraints affecting sport involvement. Key