TowardsUplifting the Standard of Athletic Performance by Universities in Kenya.
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Date
2013-11
Authors
Mwisukha, A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The benefits of sport to the individual participant and society are well known and widely recognized.
Specifically, the social, psychological and health benefits of sport serve as a driving force for peoples'
pursuit of sporting activities. Additionally, the glory, honor, recognition and rewards associated with
winning in major international sports competitions have compelled many institutions and government.agencies in various countries of the world to seek and implement strategies for identifying and nurturing
sport latent. At university level, sport is an important tool that contributes to the physical, psychological
and social welfare ofthe students and entire university community. Given the pressure and stress associated
with academic pursuits, sport is ideal for relieving such tensions, giving them a chance to socialize,
make friends and improve concentration by being fit and healthy. In the modem world, universities
have also used sports to market themselves and their academic programmes with a view to improving
their students' enrollment and projecting their images to the public as superior and best institutions. In
the developed world, universities have been noted to be ideal sites for preparing, building and exposing
sports talent. Evidence is abundant in the developed world where university students participate and win
medals for their countries in international sports competitions. For instance, in the 2004 Athens Olympic
Games, 80% of the US team was composed of university students who won a total of 19 medals. At
the same Games, the British team had a proportion of 52% university students. However, universities
in African countries (including Kenya) are yet to fully embrace this practice and implement concrete
measures for producing world-class athletes. Given the rich human resource, universities can be relied
upon to tap and develop various human talents in various fields, including sports. This paper highlights
case studies of performances of athletes from Universities in the developed world in major international
competitions and proposes research-based measures for uplifting the standard of sports performance in
Kenya's universities.
Description
The second international conference of the african sport management association(ASMA). 'Management of sport for development and peace'.7th to 9th Nov.2013. University of Dar Es-salaam,Tanzania.
Keywords
Sports, University, Management, Technical factors