ABSTRACT
This book has been prompted by my involvement in research exploring a range of physical activities young people engage in. Much of this research had been conducted with the general presumption that physical activity in the form of sports, play and recreation, whether in or out of school, is an essential and enjoyable aspect of every young person’s everyday life (or should be). However, although the benefits of physical activity and sport for childhood development are well documented (Bailey et al. 2004), it is still the case that a significantly large number of young people, particularly girls, either are not engaging as much as they would like or are not provided with the opportunities to do so.
