Second-Most Popular Sport
A study released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals: 420,000 young Australians (age 5 to 14 years) have taken up and are involved in dancing by 2012. This makes dancing the second-most popular sport for children and adolescents, coming second to swimming and diving - which had 490,000 participating last year.
The study, Children's Participation in Sport and Leisure Time Activities, follows Australia's youngsters in surveys taken every three years since 2000.
Some interesting conclusions from the ABS report: while more children are dancing now than 12 years ago, fewer are playing tennis. They are reading less, but they are also watching less TV. Internet and mobile phones are on the rise.
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|
Participation in numbers (000) |
||
|
Sport |
2006 |
2009 |
2012 |
|
Swimming and diving |
462.5 |
502.9 |
492.1 |
|
Dancing |
332.6 |
390.4 |
418.1 |
|
Soccer (outdoor) |
351.1 |
360.4 |
397.6 |
|
Australian Rules football |
200.4 |
235.1 |
226.5 |
|
Netball |
225.8 |
228.5 |
222.7 |
|
Basketball |
176.3 |
201.9 |
220.2 |
|
Tennis |
195.1 |
214.8 |
205.2 |
|
Martial arts |
120.4 |
154.6 |
161.0 |
|
Gymnastics |
|
|
134.5 |
|
Cricket (outdoor) |
143.5 |
142.5 |
130.7 |
|
Rugby League |
111.5 |
97.2 |
109.9 |
|
Athletics, track and field |
77.5 |
89.4 |
88.6 |
|
Rugby Union |
54.9 |
54.5 |
58.8 |
|
Touch football |
|
46.4 |
50.9 |
|
Soccer (indoor) |
58.7 |
76.9 |
48.0 |
|
Hockey |
51.8 |
57.4 |
45.8 |
|
Other organised sports |
|
|
292.7 |
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