Edinburgh Civil Service Ladies relaunch mission statement to attract more females into sport
Edinburgh Civil Service Ladies Hockey team (ECSL) has a proud history of leading the way for women’s participation in sport for generations.
The first AGM of the Organising Committee for the Edinburgh Civil Service Sports Complex was held at St Andrews House in March 1958 and a ladies representative from the ECSL Hockey Team was on the panel.
It was there that the case was made for hockey pitches to feature amongst the plans for sporting pitches creating a lasting legacy of hockey in the Civil Service. It is therefore fitting that ECSL Hockey Team continues to lead the way in responding to current issues through sport and beyond.
In response to poor representation of women in club sport Edinburgh Civil Service Ladies Hockey team has decided to re-launch its mission statement with the clear commitment to encourage the participation of women in sport and sustain that interest.
This commitment is in recognition of the Club’s commitment to the Commonwealth Games Legacy and also recognising the part that sport can play in contributing to a healthy and well balanced life for women.
The re-launch of ECSL ‘s mission statement comes after a disappointing finding published in the 2014 Public Health Survey (22 Sept) which found that just over 1 in 20 adults said they were more interested in sport and physical activity as a result of the Commonwealth Games, and only 4% said they were thinking about doing more sport or physical activity.
In addition to this survey, recent stats continue to show that club sport is dominated by men. The latest data demonstrating that only one in five women (21%) are members of sport clubs, compared to one in three men (32%). It’s hard to find a bloke who isn’t affiliated with some sort of 5 aside team but with women, club or team sport participation is much less common.
Women are more likely to take part in instructional classes (26% female and 18% male) but, whilst good for physical fitness, this type of individual participation doesn’t promote community cohesion, guard against isolation or provide the same access to support networks. In this respect ECSL’s mission statement aligns with the messages in the SG Equally Safe Strategy launched in June of last year. Namely that by addressing inequality in all areas of life, including sport, we will create a country where all individuals are equally safe and respected.
In support a Scottish Hockey spokeperson said, “Scottish Hockey actively welcomes Edinburgh Civil Service Ladies taking the lead in attracting more women to club sport. We have seen a recent increase in new female players coming to the sport and encourage teams to embed into their own club policies values which will further enthuse new players and maintain the interest of existing players. Scottish Hockey also recognises the importance that sport can play in building networks and establishing important links socially and therefore commends the club in its approach”.
ECSL’s is currently recruiting new players and has a strategy to attract new players by incorporating into the club’s policies a maintenance policy for those who may wish to return after maternity leave, retirement or prolonged absence through health related issues. It actively encourages retired players to continue with their roles in club life and the club advocates family friendly policies for team members and their families. Players who can’t play Saturday matches can still come to training sessions without paying full registration fees and students get a discount from their joining fee. In support of the club’s efforts Richard Foggo, DD of Active Scotland said
“The commitment of ECSL to build on the incredible legacy of the Commonwealth Games by encouraging more women into sport is fantastic. We know that there remains a stubborn gap in participation levels between men and women, and so specific action is needed to ensure that how sport offers itself up to women and girls in particular suits their needs and meets their aspirations. The targeted, evidence based approach of ECSL is exactly right and I wish them all the best in their recruitment drive.”
Edinburgh Civil Service Ladies Hockey team are looking for new players for the 2015/16 squad.
If you would like to be part of the ECSLH club or are a retired player interested in club life please contact Saira Kapasi at [email protected] for more information.
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