| The main purpose of this study was to investigate the equality of opportunity to play sports of children and youth living in the community types designated in this study as inner city, urban and suburban. To achieve this purpose, eight sport clusters (Interests in Sports, Sex-Role Stereotyping, Parental Support, Quality of the Sport Experience, Neighborhood Involvement, Attitudes Pertaining to Physical Education, Winning in Sports and Equality of Opportunity to Play Sports) were studied as separate measures which, overall, affect the quality of the sport experience and childrens' involvement in sport.;Data were gathered from one hundred and twenty-four (N = 124) male and female fifth- and eighth-grade respondents living in the inner-city, urban and suburban setting. The study consisted of analyzing tape recordings of sixty conferences between interviewers and student respondees and administering 124 survey questionnaires.;The method of data analysis employed both a qualitative approach (content analysis) which was used to analyze interview and questionnaire data pertaining to the eight sport clusters, and a quantitative approach (two-way ANOVA and Tukey's Test of Significance) which was used to analyze the 25 Likert-type attitude statements included in the survey questionnaire.;Significant differences in the patterns of responding between fifth- and eighth-grade students living in the community types designated in this study as inner city, urban and suburban were noted in the data (student responses) pertaining to questions contained in four clusters, "Interests in Sports," "Winning in Sports," "Parental Support," and "Neighborhood Involvement.".;Moreover, student attitudes and perceptions as they relate to the "equality of opportunity" to participate in sports programs, have access to sport facilities, and have qualified coaches, officials and support personnel were studied, as were patterns of involvement in recreational/free-play sports, school-sponsored sports, and agency-sponsored sports. |
