The Sport Participation Pathway Model (SPPM): a conceptual model for participation and retention in community sport

National sport policy has a dual focus on population-based participation, and elite performance. There are various models depicting the pathway to elite, however, there not been participation model track, develop facilitate holistic policies in sport. The aim of this study is review trends, including new data retention drop-out across age groups community club-based sport, combine with evidence from literature about people moving out Sport Participation Pathway Model (SPPM), which provides view participation. We conducted 3-year analysis for eight major sports 2015–2017 children young aged 4–29 years. total number participants was 579,696. Only half 50.8% played continuously three years, 44.7% dropped out, 4.5% discontinuously. Drop-out highest those 4 (57.0%), lowest 10–14 years (39.3%). SPPM demonstrates movements at stages competitive who main participants. standalone that representation integration empirical This therefore most useful organisations recognise issues around drop-out. In developing policies, government can also use make decisions target funding support.