The bar chart compares the participation rates of Australian boys and girls in five distinct categories of sports (and no sports) outside school hours in 2014.
Overall, it is evident that football and netball showed the most significant gender disparities in participation. While football was overwhelmingly favored by boys, netball was predominantly a girl’s sport. Swimming and basketball maintained a relatively balanced participation rate across both genders.
Regarding the sports with the highest engagement, football stood out as the most popular choice for boys, with exactly 20% participating. In stark contrast, only 4% of girls participated in this sport. Conversely, netball attracted 18% of girls, whereas it recorded the lowest participation rate for boys at just 2%.
Swimming and basketball showed more balanced figures. Swimming was the most popular activity among girls, at approximately 16%, compared to 13% for boys. Basketball participation was slightly higher for boys at 8%, while girls followed closely at 7%.
Finally, regarding children who did not participate in any sports outside school hours, the figures were low and comparable for both genders. Approximately 4% of boys and 5% of girls reported participating in no sports activities in 2014.
