3.6.8 Percentage of Canadian children aged 6 to 9 years who participate in sports without a coach most days/a few times a week, Canada, 2006-2007

Boys Girls
Once a week 13.5 17.9
Most days/few times a week 63.9 51

Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from the National Longitudinal Survey on Children and Youth, Cycle 7, 2006-2007. Custom Runs.

The majority, 73%, of Canadian children aged 6 to 9 years participate in sports without a coach at least once a week.

Boys are more likely to do so than are girls – 77% versus 69% respectively.

Sixty-four percent of boys participate in sports without a coach most days/a few times a week, as do 51% of girls.

Children living in low income families are less likely to participate in coached sports most days/a few times a week than are those living in high income families – however the gradient is not as steep as it is when it comes to participating in activities with a coach.

Only 52% of children living in families with incomes below the LICO* participated in sport without a coach compared to 61% of children living in families with incomes which were three times the LICO.1

1National Longitudinal Survey on Children and Youth, Cycle 7, 2006-2007. Custom Runs.

*Low Income Cut-offs (LICOs), the threshold is defined as the income below which a family is likely to spend 20 percentage points more of its income on food, shelter and clothing than the average family.