D. Gudzinevičiūtė: How Can Physical Activity Continue Beyond Childhood and Sporting Careers?

Sport offers more than health and fitness. It can become leisure, a source of enjoyment and a foundation for qualities that carry into work and everyday life, writes Daina Gudzinevičiūtė.

She says conversations with ambassadors of the “What Did Sport Give Me?” campaign, including well-known figures from the creative and artistic worlds, produced a common message: without sport, many of them might not be doing what they do today. For them, sport is not an accessory but a base supporting everything else.

The same applies to children and teenagers. Young people who play sports learn responsibility earlier because training cannot be done on their behalf. Different disciplines develop different strengths. Some teach precision and concentration, others teamwork, understanding an opponent and respect for them.

Yet physical activity in Lithuania remains low. Seventy-four percent of residents do not exercise enough to be active at least three times a week. Among teenagers, only 12 percent engage every day in at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity. The “Health at a Glance: Europe” report shows that Lithuanian teenagers lag behind their European peers.

Gudzinevičiūtė argues that getting active does not require chasing records. It can begin with everyday choices, such as taking the stairs, using a parking space farther from work or a shop, or simply taking the first step. She also says Lithuania lacks a lifelong system for supporting physical activity. Funding currently follows short-term projects, so participation often ends when the project does. More lasting results, she suggests, would require umbrella organizations to receive appropriate funding and involve people of different ages in sport.