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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Trajectory Data Analyses for Pedestrian Space-time Activity Study
Published on: February 25, 2013
Perceptions of the availability of recreational physical activity facilities on a university campus
1Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613, USA. julian.reed@furman.edu
Objective:
The author's purpose in this study was to assess perceptions of recreational physical activity (PA) facilities on a university campus.
Participants:
Four-hundred and sixty-seven undergraduate students participated in this study (women = 293; men = 174).
Results:
The author found a significant percentage difference between women and men concerning the availability of racquetball courts on campus, 47% vs 63%, t (465) = -3.274. The author similarly found a significant percentage difference between women and men's perceptions concerning the availability of tennis courts. Twenty-seven percent of women were unaware or did not know tennis courts were available for PA, in comparison with 19% of men t (465) = -2.413. Awareness of recreational facilities revealed significant differences (Pillai's Trace = .189, p < .05) between freshmen and upperclassmen. Freshmen perceived themselves to have access to fewer recreational facilities on campus.
Conclusion:
More efforts to increase awareness of PA facilities are needed on university campuses.
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