NEARLY three times as many Australians play soccer as Aussie rules footy, but participation in sport generally is down, says the latest ABS data.

About 60 per cent of people aged 15 and over took part in sport and physical recreation last year, compared with two-thirds in 2011-12.

Walking for exercise was the No.1 activity in 2013-14 with 3.5 million participants — about 700,000 fewer than the previous year.

However, the number doing fitness and gym activities increased from three million to 3.2 million over the two-year period.

More than 650,000 people played indoor and outdoor soccer in 2013-14, while Aussie rules lured only 224,000 participants, says the Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation Australia report.

While the numbers playing soccer and footy were down compared with two years ago, basketball participation went up from 355,000 to 406,100.

Camberwell Grammar School director of sport Jamie Watson said while the big name ball sports were still popular, some students were picking other activities under the school’s compulsory program.

“We’re giving them a choice, they don’t have to stand on a soccer field any more in the rain, they can go and do fencing or something else,” he said.

“We all know the benefits of sport so it’s a matter of finding that sport so when they finish school they can have the benefits for life and not just up to year 12.”

Indoor and outdoor cricket numbers fell sharply from 360,000 to 274,000, the report said.

Jogging and running numbers were stable at about 1.36 million over the two years but the number of netball players fell from 450,000 to 414,000, and golf participation fell by 130,000 to 732,000.

ABS spokesman Gary Niedorfer said walking was the exercise of choice for women, while men preferred fitness/gym.

“There has been a drop in the proportion of people undertaking other activities such as swimming and cycling,” he said.

john.masanauskas@news.com.au

@JMasanauskas