Innovative & intensive MultiSport course for a school during the school day, during the physical education lessons, supporting the teacher (as in Italy we don’t have the physical education teacher in Primary School).
The success factor of this kind of activities is that the same staff will deliver the activity in the same sport facilities, so that children can feel more familiar with the trainers.
The activity is carried out during the school lessons; thus it is free and accessible to all children.
These actions also reinforce the sport practices in schools as a habit among the little ones with regard to health through sport and physical activity. These initiatives sometimes are not taught in the most efficient and drained way possible due to their absence in the educational institutions (for example in Italy, the schools nowadays do not have physical education teachers).
Creation and delivery of a manual that includes all the practices and activities carried out by the parties involved, which can be shared with schools for the improvement of the good practices in multisport activities.
The methodology of these activities implies the development of the fundamental movement skills, since they are the basic building block for the overall development of physical literacy. Previous research has shown that without the development of these fundamental skills, many children and youth choose to withdraw from sport and turn to more inactive and/or unhealthy choices during their leisure time (e.g. Burton & Martens, 1986; Skard & Vaglum, 1989). The combination of the fundamental elements of Motivation and Confidence (Affective), Physical Competence (Physical) Knowledge and Understanding (Cognitive) and Engagement in Physical Activities for Life (Behavioural) in the sports education ensures the complex education of the educators in all relevant fields of these elements.
To activate this type of project, at least in Italy, a complex bureaucratic procedure must be followed to obtain all the necessary permits.
It is also necessary to adapt the proposal according to the infrastructures that exist in the school.
Multisport activity is an excellent opportunity for schools to expand the training offer plan. Offers the opportunity to children who do not like competitive activity or don’t have the economic and social possibilities to attend sport courses, to move while having fun and approach life in a healthier style.
It can be replicated in every school!
The program foresees that the first semester is dedicated to individual activities (e.g.: individual motor courses) and unconventional group games (e.g.: multi-goal soccer, dodgeball, castellone, guard and thieves, king and queen, etc.). The objective is to promote movement as a form of play by giving children the opportunity to experiment with the development of general and specific coordination skills. The use of small tools will be preferred, such as balls of different types, circles, cones, mats, ropes.
The second part of the year will be dedicated to the experimentation of 4 sports: two team sports and 2 individual sports to be decided on the basis of the facilities available in the school.
This multisport model can be conducted by teachers with a degree (or undergraduate) in PE. The skills required are:
Schools
Sport equipment for the activities: different balls, cones, ropes, balloons, sticks, circles, bandages.
Materials: T-shirts for Sport Instructors and for the participants.
The participants are the children of the school, so it is no necessary to recruit them.
It is necessary to have the authorization of the school (board teachers and the school’s director) to activate the course. To access school funds, it is also necessary to participate in public tenders.
Communication with the families can be done through the schools’ channels.
The stakeholders involved can be:
The evaluation can be conducted in different ways:
Do you want to start a multisport program in your community?
Did you try any models and you have feedback or comments?
Do you want to suggest another multisport models?
This Erasmus+ Sport Small Collaborative Partnership Project runs from January, 2020 until June, 2021 and is implemented in collaboration with the following partner organizations: HODINA H, z.s. (Czech Republic) / ACD LA HOYA (Spain) / CLUBUL SPORTIV EXPERIENTA MULTISPORT (Romania) / L’ORMA (Italy)
