Abstract
Abstract Aims: This paper sought to evaluate the infrastructure of public swimming pools in a countryside municipality of the state of Sao Paulo and to present the Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool capable of assisting in the management of sports facilities and programs. Methods: This is a descriptive study since it intends to expose the characteristics of a certain context. First, documentary research was performed to map the facilities and their respective projects. After that, a field survey was conducted seeking to evaluate the infrastructure of public pools and their surroundings through observation. Lastly, using georeferencing software, the population, and socioeconomic data around these pools were obtained and analyzed. Results: It was identified ten public swimming pools, and in seven the offer of swimming projects was foreseen. The infrastructure of the pools is mainly unsatisfactory, making necessary the improvement of the installation itself and in its surroundings. According to the results of the GIS, each pool has its specific public target concerning the characteristics of the profile of the residents surrounding these facilities. Conclusion: Information regarding the public profile around sports facilities generated from a tool such as GIS showed it is possible to determine which sports projects should be prioritized in each facility, leading to improvement in the management of sports-related public policies.
Highlights
Due to the development of sport-specific public agencies, in addition to the large and mega-sporting events held in Brazil between 2002 and 2016, a series of studies and diagnoses on sports policies in Brazil was carried out[1,2,3]
Considering the exposed above, the objectives of this study were to analyze the infrastructure of public swimming pools in a municipality in the countryside of Brazil as an example of public sport policy; and to complement this analysis with the Geographic Information System (GIS), presenting it as a management tool capable of assisting in the diagnosis on the geographical location of sports facilities and the profile of the target audience served by these facilities
We sought to describe the context of public sports policies in a given municipality in the interior of Brazil, comprehending the analysis of the infrastructure of the public swimming pools, and the analysis of the profile of the public served by these facilities using the tool Geographic Information System (GIS)
Summary
Due to the development of sport-specific public agencies, in addition to the large and mega-sporting events held in Brazil between 2002 and 2016, a series of studies and diagnoses on sports policies in Brazil was carried out[1,2,3]. Ineffective management of sports policies is identified in the country, evidenced by the lack of planning and specialized human resources in most of the state bodies responsible for sport[5] and the construction of policies based on empiricism[6]. This fragile context of public sports policies in Brazil makes it emerge with greater intensity the need for new processes and tools to improve the management of sports policies in Brazil[7]. For European authors such as Carvalho[8], good sports policies should take into account at least: (1) sports structures and facilities to develop sporting programs; (2) support or partnerships from sports organizations, such as federations, clubs, and associations for the effective occupation of spaces, and (3) pedagogically well-planned and executable programs, consistent with the reality and expectations of the target audience
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