School-based Extracurricular Sports Activities Research Articles

Changes associated with transition from school-based extracurricular sports activities to junior sports clubs in elementary school:

Changes associated with transition from school-based extracurricular sports activities to junior sports clubs in elementary school:

A qualitative investigation of the factors perceived to influence student motivation for school-based extracurricular sports participation in Japan

ABSTRACT Lack of sufficient physical activity in youth is a worldwide concern. School-based extracurricular sports activities (SBECSA) are considered a central opportunity to increase youth physical activity. However, the factors that influence students’ participation in SBECSA are not well established. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to clarify the factors perceived to influence the motivation of Japanese students to participate in SBECSA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 junior high and high school students who participated in SBECSA. The KJ method was used to qualitatively analyse the transcribed interview data. Internal/intrapersonal factors included: attraction of sports; sense of responsibility and continuity; spirit of challenge; sense of advancement and physical condition. External factors included: team climate; encouragement and support; attributes of peers; policy and content of coaching; content of practice; events in school life and weather.

Distribution of School-based Extracurricular Sports Activities in Japanese Elementary Schools: A Municipal Map of Implementation Status

Distribution of School-based Extracurricular Sports Activities in Japanese Elementary Schools: A Municipal Map of Implementation Status

運動部活動顧問の時間的・精神的・経済的負担の定量化

運動部活動顧問の時間的・精神的・経済的負担の定量化

中学校運動部活動顧問教師のストレッサーに関する研究<BR>－運動部活動顧問教師用ストレッサー尺度の作成及び属性間による比較検討－

中学校運動部活動顧問教師のストレッサーに関する研究<BR>－運動部活動顧問教師用ストレッサー尺度の作成及び属性間による比較検討－

Expected Qualifications for External Coaches in School-Based Extracurricular Sports Activities

This study aimed to examine the importance of expected qualifications for external coaches and their differences between junior high and high schools. The participants were 253 teachers at public junior high and public high schools. A cross-sectional self-administrated questionnaire survey was conducted. The questionnaire was developed based on a previous interview study among teachers. Percentages of applicable response were calculated to evaluate the requirements for each qualification. Chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact test were used for analysis. As results, “humanity,” “ability,” “cooperativeness,” and “trust” were highly expected. Conversely, expertise in areas other than technical coaching, age, and occupation were not highly perceived as expected qualifications. Further, there were no considerable differences between junior high and high schools. It is necessary to develop guidelines for recruiting external coaches that reflect the highly expected qualifications found in this study. It would also be useful to conduct workshops to convey strongly expected qualifications to external coaches. However, expertise for areas other than technical coaching, age, occupation, and differences between junior high and high schools have low priority in the recruitment strategy for external coaches. This study adds a quantitative evaluation to the expected qualifications identified in a previous report. Investigating these expected qualifications using a quantitative method would be valuable toward improving the recruitment system for external coaches. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2015.v5n3p53

運動部活動での外部指導者活用に向けた組織的実践の長所と問題点：異なる実践モデルに対する教員の評価

School-based extracurricular sports activities are beneficial for positive youth development. However, there is a shortage of appropriate in-school coaches, and therefore recruitment of external coaches has been considered as one solution to this. A previous study has reported 4 model strategies of organizational promotion to recruit external coaches. These 4 models included “compensational support”, “staff introduction”, “delivery of collegiate students”, and “cooperation with company”. In order to promote the further development and popularization of these organizational trials, user-side evaluation is necessary. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to clarify the strengths and problems related to these 4 organizational promotion strategy models when recruiting external coaches for school-based extracurricular sports activities from the viewpoint of teachers. The participants were 12 teachers who worked in public junior high or high schools. All of them had experience of coaching school-based extracurricular sports activities. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with the individual participants, and all interview data were transcribed. Then, similar meaning units were grouped into themes with respect to the 4 models, strengths and problems. As a result, many specific themes for each model emerged. For instance, with regard to “compensational support”, monetary support was regarded as a strength, although the early application period was a problem. With regard to “staff introduction”, adequacy for beginners was a strength, but lack of mediation organization was a problem. With regard to “delivery of collegiate students”, regular coaching was seen as a strength, but worry over not choosing a delivered external coach was a problem. With regard to “cooperation with company”, high coaching skill was a strength, but an expensive coaching fee was a problem. Additionally, comprehensive opinions about all the models were reported, such as lack of information about the system and the need for educational coaching. These similarities and differences in the results indicated the importance of mediation system design considering the regionality and situation of the school-based extracurricular sports activity. Effective publicity and re-examination of financial manager is also needed. In addition, mediation organization and teachers should arrange previous meetings with external coaches to understand their human qualities and educational attitude. Furthermore, it would be valuable to develop the quality of external coaches through previous training or workshops. Finally, changes in the application period for each mediation system are suggested.

運動部活動での外部指導者活用推進に向けた組織の取り組み事例

運動部活動での外部指導者活用推進に向けた組織の取り組み事例

Promoting awareness, knowledge of and compliance with the National Children's Physical Activity Guidelines

Introduction: Engagement in exercise and sports has been recommended for adolescents to enhance physical fitness and healthy development. Especially, school-based extracurricular sports activities (SBECSA) are providing a major opportunity for adolescents to play sports. Additionally, SBECSA contribute to positive youth development. By contrast, it is challenge for teachers and coaches to manage SBECSA with active participation of students. Although there are some studies examined factors associated with motivation of adolescents to participate in some sports, no study focusing onmotivation to participate in SBECSA among them. Therefore, the purpose of the present studywas to examine the factors decreasing motivation of students to participate in SBECSA. Methods: Personal semi-structured interview was performed to 23 student members of 9 SBECSA that have external coach (men: n=11; age range: 12–17 years). They were recruited from 3 junior high schools and 3 high schools, 5 prefectures in Japan. To vary the characteristics of participants, purposeful sampling was conducted. The interview contained predetermined openended questions about factors decreasingmotivation to participate in SBECSA. Participants were asked to respond freely to the questions and all topics were explored until exhausted. For analysis, the KJ method—a qualitative type of analyses—was selected. Each recorded interview was transcribed verbatim. All transcribed data were divided into individual content. Then, nearly identical contents were grouped together and consisted of ‘sub-categories’, and ‘categories’. Definition of each category was given by three researchers. Results: Eight categories—uncomfortable climate of SBECSA (e.g. bad climate of SBECSA, and lack of unity among team members), undesirable coaching and indication (e.g. getting scorched, and inconsistency between self and coach’s assessment), bad physical condition (fatigue, feeling of unwellness, and injury), undesirable contents of practice (being not able to do desirable practice, and hard training), lack of skill (being not able to play well, and guiltiness to unskilled play), retirement of team members (retirement of older team members), problems in school life (a lot of homework), and bad weather (rainy)—were identified. Discussion: The present study showed novel factors decreasing motivation of students to participate in SBECSA, although a part of resultswere similarwithprevious study such asundesirable coaching and indication, and undesirable contents of practice. Teachers and coaches could increase motivation of students by making good climate of SBECSA and hearing students’ opinion for improve contents of practice.

What decreases motivation of students to participate in school-based extracurricular sports activities?

What decreases motivation of students to participate in school-based extracurricular sports activities?

Quantitative assessment of facilitators and barriers to using external coaches in school-based extracurricular sports activities

School-based extracurricular sports activities contribute to positive youths’ development. However, they are difficult to manage without the use of external coaches. The number of external coaches available and in use is currently insufficient, indicating that further recruitment is essential. The present study examined facilitators and barriers to the use of external coaches in school-based extracurricular sports activities, and whether any differences exist in the importance of these factors between teachers who do and do not use external coaches. A cross-sectional self-administrated questionnaire was provided to 1,880 teachers and the percentage agreement with each facilitator and barrier as applicable to their decision to use an external coach was determined. Data were received from 253 teachers. For 39/50 facilitators and 17/45 barriers, more than 50% of teachers considered the items to be applicable. There were 17 facilitators that had a significantly high rate of response in teachers who currently use an external coach. Teachers who do not use external coaches were significantly more likely to report barriers to be applicable than their counterparts that do use external coaches for 27/45 of the items. Revising recruitment strategies to reflect these important influencing factors would be an effective way to promote further recruitment of external coaches. Key words: Extracurricular activities, human resource management, mixed methods approach, physical education, volunteer.

How to Outsource Coaching in School-Based Extracurricular Sports Activities: Evaluating Perceptions of External Coaches

Participating in school-based extracurricular sports activities is valuable for the healthy development of children and adolescents. The use of external coaches (outsourcing human resources) has been suggested to support teachers in coaching and managing such activities. However, hiring external coaches is difficult, and their number is insufficient. The purposes of the present study were therefore to evaluate the facilitators and barriers for engaging external coaches in school-based extracurricular sports activities, and determine whether differences in facilitators and barriers exist for the coaches and if these are related to the various characteristics of the coaches. A cross-sectional self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to 1 974 external coaches, who indicated whether they felt each facilitator and barrier applied to them with respect to engaging in school-based extracurricular sports activities. Data were obtained from 149 coaches, and they perceived many facilitators and barriers. Some differences were found in the responses related to the coaches’ characteristics—especially with respect to age-group and their willingness or unwillingness to become full-time teachers. In conclusion, the following steps would be valuable toward creating an effective strategy to promote the engagement of external coaches in school-based extracurricular sports activities: improving the coaching environment for the coaches such that they feel enjoyment or undergo personal development; easing institutional limitations; enhancing teacher support and participation in the activities; allotting appropriate roles for the teacher and external coach; and holding activity workshops.

Sociodemographic Characteristics of Potential External Coaches for School-based Extracurricular Sports Activities

Sociodemographic Characteristics of Potential External Coaches for School-based Extracurricular Sports Activities

Facilitators and Barriers of External Coaches’ Involvement into School-Based Extracurricular Sports Activities: A Qualitative Study

School-based extracurricular sports activity (SBECSA) provides one of the main opportunities for adolescents to play sports in Japan. However, maintaining active SBECSA is difficult because of the large burden on teachers to manage SBECSA and a lack of SBECSA teachers who can coach expertly. To resolve these issues, the recruitment of external coaches has been promoted. However, the number of coaches and frequency of coaching are not sufficient for the current demand. Additionally, it is not clear how to promote the engagement of external coaches. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore a variety of facilitators and barriers associated with the involvement of external coaches into SBECSA. Twenty-five external coaches were recruited from junior high and high schools across Japan. Data obtained through personal semi-structured interviews were analyzed using the KJ method (a qualitative type of analyses). As a result, seven facilitators (positive feelings, adequate system, positive social support, comfortable climate of SBECSA, environment, growth of external coach, network building), and six barriers (negative feelings, inadequate system, lack of support, uncomfortable climate of SBECSA, poor environment, burdens) were identified. In conclusion, SBECSA would become more attractive for external coaches by enhancing facilitators and reducing barriers.

Factors Associated with Teachers’ Recruitment and Continuous Engagement of External Coaches in School-Based Extracurricular Sports Activities: A Qualitative Study

School-based extracurricular sports activity (SBECSA) has developed as an opportunity that adolescents play sports in Japan. However, there are some issues to maintain active SBECSA such as lack of teacher who can coach SBECSA expertly, and large imposition of teachers to manage SBECSA. For resolving these issues, promoting engagement of external coach is favorable. Nevertheless, the number of external coach has not been enough. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explain facilitators and barriers related with teacher’s action for recruitment and handling with external coach, and expected qualification for external coach. Personal semi-structured interview was performed toward 22 teachers who worked in a public junior high school or a public high school. In the analysis of the present study, the KJ method―a type of qualitative analyses―was used. All transcribed data were divided into individual content and grouped together into small, middle and large categories. For facilitators, four large categories such as benefits to SBECSA, benefits to teachers, system and support were emerged. For barriers, four large categories such as negative influences on SBECSA, negative influences on teachers, system and support were grouped. For expected qualifications, five large categories such as humanity, ability, cooperativeness, attributions and trust were categorized. In conclusion, the present study identified various facilitators, barriers and expected qualifications. External coach would increase by enhancing facilitators, reducing barriers, and targeting human resource who meets expected qualifications.