AJ-2-The-concept-of-sport-and-physical-education

The international governing bodies of each sport draw up rules to decide who is amateur in their sport. They decide if professionals may compete with amateurs.

SPORT COMPETITION

It is an organized sport event in which participants – competitors want to become winners, strive to achieve the best possible results, to show an excellent performance, to beat opponents, to set or break records, or want to test their abilities and skills and compare them with those of the other competitors. Those who enter for competitions are obliged to keep (observe) the rules. Breaking (violating) the rules is penalized or punished in various ways.

Officials are people who conduct competitions, assess performances of competitors, referee games, decide the result of a competition. They are called different names, such as referees, judges, or umpires. The referee is used in connection with e.g. basketball, boxing, football, hockey, rugby, squash, and wrestling. The umpire acts in badminton, baseball, cricket, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. There is a panel of judges in sports like gymnastics or figure skating.

Competitions have various forms with respect to particular sport areas. We speak about races in athletics, cycling or skiing, players and teams play matches, participate in tournaments, leagues, or cups, horse riders or motor-bikers have their trophies, motor racers compete in rallies, windsurfers, yachtsmen and rowmen take part in regattas, boxers fight in bouts, the name combat or contest is used in some combat sports, etc. Major competitions are called championships.

SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT

Physical Education (PE) was derived from the Latin words “physica”, physics, and “educatio”, education, meaning the training of the bodily organs and powers with a view to the promotion of health and vigor.

The Article One of the UNESCO International Charter of Physical Education and Sports says that freedom to develop physical, intellectual and moral powers through physical education and sport must be guaranteed both within the educational system and in other aspects of social life.

The main goals that the PE program should strive to accomplish concern four areas. The PE curriculum should 1) develop health-related and motor performance-related fitness, 2) develop skill in activities, 3) develop an understanding and appreciation of physical activity, and 4) provide a meaningful psycho-social experience.

Factors that influence PE program development:

1. the community,

2. state legislation,

3. research,

4. professional organizations,

5. attitudes of managers, school or faculty, students, and consumers,

6. facilities and equipment,

7. scheduling classes,

8. class size,

9. physical education and coaching staff,

10. climate and geographical considerations,

11. social forces,

12. economic issues.

READING

SCHOOL SPORT AND COMPETITION

FROM "PLAY UP AND PLAY THE GAME" TO "WIN AT ALL COSTS"

Organized sport in American schools has its origin in the athleticism movement that developed in private schools for boys in Britain (called Public Schools) in the mid- to late 19th century. During this time period a system of institutionalized games became associated with the philosophy of muscular Christianity, characterized by a belief in God, country, playing by rules and playing fairly, and accepting amateurism as the highest form of sport. The idea that participation in sport “build character” was the basis of this philosophy. Teachers were put in charge of sports teams and participation became compulsory. Since these activities were school sponsored, they were, by definition, of educational value.