Olga Calle

(1) This study examined the influence of pedagogical models and gender on basic psychological needs and intention to engage in physical exercise during the teaching of an alternative invasive sport. (2) Participants were 136 students from the fifth and sixth grades of Primary Education and the first grade of Secondary Education (M = 11.36; SD = 1.04). Two programs were implemented per grade: one following the Game-Centered Model, and another based on a hybrid model combining the Game-Centered Model and the Sports Education Model. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness were assessed using the Basic Psychological Needs in Physical Exercise Scale, while exercise intention was evaluated with the Intentionality to Be Physically Active Scale. Psychometric properties were verified through confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, mean variance extracted, and composite reliability. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using the linear mixed model and Bonferroni’s post hoc test. (3) Both pedagogical models improved all variables. The hybrid model yielded significantly higher autonomy. Gender differences were observed in relatedness, with boys reporting greater values. (4) The pedagogical models used favor the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and exercise intention. Teachers should integrate psychological needs into programs for improvements in intention to be physically active, positively impacting self-determined participation.

Background: Basketball is characterized as a high-intensity, intermittent sport that places considerable demands on the cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular, and mechanical systems. These physiological requirements are modulated by contextual variables and the athlete’s stage of biological maturation, both of which significantly influence physical fitness outcomes. Consequently, it is imperative to employ age- and development-specific assessment protocols. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the differences in physical fitness across competitive categories and to explore the interrelationships among the various physical assessment tests. Twenty-four male players (U14 = 12; U16 = 12) participated in this research. Methods: Athletes were monitored using WIMUPRO inertial measurement units and completed the SBAFIT test battery to evaluate physical fitness parameters. Statistical analyses included both inferential and correlational approaches, with effect sizes calculated for all relevant variables. The independent variable was the competitive age category of the players. Results: The results indicated notable differences in physical performance between developmental groups, primarily attributed to biological maturation. Significant disparities were observed in measures of aerobic capacity, linear speed, agility, and centripetal force. Conclusions: The comparative nature of this study across developmental categories offers novel insights and practical implications for talent development and training optimization.

(1) Background: Physical Education sessions subject students to various physical and physiological demands that teachers must understand to design interventions aimed at improving health and fitness. This study aimed to quantify and compare external and internal load before and after implementing two intervention programs: one based on the Game-Centered Model and another Hybrid Model that combines the Game-Centered Model with the Sport Education Model. (2) Methods: A total of 47 first-year secondary school students participated, divided into two naturally formed groups. Pre- and post-intervention assessments involved 4 vs. 4 matches monitored using WIMU Pro™ inertial measurement units and heart rate monitors to collect kinematic, neuromuscular, and physiological data. The combined use of inertial sensors and heart rate monitors enabled the objective quantification of students’ physical demands. (3) Results: No significant improvements were observed between pre- and post-tests, possibly due to the short duration of the interventions. However, the Hybrid Model generated higher levels of external load, both kinematic and neuromuscular, in the post-test. (4) Conclusions: The Hybrid Model appears more effective in increasing students’ physical engagement. Inertial sensors represent a valid and practical tool for monitoring and adjusting instructional strategies in school-based Physical Education.

El disfrute es un factor clave en la participación en actividades físico-deportivas. Este estudio analizó si los modelos pedagógicos y el género influyen en el disfrute durante el aprendizaje del deporte alternativo de invasión “La Rosquilla”. Participaron 136 estudiantes de Educación Primaria (5º y 6º) y Secundaria (1º), distribuidos en seis grupos. Cada nivel trabajó con un programa distinto: uno basado en el Modelo Centrado en el Juego y otro en un Modelo Híbrido que combina el Modelo Centrado en el Juego con el de Educación Deportiva. El disfrute positivo y negativo se evaluó mediante la Escala PACES. Para validar la escala se aplicaron análisis psicométricos como Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio, Alfa de Cronbach, Varianza Media Extraída y Fiabilidad Compuesta. También se realizaron análisis descriptivos e inferenciales con Modelo Lineal Mixto y Bonferroni. Los resultados mostraron que ambos modelos pedagógicos aumentaron el disfrute positivo y redujeron el disfrute negativo. Sin embargo, se encontraron diferencias significativas según el modelo aplicado, siendo el Modelo Híbrido el que generó mayor disfrute positivo y menor disfrute negativo. También se observaron diferencias en función del género, con los niños mostrando mayor disfrute positivo que las niñas. Estos hallazgos destacan la importancia de que el profesorado planifique e intervenga pedagógicamente para promover el disfrute en la práctica deportiva, lo que favorece la motivación autodeterminada, la participación y la adherencia a la actividad física. El Modelo de Hibridación se posiciona como una propuesta eficaz para optimizar la experiencia deportiva del alumnado.

The study of declarative and procedural knowledge in sport allows us to assess students’ tactical learning processes. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the level of declarative and procedural knowledge acquired by students according to the pedagogical model and gender, after the application of two intervention programs for an alternative invasion sport, “Rosquilla”. This study involved 136 students distributed into six groups of Primary Education (fifth and sixth year) and Secondary Education (first year). Each group in the same year participated in a different intervention program, one based on the Game-Centered Model and the other on a hybrid model of the Game-Centered Model and the Sports Education Model. A descriptive analysis was carried out to determine the characteristics of the participants. Subsequently, an independent samples Mann–Whitney U-test was applied to compare the level of knowledge between the models and genders in the pre- and post-test periods. A Linear Mixed Model was used to analyze the level of knowledge of students within each group and compare them according to methodology and gender. The results indicate that both programs generated improvements in declarative and procedural knowledge. Therefore, students learn equally regardless of the methodological perspective and gender.

Alternative sports are a popular sport practice that is being developed in the educational context, and its usefulness and validity is beginning to be disseminated through scientific publications. There are no documents that analyse these sports modalities. This research aimed to analyse the scientific production of alternative invasion team sports indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The guidelines established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) were followed. We studied variables grouped by contextual, procedural, and specific of alternative invasion team sports information. Seventy-one research studies published before 1 March 2023 were reviewed. A growth in the scientific literature was identified in the period 2004 to 2022. The predominant research approach was quantitative, where the most common designs were experiments and quasi-experiments. The most implemented sports were Floorball, Ultimate, and Korfball. They were oriented to a greater extent to the development of psychological factors, physical-motor factors, and values. The most-used pedagogical models were the Game-Centred Model and the Sports Education Model. Progress was generated by the practice itself and the use of these pedagogical models. The use of the hybridisation of the Self-Construction of Materials and Sports Education Model stood out, which favoured respect for the environment, education in sustainability, and prosocial behaviour. Sustainability becomes a fundamental objective in physical education classes. The scientific evidence of alternative invasion team sports is limited; therefore, the need to develop research on this topic of study is evident.

Este capítulo tiene como objetivo contribuir a la definición actual de los Juegos y Deportes Alternativos. La existencia de una multitud de prácticas que engloba a esta tendencia deportiva, su vertiginosa evolución, así como la ausencia de una definición clara y consensuada de los mismos por parte de los estudios especializados, suscita una problemática en torno a su actual conceptualización. Los Juegos y Deportes Alternativos se han conformado a lo largo del tiempo como un movimiento social que engloba un repertorio variado de actividades físico-deportivas no habituales y en continua transformación donde prima lo lúdico sobre el componente competitivo. Por otra parte, han hecho de la innovación en el uso de materiales una seña de identidad. La idea que sirve de hilo conductor a los Juegos y Deportes Alternativos sería la conjunción de valores que llevan implícitos como la igualdad, la cooperación, diversión, la comunicación, la relación, el juego limpio, etc. Estas prácticas se constituyen como algo más que deportes, se sustentan en principios éticos deseables en una sociedad del futuro, promoviendo nuevas oportunidades educativas de actividad física y de diversión, con la capacidad de transformar las sesiones de Educación Física en actividades verdaderamente innovadoras, respecto a los contenidos, sus posibilidades metodológicas y la propia práctica.