The Joinville School and the Institutionalization of a French-Style Physical Education, 1852–1939

Since the mid-nineteenth century, the Joinville School in France has worked to promote an innovative method of physical education, the French method, which was strongly marked by ideological and geopolitical challenges. Most of the French actors, whether they be military, doctors, scientists, or teachers, fought to defend France on the move. Physical education and its scholastic responsibility thus represented an original means to serve the national community and to give the country the necessary influence it required on the political and cultural international scene. If during the Second Empire, the Joinville School participated in the development of the physical instruction of French troops, during the third Republic, this officers' training school expanded the promotion of its method for physical education in schools. Among the challenges of this strategy, the actors for French physical education were faced with the organization of a common national teaching method as additional support for the promotion of a method that bore the mark of an eclectic philosophy. Until World War II, the Joinville School was a center for innovation that would spread practical physical education throughout France and Europe.     

Biomedical Discourse on Women's Physical Education and Sport in France (1880–1922)

This article aims at studying the contradictions in scientific discourse on physical education for women in France from 1880 to 1922. In 1880 a law made gymnastics compulsory at school, and physical practices became a topic of public and scientific debate. 1922 is the date of the first medical congress on women's and children's physical education. Our study is based on a corpus of more than 200 scholarly texts about physical education or sport. They discuss women, exclusively conceived in their biological functions as procreators, thus physiologically qualifying the socially constructed properties of femininity. However, as soon as the first steps towards female physical practices appeared, contradictions came up. On the one hand, some doctors wanted to preserve reproductive organs from any violent exercises. On the other hand, other doctors wanted to reinforce female bodies through sport practices.     

The Social,Political and Economic Contexts to the Evolution of Spanish Physical Educationalists (1874–1992)

This article studies the history of physical education teacher training centres in Spain from the end of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century. It focuses on analysing the studies offered at these centres, which reflect how the training received by the teachers responsible for running physical education lessons in schools has evolved. The content of the different syllabuses has been influenced by the social, political and economic context of each historical era, and the courses have gradually raised their requirements, becoming equivalent to higher university studies.     

Expansionism,Physical Education and Olympism: Common Interests of King Leopold II of Belgium,Cyrille Van Overbergh and Pierre de Coubertin (1894–1914)

In this article, we focus on the links and synergies between the Ecole mondiale of King Leopold II of Belgium, the Plans du Collège Léopold II of Pierre du Coubertin and the establishment of the Belgian Olympic Committee in 1906. A firm belief in the advantages of international cooperation undercut these three projects that were planned in Belgium. Always accompanying the internationalist discourse was the conviction that they should also strengthen Belgium's international position. Consequently, they focused strongly on physical education and sport, emphasising the great expansionist assets. All in all, however, the outcomes of the projects were less than expected. While the Belgian Olympic Committee had a difficult start, Coubertin's project only existed on paper, and the Ecole mondiale never rose above its foundations because of serious practical and political issues. Nonetheless, the expansionist discourse did facilitate the creation of the Higher Institute of Physical Education at the State University of Ghent in 1908.     

Trends in International Research Presented Through the Research Consortium of the American Alliance for Health,Physical Education,Recreation and Dance (1965–2008)

The extent of international research on the Research Consortium's program between 1965 and 2008 was documented. A total of 9,132 abstracts were reviewed, and 657 (7.19%) had an international component. Inclusion of international research ranged from a low of 1.97% in 1983 to a high of 14.24% in 2007. There was a decrease in the amount of international research presented between 1965 and 1983, after which there was an increase through 2008. Most growth was from increased contributions coming from researchers in Southeast Asia. In terms of general research topics, eight areas increased over the 44-year history reviewed, and five areas decreased. Seven recommendations are advanced for expanding the place and role of international research within the Research Consortium.     

The (Re)Emergence of a Religio-Spiritual Self-Cultivation Focus in Asian Martial Arts Monographs Published in Spain (1906–2009)

This article presents one analytical theme emerging from a bibliometric and content analysis of an annotated bibliography, compiled by the first author, comprising 1564 Asian martial arts monographs published in Spain between 1906 and 2009. The analysis reveals that the use of Asian martial arts and religio-spiritual self-cultivation practices, while very old in their indigenous South East Asian context, only appeared in published texts in Spain from the 1960s and this theme has been increasingly written about in the last two decades. In our analytical discussion, we contextualise this shift from a socio-historical perspective, focusing on three aspects: first and second, how this shift in focus in Asian Martial Art publishing fits with the patterns of societal secularisation in Spain, the rise of the New Age movement and counter-cultural spiritualities across Western culture; third, we comment on how, from this broader socio-historical context, Asian martial arts were well placed to fill ‘cultural spaces’ created by these changes.     

Sport as a (mere) hobby: in defense of ‘the gentle pursuit of a modest competence’

In this essay, I defend sport as a (mere) hobby in contrast to sport as a ‘mutual quest for excellence through challenge’. With the assistance of ideas found in the novel Don Quixote, I raise questions about the clarity, merit, and sufficiency of the quest-for-excellence apologetic. I employ arguments made by James and Dewey to support my alternate defense of sporting activity as a hobby, that is, as ‘the gentle pursuit of a modest competence’. Based on the work of Wu, my defense stands as both a philosophic argument and a cultural critique.     

Is Sport (Football) a Unifying Force or a Vehicle to Further Separation? The Case of Cyprus

In recent years studies have shown that sport can serve as a means towards conflict resolution. Since the time of British colonialism in the 1950s, and after its 1960 independence, Cyprus has experienced conflict between its two main communities – the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. The de facto division of the island in 1974 caused community isolation of the Turkish Cypriots who, for political reasons, have been excluded from participating in international sports competitions. This situation is more visible in football (soccer), the most popular sport on the island. In the last two years the two sides have been trying – so far unsuccessfully – to reinstate the Turkish Cypriots as members of the Official Cyprus Football Federation. This paper gives a background on what has preceded these attempts and discusses whether football is a means of reuniting the two communities, or whether it is used as a vehicle to further separation.     

Is a single question of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) valid for measuring sedentary behaviour in the Chilean population?

A study was conducted to assess the validity of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) for measuring sedentary behaviour (SB) in the Chilean adult population. About 217 adults (93/124 male/female, 43.8 ± 15.75 years) who were randomly selected during National Health Survey 2009–2010 completed the protocol. The participants wore an ActiGraph GT3X (AG) for 7 consecutive days and then completed the GPAQ (single-item question for measuring time spent sitting in a usual day). Validity was examined using Spearman’s correlation, mean bias and limits of agreement (LoA), with AG (vertical axis <100 counts · min^?1) as the reference standard for estimates of SB in bouts of 1 (AG1), 5 (AG5) and 10 (AG10) min. Agreement between the GPAQ and AG for classifying data into quartiles and tertiles was assessed with kappa method. The GPAQ showed fair correlation with AG1, AG5 and AG10 (range = 0.23–0.26), with large mean biases (range = ?293.9, ?76.12 min · day^?1). Agreement between the GPAQ and AG1, AG5 and AG10 was poor for categorising time spent in SB into tertiles and quartiles. The single question from the GPAQ has shown fair validity for measuring SB and poor ability for correctly classifying individuals into tertiles or quartiles of SB in a Chilean population.     

‘Governmentality’ in the origins of European female PE and sport: the Spanish case study (1883–1936)

The purpose of the paper is twofold: (1) to contribute to the analysis of the origins of modern European female PE and sports from a power perspective, inspired by Foucault's work; and (2) to present a detailed analysis of female PE and sport in Spain (1883–1936) as a specific European case study. It is argued that these physical activities could be conceived in the Spanish case as part of a specific kind of ‘governmentality’ with a dual nature. On the one hand they represented disciplinary ‘technologies of power’ over the female body. Selected physical activities—dictated mainly from the hygienic-moral position of the Regeneracionistas (‘Regenerationists’)—were exerted as a kind of ‘bio-power’ for the control of the female population. On the other hand, such kind of activities (especially sports) represented certain ‘technologies of the self’ for middle and upper class women. Through participation in sports, women gained a more active and public role in the Spanish society of the era, obtaining some degree of autonomy in self-governance over their bodies and their lives.     

Effects of a 12-Week Physical Activity Protocol Delivered by YMCA After-School Counselors (Youth Fit For Life) on Fitness and Self-Efficacy Changes in 5–12-Year-Old Boys and Girls

Abstract

To address reduced physical education (PE) in elementary schools, a 12-week physical activity protocol was tested on 5–12-year-old, primarily African American, girls (n= 226) and boys (n = 344) at 14 YMCA after-school care sites. The 3 times/week, 45-min session curriculum included cardiovascular, resistance, and flexibility training, in which all children could participate simultaneously, and a behavioral skills education component. After-school counselors, formerly untrained in PE methods, administered the sessions, with periodic supervision by YMCA wellness staff members. Analyses of the eight Age x Sex subsamples indicated significant improvements on body composition, strength, and endurance, both within-groups and when predicted changes due to maturation were accounted for. Exercise barriers self-efficacy significantly increased in subsamples of 9–10- and 11–12-year-old girls only. The need for replication across ethnic groups was suggested. Limitations and the need for extension of research on supplementation of elementary school PE were discussed.     

The Influence of Chosun Marathon Bogeuphoe on Realisation of Korea's National Identity during the US Military Government Era (1945–1948)

Chosun Marathon Bogeuphoe was a Korean marathoner training centre, which was organised in August 1947, in the era of poverty and social upheaval under the US Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK), and produced the world top-class marathoners, including Suh Yun-bok, Ham Kee-yong and Choi Yun-chil. This study aims to investigate the sport historical significance of the Bogeuphoe in terms of operation, organisation, venues and funds by content analysis of John R. Hodge's telegraphic messages, the record of Special Committee for Anti-ethnic-act Investigation, the primary historical materials including 1947 Boston Marathon winner, Suh Yun-bok's notes, newspapers, photographs, autobiography, memoirs and interviews with Ham Kee-yong, the 1950 Boston Marathon winner. The findings of this study are that the Chosun Marathon Bogeuphoe contributed greatly to bring forth Korea's golden age in marathon history and served as a diplomatic advance guard in enhancing Korea's national prestige abroad and opening up a way-out for the nation's independence. This gives a valuable lesson to recent sport administrators and sport associations occasionally blamed for their unsuitable management despite the affluence of human and material resources. This study is expected to add to the literature to be used as a reference for the study of Korean sport associations' history.     

The Origins of Football in Spain: From the First Press Appearance to the Constitution of the First Clubs (1868–1903)

This research focuses on the origins of football in Spain and seeks to show how and where it was introduced in the country, to comprehend the historical context, and to understand why it took roots so rapidly despite the rivalry with the well-established tradition of bullfighting. The period of study spans from 1868 (first news piece on football in Spain) to 1903 (celebration of the first football championship in the country). The methodology focused primarily on identifying the primary sources and selecting the secondary sources, followed by the interpretative analysis and the mapping of football associations created in Spain in the sport’s early days. The large urban cities led the process of creating football clubs from 1889: Barcelona (61), Madrid (15), and Bilbao (9) steered the process of legitimization and institutionalization of football in the country. In the last 11 years of the nineteenth century (1889–1899), 29 clubs were created in 12 different cities. In the first four years of the twentieth century (1900–1903), a further 103 clubs mushroomed all over the country. Thus a total of 132 clubs were founded between 1889 and 1903 in Spain, which laid the necessary foundations for the implantation and legitimization of football.     

Comments on “Development of a Cadence Curl-Up Test for College Students” (Sparling,Millard-Stafford, & Snow, 1997): Concerns about Validity and Practicality

Purpose: We sought to compare the effects of physical practice (PP) and mental practice (MP) on the immediate and long-term learning of the finger-to-thumb opposition sequence task (FOS) in children; in addition, we investigated the transfer of this learning to an untrained sequence of movements and to the contralateral untrained hand. Method: This study included thirty-six 9- and 10-year-old children who were randomly allocated into 3 groups: MP, PP, and no practice (NP). The MP and PP groups were subjected to a single session of training with the dominant trained hand. MP participants were trained by mentally rehearsing the movements, PP participants were trained by executing the movements, and the NP group had no training. The performance of the trained sequence (TS) and untrained reverse sequence (URS) by each of the 3 groups was evaluated under identical conditions before training, after 5 min, and at 4 days, 7 days, and 28 days after training. Results: Whereas both trained groups (MP and PP) showed statistically significant improvement in TS using the trained hand at all assessment points after the training, only MP participants were able to transfer the performance gains from the TS to the URS and from the trained hand to the untrained opposite hand. Conclusion: Children were able to learn the FOS through MP or PP with a similar level of performance. Unlike PP, MP allowed for the transfer of performance gain to the URS and to the opposite hand, suggesting that the internal representations developed by MP were effector-independent.     

Ideology and sociability: a review of new French research into the history of sport under the early third republic (1870–1914)

P. Arnaud (ed.), Les Athlètes de la République: gymnastique, sport et idéologic republicaine 1870–1914 (Toulouse: Editions Privat, 1987). Pp.423. FF175. ISBN 2–7089–532330.

P. Arnaud and J. Camy (eds.), La naissance du mouvement sportif associatif en France: sociabilitiés et formes de pratiques sportives (Lyons: Presses Universitaires de Lyon, 1986). Pp.422. FF 128. ISBN 2–7297–02938.     

Sport,Media, Politics and Nationalism on the Eve of the Spanish Civil War: The First Vuelta Ciclista a España (1935)

The Vuelta Ciclista a España, whose 75th anniversary will be celebrated in 2010, is one of the three big stage races in the world, alongside the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia. It is arguably a major yearly sporting event with a wide popular appeal and media coverage, not only at a national level but also increasingly at a global one. Yet, unlike the Tour and the Giro, it remains unexplored from a socio-scientific perspective. This article aims, therefore, at breaking some new ground while analysing the socio-political dimension of this long-lasting, successful sporting event's first instalment in 1935, putting it against the backdrop of the turbulent Second Republic and the path leading to the Civil War. The media-confected nature of the Vuelta is highlighted, which brings it close to its fellow races of the Big Three Tours (also set up and managed by daily newspapers), but a major difference is pointed out: the first Vuelta's predominant political-ideological rationale, its overwhelming propagandistic aim put to the service of Spanish reactionary forces, compared to the mainly commercial purposes of the first Tour's and Giro's marketing-driven organizers.     

Much ‘more than a club’: Football Club Barcelona’s contribution to the rise of a national consciousness in Catalonia (2003–2014)

In Catalonia, fervour for Football Club Barcelona (Barça) goes well beyond sporting success as the team supports the demands of the stateless nation. Much ‘more than a club’, Barça is a platform for the expansion of a Catalan national consciousness. At a time when Catalonia is at a critical point in its relations with the Spanish state, claiming the right to national self-determination and presenting the possibility of secession, this paper examines how Barça boosts the strength of Catalan nationalist feelings through dynamics characteristic of the football sphere, such as rituals of group belonging, fandom performances of loyalty, the dramatization of rivalries, the elevation of those achieving sporting success to national icons or the strength of feeling provided by the sports ground. Looking at the period 2003–2014, it concludes that Barça is key in advancing claims that Catalonia is a sovereign nation with the right to decide its political future.