Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development
IntroductionFundamental motor skills (FMS) are essential for fostering physical literacy, supporting talent development, and promoting public health in school-aged populations. This study aimed to evaluate FMS proficiency among students in school-based sports physical education (PE) programs, which...
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| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1632930/full |
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| author | Hubert Makaruk E. Kipling Webster Jared Porter Beata Makaruk Anna Bodasińska Janusz Zieliński Paweł Tomaszewski Marta Nogal Marcin Starzak Marcin Śliwa Michał Banaś Michał Biegajło Agata Chaliburda Bogusz Suchecki Bartosz Molik Jerzy Sadowski |
| author_facet | Hubert Makaruk E. Kipling Webster Jared Porter Beata Makaruk Anna Bodasińska Janusz Zieliński Paweł Tomaszewski Marta Nogal Marcin Starzak Marcin Śliwa Michał Banaś Michał Biegajło Agata Chaliburda Bogusz Suchecki Bartosz Molik Jerzy Sadowski |
| author_sort | Hubert Makaruk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFundamental motor skills (FMS) are essential for fostering physical literacy, supporting talent development, and promoting public health in school-aged populations. This study aimed to evaluate FMS proficiency among students in school-based sports physical education (PE) programs, which offer sport-specific training, and compare it to students in traditional PE programs. A secondary aim was to examine whether these programs promote early specialization or early diversification in youth sport development.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 1,332 students (ages 10–14; 58% boys) from 12 schools across Poland, including 547 students in school-based sports PE programs and 785 in traditional PE. The Fundamental Motor Skills in Sport (FUS) test, a qualitative and process-oriented assessment tool, was used to evaluate FMS across six motor tasks: hurdles, jumping rope, forward roll, ball bouncing, ball throwing and catching, and kicking and stopping a ball. Participants were further categorized by sport: boys into basketball, track and field, soccer, and volleyball; girls into basketball, track and field, and volleyball.ResultsOverall, FMS proficiency was at an “insufficient” level in both groups, with 72% of boys and 77% of girls in school-based sports PE programs, and 90% of boys and 92% of girls in traditional PE programs. Additionally, the analysis revealed a predominant emphasis on early specialization within school-based sports PE programs.ConclusionsBoth school-based sports and traditional PE programs fail to ensure adequate FMS proficiency in students. The sport PE programs' curricular focus on early specialization over diversification may further restrict opportunities for motor competence development, with potential consequences for lifelong physical activity and the early stages of talent development. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0521fecbd3b74322898448c5b9d9bbbb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj-art-0521fecbd3b74322898448c5b9d9bbbb2025-08-21T05:27:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672025-08-01710.3389/fspor.2025.16329301632930Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent developmentHubert Makaruk0E. Kipling Webster1Jared Porter2Beata Makaruk3Anna Bodasińska4Janusz Zieliński5Paweł Tomaszewski6Marta Nogal7Marcin Starzak8Marcin Śliwa9Michał Banaś10Michał Biegajło11Agata Chaliburda12Bogusz Suchecki13Bartosz Molik14Jerzy Sadowski15Faculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United StatesDepartment of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United StatesFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Rehabilitation, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandFaculty of Physical Education and Health in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandIntroductionFundamental motor skills (FMS) are essential for fostering physical literacy, supporting talent development, and promoting public health in school-aged populations. This study aimed to evaluate FMS proficiency among students in school-based sports physical education (PE) programs, which offer sport-specific training, and compare it to students in traditional PE programs. A secondary aim was to examine whether these programs promote early specialization or early diversification in youth sport development.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 1,332 students (ages 10–14; 58% boys) from 12 schools across Poland, including 547 students in school-based sports PE programs and 785 in traditional PE. The Fundamental Motor Skills in Sport (FUS) test, a qualitative and process-oriented assessment tool, was used to evaluate FMS across six motor tasks: hurdles, jumping rope, forward roll, ball bouncing, ball throwing and catching, and kicking and stopping a ball. Participants were further categorized by sport: boys into basketball, track and field, soccer, and volleyball; girls into basketball, track and field, and volleyball.ResultsOverall, FMS proficiency was at an “insufficient” level in both groups, with 72% of boys and 77% of girls in school-based sports PE programs, and 90% of boys and 92% of girls in traditional PE programs. Additionally, the analysis revealed a predominant emphasis on early specialization within school-based sports PE programs.ConclusionsBoth school-based sports and traditional PE programs fail to ensure adequate FMS proficiency in students. The sport PE programs' curricular focus on early specialization over diversification may further restrict opportunities for motor competence development, with potential consequences for lifelong physical activity and the early stages of talent development.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1632930/fullmotor competencemotor behaviorphysical educationearly specializationyouth |
| spellingShingle | Hubert Makaruk E. Kipling Webster Jared Porter Beata Makaruk Anna Bodasińska Janusz Zieliński Paweł Tomaszewski Marta Nogal Marcin Starzak Marcin Śliwa Michał Banaś Michał Biegajło Agata Chaliburda Bogusz Suchecki Bartosz Molik Jerzy Sadowski Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development Frontiers in Sports and Active Living motor competence motor behavior physical education early specialization youth |
| title | Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development |
| title_full | Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development |
| title_fullStr | Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development |
| title_short | Assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school-based sports physical education programs: implications for talent development |
| title_sort | assessing fundamental motor skills proficiency in school based sports physical education programs implications for talent development |
| topic | motor competence motor behavior physical education early specialization youth |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1632930/full |
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