Motivations for the practice of federated sports and canoeing in primary and secondary students

Abstract

The objective of this study was to measure the motivational level for the realization of physical activity and sport in general and more specifically canoeing. A sample of 239 students (118 men and 121 women), ranging in age from 9 to 17 (mean age: 12.33 ± 1.76 years) self-completed questionnaire Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) and a Spanish version of the «Participation Motivation Inventory». To this questionnaire were added some items related to specific characteristics of the canoeing. We found that a high percentage of students practiced federated sports (especially football, basketball and canoeing). Most federal students were men. They showed higher values on intrinsic motivation and identified regulation than students who did not do physical activity out-of-school. Also we found that primary students have a higher motivation than secondary students. Moreover, most teenagers do not have only one motive to practice physical-sports activities. There are differences between canoeists and other students. Paddlers appreciate items such as «be fit» and «have a svelte and muscled body»

Keywords

• Motivational level
• physical education
• out-of-school sport activities
• students