Discobolul Vol. 3//2023

The present research is part of the project “Sustainable social and educational integration by sport activities”. The project aims to lower truancy rates and enhance educational attainment up to ISCED3 levels. Vrancea county is characterised by a prominent level of impoverishment (below the national level) and a notable rate of school dropout during the middle school years (above the national level). Our study aims to outline the multifaceted difficulties experienced by middle school students in Vrancea County, which can be categorized into eight distinct groups. These categories include Roma students, students with one or both parents working abroad, remigrated students, students from disorganized or single-parent families, students from child protection institutions, student coming from a family of immigrants/refugees in Romania, students with disabilities, and students at risk of early school dropout. This research is of an applied nature and was carried out over a period of 3 years, focusing on students enrolled in two schools with a moderate ISCED3 transition level, comprising a total of 204 students, including 124 boys and 80 girls. It is worth noting that specific difficulties and vulnerabilities differ between genders. The risk of early school leaving, mainly due to poverty, is more prevalent among g, while belonging to the Roma ethnicity poses a greater challenge for boys. The findings from this study serve as a foundational resource for guiding the counselling activities within the project.

In the realm of sports performance, coping skills play a pivotal role, particularly within the stressinducing environment of sports. The aim of this research was to explore differences between football athletes who had tested positive for COVID-19 and athletes who had not contracted the virus in terms of their utilization of coping strategies. Additionally, differences among countries were investigated, in the case of football players who had, at some point, battled COVID-19. A total of 147 (one hundred and forty-seven) male football players from five European countries - Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania – took part in this study. To assess coping skills, we employed the Brief COPE questionnaire, which encompassed fourteen coping strategies, grouped into three categories: emotion-oriented coping strategies, problem/task-oriented strategies, and dysfunctional coping strategies. Using the Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner pairwise comparison test, the differences between the five countries were scrutinized, starting from the three dependent variables (the grouped coping strategies). Notably, football athletes from Poland and Romania exhibited a higher frequency of employing emotion-focused coping strategies (during the pandemic). Conversely, athletes from Italy leaned towards employing problem-focused strategies more frequently. No significant differences were observed in terms of dysfunctional coping strategies among football players who had battled COVID-19 across the five countries. We discussed the frequency of using coping strategies among football athletes who reported no infection with the SARS-COV-2 virus (up to the 4 th wave of the pandemic) and those who had experienced COVID-19. The findings are of considerable interest to specialists, raising awareness on the coping skills employed by footballers during the pandemic.

This research aims to identify the performance factors in completing a training course in European funds by sports managers. Starting from the idea according to which there are features that guide sports specialists towards this area of specialisation, the study highlights that, within the occupational profile, some of these features can be enhanced through a systematic, coherent and consistent intervention in the field of writing European-funded projects. The research methods used in this paper were the following: experiment, testing and mathematical statistics. The study was conducted with a group of 46 people from sports structures in Romania, who attended a training course in European funds for sport, which lasted two months and covered approximately 40 hours in total. The course was designed from the perspective of the Eurodesign theory. The conclusions of the study emphasise that the profile of a highly-effective participant in the training course generally contains elements similar to those of a manager’s profile, but also a number of specific elements. On the other hand, some features considered by us as prerequisites can form the basis for the decision to specialise in this field, while other features, such as the knowledge and skills acquired during the training course, seem to have been decisive for the participants’ professional development.

Studies on the evolution of participation among individuals with special needs, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome, in the practice of adapted judo is of growing significance. The practice of adapted Judo tailored to their specific needs can help them overcome challenges and improve their overall physical and mental well-being. The objectives of this study are centred on assessing the importance and outcomes of practicing adapted judo to promote increased integration capabilities. Our research starts from the premise that determining the effects of judo practice on the development of essential skills for social integration and endurance can bolster the integration capacities of people with disabilities. The research encompassed 41 coaches, methodologists, teachers, representatives from basic sports organizations (clubs, associations), and 14 athletes with special needs from the Down Bucharest association. Over a span of 8 months, these athletes actively participated in adapted judo training, attending a minimum of 2 sessions per week. The data collection process employed a variety of methods, including questionnaires, the Sargent test, determination of maximum oxygen consumption, and the plethysmographic method. The study seeks to facilitate the compilation, analysis, and interpretation of data to formulate an effective best practice strategy and methodology for the practice of adapted judo. The ultimate aim is to bridge the communication gap between decision-makers and practitioners, enhancing the overall approach to adapted judo practice. This paper underscores the significance of judo practice in fostering physical development among people with disabilities, particularly those with ASD and Down syndrome.

This paper is meant to investigate the dynamics of the agility manifestation in basketball game, during the physical education lesson for 12-14-year-old students of middle school. This scientific approach entailed the organization of a confirmatory study carried out in the „Mircea cel Bătrân” Middle School of Pitești, Romania. The subjects of the research were 17 schoolgirls aged 12-14 years. The specific speed (agility) and the 5x10 m dribbling shuttle were tested by means of the „Witty” wireless timing electronic system. Measured indices: total time (sec) and time for each 10 m line (Lap). The technical training was evaluated using 3 technical tests from the basketball game. The results of the research show the dynamics of the manifestation indices of the specific speed (agility) in the basketball game for 12-14-year-old schoolgirls, highlighting: the average total time, the weight of the time at each line of 10 m (Lap) and the speed of movement calculated both totally and at each Lap. The technical training results reveal a level of 81.8% in terms of correctness of the executions (within the performed tests). About 30% of the students recorded scores below the group average (referring to the individual performances). The correlation analysis highlight strong connections at p<0.001, with negative values between the investigated indices, which justifies the existence of a mutual influence between variables. Data are useful for physical education teachers and basketball specialists.

The study aimed to highlight quality of life and identify impact differences in balance rehabilitation for patients with lower limb amputation performing hydrokinetic therapy versus kinesiotherapy programmes. The research participants were 16 male patients aged 40-60 years with lower limb amputation for 6-12 months, who were divided into two groups: the hydrokinetic therapy (HKT) group and the kinesiotherapy (KT) group, whose names reflect the contents of rehabilitation programmes implemented over a 2-week period. The study included two testing phases, an initial and a final one, and used the Four Square Step Test to assess balance and the TAPES questionnaire to assess quality of life. Analysis of the results for the Four Square Step Test aimed at balance rehabilitation indicated 6.125 seconds for the HKT group and 6 seconds for the KT group. It is also found that the rehabilitation of balance and quality of life is effectively achieved by implementing both HKT and KT programmes. The research findings highlight that more attention is paid to changes in the medical condition of patients and how they manage different daily situations and use the prosthesis. We can state that the use of the prosthesis and the medical condition determine a better quality of life than the type of rehabilitation programme applied.

People have been swimming since ancient times. It held a significant role in the development of great civilizations that were often situated near water sources. This practice, whether pursued for leisure or in a competitive athletic context, has held substantial pragmatic and educational value across continents. Initially, swimming served utilitarian purposes, ensuring the survival of people when crossing bodies of water and reducing the risk of drowning. Given its sanitary function, it was also considered a prophylactic activity, necessary to promote health and prevent health issues stemming from poor hygiene practices. Over time, swimming evolved to encompass instructional, therapeutic, and purely recreational aspects. This paper, through a systematic review of the specialized literature, presents various historical data that reveal not only the importance of swimming, but also illustrates its transformation into an Olympic sport of widespread popularity, accompanied by extensive media coverage. The paper advocates for swimming by narrating its fascinating story, and promoting it as a sport that offers multiple formative and health benefits, unmatched by any other discipline. Swimming has transcended mere relaxation, leisure, and medical recovery, emerging as an excellent way to educate young people.