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In view of global health concerns about elevated levels of inactivity and related disease patterns of citizens, policy reform in physical education and school sport (PESS) is seen as a basic human right and tool for societal transformation. Although literature supports the importance of quality PESS for different aspects of learners’ development, various implementation challenges facing school sports in South Africa have been reported. Drawing on a nationwide research project, this paper seeks to provide empirical insights into the role and status of school sport. Addressing the question, Sport participation in South African schools. Have we lost the plot? This study adopted a blend of self-determination theory (SDT) and social justice theoretical frameworks to understand how educators’ livid experiences impact their personal and social responsibility to teach, enhance, and facilitate PESS to a diverse group of learners in a diversity of schools. Results indicated that school sport is exceptionally varied, multifaceted, and complex, with different pressures and imperatives. It is exacerbated by educators who are required to assume the dual role in schools within a pressurized school environment, which results in overload, emotional rollercoaster rides, and a lack of motivation. Without meaningful motivation, continuous reform, or the revision of policy, the delivery of PESS will remain unachievable.

Background: One of the risks associated with low physical activity levels is the insufficient development of motor proficiency, which in turn has an impact on participation in physical activity and sport during adolescence. Objectives: To determine the relationship between motor proficiency and physical activity levels in adolescent Senior Phase learners in Potchefstroom, South Africa. No literature exists on the relationship between motor proficiency and physical activity levels among South African adolescents. Method: A total of 239 13- to 14-year-old learners were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 (BOT-2) for motor proficiency, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) for physical activity levels. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficients and effect sizes. Results: Statistically and practically significant correlations were found between the total BOT-2 score and the physical activity levels of the total group, as well as the boys and the girls respectively. Fine motor coordination correlated with physical activity levels in the girls, while manipulation coordination correlated with the physical activity levels of the total group and the boys. The body coordination skill of jumping in place and the strength test items showed strong correlations with physical activity in all the groups. Conclusion: The motor skills of Senior Phase learners, especially coordination and strength skills, should be developed and maintained in the Physical Education curriculum to enhance physical activity levels. Keywords: Motor proficiency, Physical activity, Fundamental movement skills, Adolescents, Senior Phase learners

Background: The absence of Physical Education (PE) from the South African school curriculum before its reintroduction in recent years contributed to health concerns regarding the low physical activity (PA) levels of children and adolescents in South Africa.Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of a once-a-week enhanced quality PE programme on the PA levels of South African Grade 7 learners.Methods: Using a pre-test and post-test control-group design, 110 Grade 7 learners aged 12–13 years (experimental school, n = 40; control schools, n = 70) from two primary schools in Potchefstroom, South Africa, were studied. They participated in a 12-week PE intervention programme based on the guidelines of the South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, which allocates one hour per week to PE teaching. The intervention included five quality-enhancing components, namely well-trained teachers, homework activities, a reward system, hand-made apparatus and the monitoring of activity intensity. In the exp...

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the relationship between overweight and obesity and the motor performance of nine- to 13-year-old South African children. Design: The study used a one-way cross-sectional design based on baseline measurements. Settings and subjects: The research group comprised 280 Grade 4, 5 and 6 learners (128 boys and 152 girls) from two schools that represented a distribution of socio-economic status, race and gender. Outcome measures: Anthropometric [(body mass index (BMI) and fat percentage] and motor performance measurements (fine manual control, manual coordination, body coordination and strength and agility) were obtained by means of the Fitnessgram and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-II. International age-specific cut-off points were used to classify the children's body composition as normal weight, overweight or obese. Data were analysed by means of descriptive statistics, correlation matrices and analysis of variance, followed by a Tukey post hoc analysis. Results: The results showed that running speed and agility decreased significantly with an increase in BMI. Muscular strength also decreased significantly with a smaller practical significance, while fine manual control, manual coordination, and body coordination showed the weakest relationship to BMI. Analysis of variance showed significant relationships between BMI and running speed and agility (p-value < 0.05). These relationships were influenced differently by gender and ethnicity. Conclusion: The motor performance of young South African children was negatively influenced by overweight and obesity. Intervention strategies are recommended to reduce the consequences of overweight and obesity in the overall development of such children.

The prevalence of childhood obesity has been rapidly increasing over the last decade in both developed and developing countries. To combat the increasing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in South Africa, it is essential to understand the extent and intrinsic patterns of the epidemic among children in this developing country. The purpose of this study was to review the available South African literature with regard to the prevalence and intrinsic patterns of childhood overweight and obesity, focusing on gender, ethnic differences and socioeconomic status. The method entailed an extensive search of several data bases, with inclusion criteria of representative studies regarding the health status of overweight and obesity levels of children up to 12 years of age, during the last decade (1998 - 2008). Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were retrieved and reviewed, using an adapted meta-analytic approach. The results show that South African children exhibit high levels of overweight and obesity, especially in urban areas. Girls are more overweight than boys, with increasing overweight when they get older. White children show the highest levels of overweight up to age 11, after which black girls show the highest frequencies. Overweight is also associated with urbanisation and both high and low socioeconomic status. In light of the results, recommendations are made for prevention and intervention strategies and further study.

Literature shows that HIV/AIDS greatly affects the self-esteem of HIV/AIDS affected learners (these affected learners are either directly infected, or one or both parents are or had been infected). Studies also show that developmentally appropriate physical activities can have a positive influence on a child's self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a developmentally appropriate physical activity programme on the gross motor and perceptual motor skills and the selfesteem of HIV/AIDS-affected learners. Eight gross motor and perceptual motor skills, as well as self-esteem was evaluated among 30 directly-affected learners in a preprimary school for terminally sick children in Potchefstroom. Evaluation took place before and after the implementation of a 12-week long developmentally appropriate physical activity programme. The motor scores as well as the self-esteem scores of the experimental group showed statistically significant (p South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol. 28(2) 2006: 55-71

Childhood obesity has increased over the last two decades, with increasing concern regarding health and other developmental risks. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the differences in gross motor skills between overweight and obese 3- and 4-year old children and their non-obese counterparts in Potchefstroom. Three fundamental motor tasks were qualitatively (the quality of the execution of the skill) and quantitatively (the measurable score given to the performance of the skill, e.g. distance in mm) assessed in 19 overweight and obese participants and 111 non-obese participants in age-matched groups. The prevalence of obesity (15.83%) found in this sample, corresponds with worldwide and national trends in this age group, but is higher than the prevalence found in South Africa. Differences of statistical significance were established with t-tests as well as non-parametric analysis. The results showed no statistical differences in the 3-year old group, while statistical differences were found in favour of the non-obese participants in the 4-year old group with regard to quantitative scores for balancing on one leg and the quantitative and qualitative scores of catching, suggesting that overweight and obese children perform poor in comparison with non-obese children in tasks that require good balancing ability and good perceptual and spatial abilities. The results suggest that the influence of overweight and obesity on gross motor skill development is not significant at 3 years of age, but increases in such measurements that it can impede development at 4 years of age. Keywords: Obesity, Motor competency, Gross motor skills, Pre-school children South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol.25(2) 2003: 37-48

Research shows that preschool children are physically not as active as in the past, leading to the question of the current level of gross motor development of preschool children in urban areas in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to establish and describe specific gross motor components in a group of 3-6 year old urban South African children and compare the results to standardized norms and developmental criteria. A total of 462 3-6 year old children (215 males and 247 females) was tested on 8 gross motor tasks, and compared to norms and criteria as found in the literature. The 3, 4 and 5 year olds compared favourably to their counterparts in the tests for hopping, one leg balance and "jumping jacks". The 5 year olds compared favourably in standing long jump and skipping, while the 3 and 4 year olds compared favourably in the throwing test. Balance walk and catching ability of the 3, 4 and 5 year olds, standing long jump in the 4 year olds and throwing in the 5 year old group were lower than the norms used. The 6 year old group scored lower than the norms and criteria in all the tests except for standing long jump, where they scored higher than the norms. The implications for school readiness of the below-average level of gross motor development of the 6 year olds in this study are discussed. Key words: Gross motor development level, preschool children, norms, criteria. (Af. J. Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance: 2002 8(1): 106-119)

Background: Worldwide, the health risks of decreasing physical activity levels and increasing sedentary behaviour among adolescents are a raising concern.Objective: To determine the types and levels of physical activity as well as that of sedentary behaviour of a group Senior Phase learners in South Africa.Methods: The adapted Children's Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLASS) questionnaire was used for determining the types and levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour of 230 Grade 7 learners, from three schools in Potchefstroom. Data were analysed by means of the SAS statistics programme, and descriptive statistics, as well as independent t-tests and effect sizes (ES) were used.Results: Moderate to high-intensity physical activity levels of between 334 and 361 min per week were found, and sedentary behaviour of between 3077 and 3410 min per week, which implies that between 70.7% and 71.9% of the participants, did not meet the recommended health-based guidelines. Higher activity levels were shown during weekends, where the boys were significantly more active than girls (p < 0.001; ES between 0.21 and 0.56), and girls showed more sedentary behaviours than the boys (ES between 0.18 and 0.20). The leisure time physical activities with the highest participation were soccer, recreational swimming, jogging and dancing, while the sedentary activities were listening to music, riding a vehicle and being busy on the phone.Conclusion: Strategies need to be implemented to raise the physical activity levels of Senior Phase learners, especially during weekdays, and to decrease sedentary behaviour. With this view in mind, recommendations are made for Physical Education teachers.Keywords: Physical activity, Sedentary behaviour, Adolescents, Genders