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Sports
Special Issues
Pathways to Healthy Outcomes: Physical Literacy and Training for Adolescents
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Pathways to Healthy Outcomes: Physical Literacy and Training for Adolescents

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2025 | Viewed by 148

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sarah Costigan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
Interests: physical activity; physical education; fitness; mental health; cognition; adolescent

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Promoting lifelong health begins with the development of physical literacy during childhood and adolescence, an essential foundation for sustained wellbeing. Physical literacy involves not only engaging in sports but also cultivating the knowledge, confidence, and motivation necessary for continuous participation in physical activities. This developmental phase is crucial for forming habits that yield healthy outcomes, including reduced risk of chronic diseases and enhanced mental wellbeing.

Training programs targeting adolescents aim to develop fundamental movement skills, which serve as the groundwork for more complex activities and sports. By exposing young individuals to a diverse array of physical activities, they can continue to participate in a range of activities that encourage sustained engagement.

Educators and coaches are integral to this process, tasked with fostering supportive and inclusive environments. Their role involves promoting understanding of the benefits of physical activity and reinforcing adolescents’ confidence and motivation through positive reinforcement. This approach aligns with fostering immediate and long-term developmental outcomes by focusing on the activities they engage in, the social dynamics involved, and the organisational settings provided. By prioritising physical literacy, we equip adolescents with the skills needed for healthier futures, ensuring they lead active lives and make informed choices concerning their wellbeing.

Dr. Sarah Costigan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical literacy
  • physical activity
  • adolescents
  • lifelong physical activity
  • fundamental movement skills
  • sport
  • exercise
  • training programs
  • motivation
  • wellbeing

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 1333 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Fundamental Movement Competency in Rural Middle School Children Through a Strength Training Intervention: A Feasibility Study
by Janelle M. Goss, Janette M. Watkins, Megan M. Kwaiser, Andrew M. Medellin, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Autumn P. Schigur, James M. Hobson, Vanessa M. Martinez Kercher and Kyle A. Kercher
Sports 2025, 13(7), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13070200 - 22 Jun 2025
Viewed by 42
Abstract
Background: Fundamental movement skills (FMS)—including muscular strength, endurance, and mobility—are linked to better health-related quality of life and higher physical activity in children. Rural children often score lower on FMS tests than urban peers due to resource limitations rather than ability. Thus, [...] Read more.
Background: Fundamental movement skills (FMS)—including muscular strength, endurance, and mobility—are linked to better health-related quality of life and higher physical activity in children. Rural children often score lower on FMS tests than urban peers due to resource limitations rather than ability. Thus, increasing access to FMS activities in under-resourced rural areas is essential. The primary objective was to test the feasibility of Hoosier Strength in a rural middle school sample, and the secondary objective was to observe the preliminary changes in FMS-related outcomes pre- to post-intervention and at follow-up. The exploratory objective was to explore how participants responded to different coaches on the Hoosier Strength coaching team (i.e., gender, coaching style during activities). Methods: This study used a Hybrid Type 3 design to evaluate feasibility and FMS outcomes, integrating qualitative and quantitative data. The four-week intervention included a test group (n = 24; 14 females, 10 males; mean age: females 12.4 ± 0.5 years, males 12.7 ± 0.4 years) and a control group (n = 12; 8 females, 4 males; mean age: females 12.9 ± 0.3 years, males 12.7 ± 0.3 years). Data analysis included descriptive statistics for feasibility indicators (Acceptability of Intervention Measures [AIM], Intervention Appropriateness Measure [IAM], and Feasibility of Intervention Measure [FIM]), linear regression for mobility and muscular endurance changes, t-tests for psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and regression analysis for squat knowledge and post-intervention confidence. Results: (1) There was high feasibility across the 4-week Hoosier Strength intervention and at follow-up; (2) there were no statistically significant changes in squat performance; (3) participants’ confidence in their ability to squat at the end of the intervention was significantly predicted by their squat knowledge at baseline; and (4) participants prioritized leadership and team management over tactical analysis, highlighting a preference for coaches who foster teamwork. Conclusions: The findings offer a transparent approach for evaluating the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of the Hoosier Strength intervention in an under-resourced rural middle school, thereby encouraging further investigation into strength training interventions in rural schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathways to Healthy Outcomes: Physical Literacy and Training for Adolescents)
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