Motivating factors for football practice by adolescents: a case study

Abstract

Introduction: Football schools have consolidated themselves as an important factor in the development of football players. However, few scientific studies have focused on such fact, especially when it comes to determining the factors that stimulate teenagers to stay in football schools. Aim: to investigate the reasons why a sub-15 category adolescent remains enrolled in a football school and to identify the main barriers to attendance in class. Methodology: a case study, approved by the Ethics Committee, where nine sub-15 category students at Escolinha de Futebol América Júnior (Itabuna-BA) answered a questionnaire about their age, educational level, the main barriers that often result in class absences as well as the Inventário de Motivação à Prática Regular de Atividades Físicas e Esportivas (IMPRAFE-54). Results: The teenagers subject to the questionnaire were in average 13.89 (± 0.93) years old students, of which 88.88% had not completed elementary school. The average number of years these students dedicated to football amounts to 7.56 (± 2.83) years. In addition, health and pleasure were pointed out by teenagers as their main factors to stay in school, followed by these dimensions: competitiveness, aesthetics, sociability and stress control. Finally, illness was pointed out as the main reason for absence in class. Conclusion: Health can be considered the first main factor to determine the attendance rate of teenager students in football schools, being a contributing factor to attendance rate or the very barrier that will cause the absence of students. We also point out the importance of leisure as an additional contributing factor to the attendance rate at Escolinha de Futebol América Junior.