DURATION OF THE PROJECT:
1. 11. 2022 – 31. 10. 2025
LEAD PARTNER:
Športno društvo Endorfin Ajdovščina
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Primož Sulič
PROJECT PARTNERS:
- UP Faculty of Health Sciences,
- Sport-VIV-Hrvaška,
- Ženski rokometni klub Conversanno-Italija-Sardinija.
TEAM AT UP FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES:
- Assoc. Prof. Jernej Rošker, PhD (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
- Assoc. Prof. Matej Plevnik, PhD (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
Project results:
The project “Upskilling Coaches For Children¨S Motor Development (PETIT)” is an Erasmus+ Sport project implemented by Sport club Endorfin (Slovenia, coordinator), the University of Primorska – Faculty of Health Sciences (Slovenia), ASD Accademia Pallamano Conversano 2014 (Italy), and Sport VIV (Croatia). The project was carried out from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2025.
The main objective of the project was to enhance the competencies and knowledge of coaches in the field of motor skill development in children up to 12 years of age.
Within the project, a survey was conducted among instructors and coaches from Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia. The findings revealed significant gaps in the understanding of fundamental professional concepts, the definition of motor skills, and approaches to their development. For example, only 41% of respondents correctly identified that coordination as a motor ability and motor skill are not the same concept and do not represent the same content.
As part of the project, a dedicated website was developed, along with a textbook intended for instructors, coaches, and physical education teachers. The textbook presents and introduces a structured model for the development of motor skills through different levels of movement variability. The programme has been successfully implemented at both club and community levels, enabling broader accessibility and the inclusion of diverse target groups.
Within regular programme activities, the Sports Centre Ajdovščina developed and introduced a new programme called “Mali sonček” (Little Sun), designed for preschool children in kindergartens. The programme is based on the methodological principles of the project and focuses on the development of motor skills and overall motor efficiency, while also emphasizing the importance of play, social interaction, and fostering a positive attitude towards physical activity.
Abstract
The project aims to develop and promote overall motor skills for children up to 12 years of age. Children development and motor learning are the most important segments that need to be developed until the onset of puberty and sports activities. It often happens that in the training processes of individual sports organizations there is a lack of time or perhaps additional knowledge with which the coach would place the development of coordination in the process of training. With this project we want to create innovative and interesting approaches for the development of children’s coordination. The main goal of the project is to produce materials with elements of learning basic motor skills. Learning content would thus be available to trainers through video material which would explain both the theory of children’s development and innovative exercises for development. The specific objectives are: – raising awareness of the status and importance of children’s involvement in a motoric development exercise program to the coaches and stakeholders of the sport clubs -Improve the knowledge of the theory regarding the neuro-mechanical basis of kinesiology. – collection of examples of best practices and recommendations of experts and programs in the field of motoric development. In addition, a digital manual with video content. – exchange of information and presentation of innovative practices in the inclusion of children in the various exercise programs. The result of the project will be the training of sports professionals who will become acquainted with innovative methods that will accelerate the progress of motor skills development and their implementation in a variety of circumstances in a sports learning process. In addition, a digital handbookwith video content “Innovative and safe exercise program in the field of motor skill development” will be placed into a local sport club, containing best practices and methods of all involved professionals in the project.
