The Educational Role of Athletics in Physical Education: Effects on the Physical and Motor Development of Lower Secondary Students (Part II)

This study investigates the effects of a structured athletics-based physical education program on the motor development of secondary school students (ages 11–12). Conducted over the course of one academic year, the research involved two parallel groups (experimental and control) and evaluated motor performance using standardized tests targeting key indicators: speed (50 m sprint), explosive strength (standing long jump), dynamic balance (walking backward on a beam), and muscular endurance (sit-ups and push-ups). At the end of the intervention, the experimental group recorded an average time of 9.12 seconds in the 50 m sprint (compared to 9.89 s at baseline), a mean jump distance of 156.4 cm (vs. 145.8 cm), and significantly improved scores in balance and endurance tests (e.g., 23.1 sit-ups/min, up from 19.3). These results showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) across all motor indicators, a marked reduction in interindividual variability, and increased correlations between motor components. The findings underscore the educational relevance of integrating structured athletics modules into the physical education curriculum as a multidimensional strategy for enhancing motor competence, fostering physical literacy, and promoting long-term engagement in movement. This research provides empirical support for inclusive, age-appropriate physical education strategies tailored to early adolescence.