Factors affecting the presence of wrestling in school programs

Abstract

This work is part of a broader research that attempts to analyse the presence of combat sports in secondary education. The study investigates the presence of Olympic wrestling in the curricula of teacher preparation programs, as well as the factors influencing the choice, based on the knowledge, perspective and the needs about these disciplines. Eighty-one active physical education (PE) teachers of Valencia’s secondary schools completed an online questionnaire (51 men and 30 women). Results highlight that most of the teachers select team sports such as basketball, handball and volleyball; however, only a few included combat sports in their program, with judo being the most frequently selected. The main factor justifying the scarcity of combative sports, refers to the fact that teachers are not able to provide an instructional unit, and that these activities are considered dangerous, risky and unsuitable to instructional values. These viewpoints indicate that more specialized instructional tools for basic education in the fundamentals of combative sports, including wrestling are needed.