Principal Investigator:

For several decades now, studies have been published describing the effectiveness of physical activity programmes for children. These programmes typically last between 6 and 24 weeks and aim to reduce the prevalence of obesity, increase: 1) physical activity, 2) fitness, 3) cognitive function, or reduce dropout rates in sports among adolescents.

The fundamental problem, however, is that existing physical activity programmes do not lead to lasting changes in physical activity behaviour, and the mechanism that ensures increased adherence to physical activity—known as physical literacy—remains unknown. Physical literacy is a key factor in influencing long-term physical activity habits and is one of the fundamental pillars of human well-being.

The aim of this UNCE project is therefore to conduct a longitudinal experimental study to investigate the mechanisms that lead to increased adherence to physical activity among children and adolescents (extending into adulthood) aged 6–24, in both the general population and among athletes. The theoretical framework for examining these mechanisms and designing physical activity programmes that will lead to increased adherence in the context of family, school/club, and peers will be: Stodden’s structural model, the concept of self-determination, autonomous motivation, and Newell’s theory.

Principal Investigator:

The centre focuses on elite sports (athletic performance), reflecting a complementary approach to motor learning and motor control within the field of kinesiology. The contribution of sports sciences (research, implementation, physical practice) aimed at sustaining and improving athletic performance among elite athletes has been highly emphasized and socially and economically supported worldwide over the past decade.

Sports performance, as the end result of an athlete’s efforts, has a multidimensional significance, and identifying it requires both a qualitative and quantitative multidimensional approach. The centre must demonstrate competence (both scientific and practical) in the areas of objectification, prediction, and differentiation of athletic performance (subsystems and indicators) based on predefined criteria (independent variables: elite level, athlete ontogenesis, absence due to injury, occurrence of injury predictors, etc.).

As part of this project, the team will develop, standardize, and verify selected methods for assessing athletic performance and injury-related parameters in elite athletes. The project will also develop an algorithm for a scientific approach to objectively measuring training load (both external and internal) with the aim of adjusting and optimizing it.