#OlympicLab – results and perspectives of the project

Objective of the article is to open main tasks of the #OlympicLab and to show projects’ achievements and results. Methods. Theoretical analysis and generalization, the method of analogy, comparative-historical and descriptive statistics. Results. Olympic movement and Olympic education, as well as sport in general, is becoming increasingly popular in society. It gives new challenges adaptation of sustainable projects to the modern needs of the population. Olympic Academy of Ukraine is one of the best Olympic Academies in the whole world. In addition to the Olympic education projects conducted by the Olympic Academy of Ukraine, there is a network of the schools of Olympic education in Ukraine, which curriculum contains additional lessons and activities in Olympic education. Analyzing current position of the Olympic education in Ukraine, we can come to the conclusion that all projects are already sustainable and are those that have met the tasks, but our world is developing too fast. That is why we have to take into consideration “time’” requirements. #OlympicLab – is a new form of the Olympic education. The project is up to the modern demands and has free access for everyone who would like to be acquainted with all aspects of the Olympic movement and sport. In turn, #OlympicLab includes 6 modules which are based on the Learn and Share program of the Youth Olympic Games and the annual NOC of Ukraine project – Olympic lesson. #OlympicLab project was launched in Ukraine in 2016. From 2016 to October 2018, the number of participants of the #OlympicLab is more than 33,210 persons. Also, for this period 934 educational institutions took part in the project, and more than 155 events were held throughout Ukraine. Conclusion. The increasing number of participants, educational institutions and events of the #OlympicLab shows rise of popularity of the project and its’ development. The #OlympicLab tasks confirm the flexibility and complexity along with the multi-functionality of the project tasks themselves. #OlympicLab project is being improved and developed, we hope to promote it and offer it to the National Olympic Committees in other countries. Keywords: Olympic education, #OlympicLab, Olympic movement.

Volunteerism in the Olympic sport

Objective: to examine the trends in establishment and development of the volunteer movement in the system of Olympic sport and to justify the ways to involve various segments of the Ukrainian population in volunteering. Methods. Analysis of specialized literature, documentary materials, and Internet resources, historical and logical analysis, structural and functional analysis, surveying, methods of mathematical statistics. Results and conclusions. The study identified the main trends that are inherent in the Olympic volunteer movement, in particular the important role of the latest computer technologies; an expanding of the range of functional responsibilities and an increase in the total number of people wishing to assist in the organization of the Olympic Games; an increase in the percentage of foreigners among volunteers of the event; a decrease in the mean age of volunteers; a strengthening of the rules for selecting and expanding the content of training programs for Olympic volunteers with each Olympic cycle. The areas of volunteers' activities at the Olympic Games were examined, in the framework of which it is appropriate to carry out their training: interaction with IOC, NOC, ISF; coordination of arrivals and departures; participation in ceremonies; assistance to the organization of doping control; provision of protocol services to officials; technological support; assistance to the work of media-centers; coordination of transportation services; assistance to the accreditation service; volunteering at the Olympic events; linguistic services; catering services. The promising ways for the development of volunteer activity in Ukraine as a component of the development of the Olympic movement were justified and their effectiveness was determined: creation of the sections on volunteer activities on sports organizations' websites; development and implementation of special educational programs; development of measures aimed at attracting people to volunteering; creation of volunteer training centers; inclusion of the topic “Sports and Olympic volunteering" into educational programs of educational institutions; coverage of sports volunteering issues in textbooks on physical education for educational institutions; carrying out the studies on the issues of sports volunteering in educational institutions; promotion of the volunteer movement in the media; establishing links between sports and volunteer organizations; introduction of the practice of engaging sports volunteers to other areas of voluntary assistance. Keywords: volunteer, volunteer at the Olympic games, the Olympic sport.

Influence of globalization processes on the development of team sports

Objective. To analyze the current trends in the development of team sports taking into account the influence of globalization processes in high performance sport. Methods. Analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature and data on the Internet; pedagogical observations; and expert assessments. Results. The features of the evolution of team sports in the context of globalization of high performance sport are reviewed and examined based on the influence of the following factors: migration of the athletes and their concentration in national and international leagues, and sports training centers; professionalization and commercialization of national and international official competitions; politicization of official international competitions; socialization of athletes and informatization of society. The current trends in the development of team sports are identified on the basis of the data of expert assessments taking into account the influence of globalization processes in high performance sport. Possible ways are outlined to address the topical issues of the development of team sports in Ukraine and to overcome the critical situation of non-compliance with the international level combined with the existing high potential and victorious traditions of the past taking into account the knowledge accumulated by experts and the need for an appropriate interpretation of the existing experience of foreign countries. Conclusion. Increasing trends in popularity of team sports are revealed and significant influence of processes of globalization are emphasized on the basis of its leading factors. The analysis of the characteristics of the sports globalization and the results of the expert assessment make it possible to conclude that modern professional sport has undergone drastic changes. Its further progressive development is possible only taking into account the recognition of the existing influence of global factors and requires the modified approaches to build a multi-year training system, the appropriate scientific justification, and legal support provided by the governmental bodies. This will allow to develop sound practical technologies for creating educational-training and competitive processes in order to overcome the existing imbalance in team sports between winning traditions of the past and disappointing results at the current time. Keywords: migration, concentration, professionalization, commercialization, politicization, socialization, informatization.

System of athletes’ preparation in the Netherlands

Objective. To reveal and summarize the peculiarities of athlete preparation system functioning in the Netherlands. Methods. Analysis and generalization of data from scientific and documentary sources. Results. The main goal of sport development is to make the Netherlands among the top ten world’s leading sports countries. The development of sport is the responsibility of the National Olympic Committee with sports federations, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare and Sport. Since 2004, the country has implemented four-year sports development programs. The main efforts are aimed at creating an effective and flexible organization of the sports sector with the introduction and application of modern principles of management and integrity; the achievement of stable and higher sport financing to make it financially secure, diversified and actively developing; the formation of an appropriate infrastructure; the development and implementation of training programs that qualitatively and quantitatively increase the competitiveness of athletes at the global level, covering the age period from 8 years until the end of a sports career; formation of effective and efficient training programs for coaches and managers; the provision of medical services in the conditions of centralized training and at the place of residence; monitoring the implementation of targeted programs and activities of the Olympic Committee; scientific support and the use of innovations through the improvement of interdisciplinary connections, the integration of sports science and practice. Conclusion. The modern system of athletes’ preparation in the Netherlands is based on the development of sports infrastructure; talent identification and development; support of athletes and the opportunity for them to get a double career; the training of highly qualified coaches and sports managers; providing permanent individual medical care for athletes; promoting sports programs; anti-doping activities; monitoring the development of sport; scientific support and the use of innovations; sports promotion. Keywords: the Netherlands, Olympic sport, organization, financing, athlete preparation, sports centers, scientific support.

The impact of rule changes on the competitive activity indices in Greco-Roman wrestling

Objective – to reveal the impact of competition rule changes on the indices of athletes’ competitive activity. Methods. A total of 117 final fights of highly qualified athletes were analyzed. The following indices were recorded: the duration of bouts; number of technical actions; real attempts (the number of attempts made); estimated attempts (number of attacks implemented); the effectiveness of technique used in a stance and in “referee’s” position (determined by dividing the number of successful attacks by the number of real attempts to perform reception and multiplied by 100 %); the effectiveness of defence in a stance and in “referee’s” position (this is the division of the number of reflected attacks by the number of real attempts to execute a hold and multiplied by 100 %); the effectiveness of executed holds (scored: 1 point, 2 points, 3 points, 4 points, 5 points). Results. The results obtained allowed to establish that the most performed TAs on the ground are rolling sideways, but they were most successful at OG-2016 (47 % of all TAs) and OG-1996 (41 %). This percentage is explained by the fact that rolling sideways are the most common, and all wrestlers pay great attention to their improvement. At present, attacking actions prevail in the competitive techniques, the bout is conducted constantly at a high pace; techniques are performed after previous preparation when the athlete is confident that the action will be performed; high-class wrestlers tend to execute more technical and tactical actions on the ground than in the stance, and all this significantly reduces the entertainment of the modern Greco-Roman wrestling. Modern studies have shown that the key characteristics of highly skilled wrestlers fitness with an equal amount of tactical and technical actions are their speed-strength capabilities and special endurance. Conclusion. It is established that today there remain significant problems for the specialists of Greco-Roman wrestling in the need to modernize the competition rules in order to improve the performance and entertainment of wrestling bouts. Keywords: technical fitness, Olympic Games, highly skilled wrestlers, competition rules.

Static dynamic stability of the body of rhythmic gymnastics female athletes at the stage of specialized basic training

Objective. To assess biomechanical measures of static dynamic stability of the body of rhythmic gymnastics female athletes in the basic balances at the stage of specialized basic training. Methods. Theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific literature, methodological and practical experience of the trainers; method of expert assessments using video analysis of the technique of performing basic balances; stabiloanalyzer "Stabilan 01-2" to record the movements of the common center of pressure (COP) of the feet on the support, i.e. the coordinates at different time points that reflect the features of static dynamic stability. Three basic balance tests were performed. The study involved young female gymnasts of the Republican Complex Children and Youth Sports School "Avangard" (Kуiv) aged 10-14 years (n = 30), of which 20 athletes have the rank of Candidate for Master of Sport and 10 gymnasts have the rank of First-Class Sportsman. Results. It has been found that, at the stage of specialized basic training, female athletes in rhythmic gymnastics, along with a stable demonstration of competitive compositions, have technical errors that are associated with an insufficient level of development of sensorimotor coordination, orientation in space and time, and static dynamic stability of the body. Indicators of biomechanical analysis of stabilograms, which were recorded during the performance of the basic balances by the subjects, show that stability control is achieved both through macro and micro-oscillations of the body, as well as the controlled ratio of the trajectory lengths of the common center of pressure on the support along the frontal and sagittal line. In some gymnasts, when performing basic tests, displacements along frontal and sagittal lines approached the ratio of 1:1 that indicates the effective formation of a system of symmetric motor actions for the control of static dynamic stability. Conclusion. On the basis of individual measures of static dynamical stability of the body of rhythmic gymnastics female athletes at the stage of specialized basic training, an instructional program of exercises should be developed that will be aimed at development and improvement of static dynamic stability of the body using the technology of biological feedback in the system gymnast–stabilograph. Key words: rhythmic gymnastic, basic training, balances, body stability, technique, stabilography, competitive compositions.

Olympism and the Olympic education: history, modernity, future

Objective. Study of the Olympic Games and the Olympic movement as an aggregate of phenomena and processes of historical, socio-economic, political, educational, and purely sports character in their organic relationship, with due account for achievements and issues, positive and negative aspects, risks and development prospects. Results. Most of the modern initiatives and educational resources implemented in the modern Olympic education system are focused only on obtaining general ideas about the Olympic Games and the Olympic movement, active promoting the ideals and values of the Olympic philosophy, which has been peculiar for the policy of the IOC and IOA in this area for several decades. Traditionally established concept of the Olympic education, peculiar for most countries, lags behind the needs of the time, is characterized by weak sociocultural content, limited criticism and commitment to emotional rhetoric, especially in the part that relates to the universalism of the Olympic values, claims to the global educational potential of the Olympic education. However, the Olympic movement and the Olympic Games do not need artificial idealization. Their value is in the greatest history, bright modernity, diversity and popularity, difficulties and contradictions, numerous interrelations with politics and economics, culture and art, education and upbringing. Versatile and objective consideration and study of the Olympic movement and, above all, the Olympic Games various aspects, with account for all strengths and weaknesses, achievements and issues, weak points and drawbacks can in no way adversely affect the popularity and significance of this phenomenon, including as an object of the Olympic education. On the contrary, the idealization of the Olympic sport and the Olympic Games, outstanding athletes and their role in the process of educational and upbringing, ignoring issues, difficulties, contradictions, negative phenomena and risk factors are a direct way to the devaluation of the Olympic education, to skepticism regarding its potentials and significance.

Optimizing competitive activity of female water polo athletes

Objective. Integrated assessment of specialized preparedness of skilled female water polo athletes aimed at the substantiation and development of practical recommendations on the effective use of water polo tactical schemes in the competitive period taking into account the functional capabilities of the body. Methods. An analysis of scientific and methodological literature; a questionnaire survey; physiological methods; psychophysiological methods; pedagogical testing; assessment of competitive performance; methods of mathematical statistics. Results. Competitive performance assessment of female water polo players was carried out on the basis of the data of their performance during water polo matches and with the use of their parameters of technical and tactical skills during the matches. The result of assessment was compared to the model characteristics that made it possible to determine the correspondence of displayed level of specialized preparedness of the water polo player to her sports qualification. The specialized preparedness of the athletes was examined comprehensively on the basis of relationships among the psychophysiological condition, speed abilities, and throwing efficacy, and taking into account the menstrual phase. The variants of application of technical-tactical schemes in water polo that take into account the team roles were developed and proposed to maximize and improve the realization of individual mastery by athletes that helped to optimize the competitive activity of the team in whole. This was confirmed by the growing performance of Ukrainian junior and women's national water polo teams. Conclusions. Recommendations on designing competitive tactics of the team and determining individual actions of water polo players were introduced into the practice of competitions of the leading club teams of Ukraine, as well as of Ukrainian women's and junior national teams. Keywords: competitive activity, water polo, female athletes, specialized preparedness, tactics.

Efficiency of training programs aimed at agility development (the case of hand-to-hand fighting)

Objective. Substantiation of the expediency of using special exercise complexes aimed at agility development in training process of those engaged in hand-to-hand fighting. Мethods and organization. This goal achievement was provided by setting a 6-month pedagogical experiment aimed at identifying the effectiveness of special training program focused on the development of agility and coordination through the use of training means specific for hand-to-hand combat, characterized by increased coordination complexity and the presence of a “surprise factor”. The efficiency of recommended training program was determined by means of special tests – open for coordination assessment and two closed ones – for agility estimation. Results. As a result of a 6-month pedagogical experiment, high efficiency of short-term specific programs of motor actions for agility development was revealed. Even a relatively small amount of training means of high coordination complexity with the presence of a “surprise factor” (43 h of 260) led to significant increase in the ability to effective motor activity in unexpected situations and under time pressure conditions. Conclusions. Теchnical skills and physical fitness with agility and coordination being its constituents represent an integral complex, in which the rational techniques determine the requirements of physical fitness, whereas the motor capacities provide conditions for execution of techniques and motor actions. The approach adopted in the special literature and practice in which the development of agility and coordination is a side effect of the process of technico-tactical improvement, training and competitive bouts suffers from one-sidedness and insufficient efficiency. Keywords: hand-to-hand fighting, agility, coordination, motor capacities.

The management of elite athletes’ returning to play: a multidimensional perspective

Returning to sport after an injury can be a difficult process for competitive elite athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of competitive elite athletes returning to sport after an injury in order to identify critical, and possibly new, factors which can help them to recover and return to play as soon as possible. A number of factors have been identified by several researchers. These factors include medical, physiological, emotional and others. The literature also highlighted the importance of social support, which includes support from people around athletes, such as family, friends, coaches, trainers, teammates and so on. Through this research I wanted to find the most important and helpful to athletes factors. The data of this retrospective qualitative study were collected through interviews. Eleven elite athletes, from six countries and different kind of sports took part in this research. Athletes were interviewed through semi-structured interview and asked to answer some questions and share their experience of recovery from sports injury and returning to play. The collected data were analyzed through the coding method. All similar answers were put together and finally key factors for athletes’ recovery and return to play were identified. This study confirmed the accuracy of a number of helpful factors for athletes’ recovery and return to play which were already known from literature. Moreover the study discovered several new and key factors, like support from government, sport organization employees, and athletes’ own motivation to achieve their goals. The sport manager should pay attention to all these factors when he or she is planning a recovery program for the injured athlete. Keywords: Sport, Olympic Games, injury, management, recovery.