Hoosier Sport is a comprehensive sport-based youth development program designed to
enhance the health and wellness of rural children and adolescents. The program leverages
the power of sport to teach essential sport skills, leadership qualities, and promote
health education. Conducted primarily in physical education (PE) classes, with occasional
sessions in health classes, Hoosier Sport spans eight weeks with sessions twice a week.
The curriculum focuses on unique sports such as strength training, pickleball, and flag
football, and integrates activities that foster leadership (e.g., goal setting) and
health education (e.g., the importance of regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle).
A key objective of Hoosier Sport is to explore how participation in sports can satisfy
the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. By providing
structured yet flexible activities that allow for individual achievement and peer
interaction, the program aims to enhance students' intrinsic motivation to engage in
physical activity. Additionally, Hoosier Sport addresses the growing concern of screen
time and social media usage, which are known to negatively impact physical activity
levels. The program integrates discussions and activities that encourage students to
reflect on their screen time habits, understand the effects of social media on body image
and activity levels, and develop healthier behaviors.
To objectively measure the impact of the program on physical activity (PA), Hoosier Sport
utilizes advanced accelerometers (AX3 devices). These devices are worn by students for a
week at a time, capturing detailed data on their physical activity patterns. This data
allows the research team to accurately assess changes in PA levels throughout the
program, providing insights into the effectiveness of the intervention. Alongside
physical activity, the program collects data on psychosocial factors, such as self-esteem
and social skills, to identify broader health and behavioral outcomes. Exploratory data
includes screen time, social media usage, as well as inhibitory control. All collected
data is handled anonymously, following strict Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols
to ensure the privacy and protection of participants. Through this multifaceted approach,
Hoosier Sport aims not only to improve physical health but also to foster psychological
well-being and sustainable healthy behaviors among rural youth.