The aim of the present article is to outline a heuristic model that facilitates movement toward an integrated understanding of the youth sport system. We define the youth sport system as the set of interdependent persons and contexts that influence and are influenced by an athlete in youth sport. Our model builds directly from a systems…

In this article I envision how Charles H. McCloy might assess the current state of kinesiology in relation to how it evolved from its parent profession of physical education into a field comprised of the scientific enterprise of kinesiology, as well as the related professions and professional preparation programs. I use my interpretation of his…

Quality physical education can play a critical role in helping students become more active, physically literate, and develop the skills and interests to remain physically active throughout their lives. The healthy, physically active student is more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful in school. Unfortunately, findings from…

Although there has been forward movement in identifying and addressing diverse learning needs, social justice education is not a significant part of the current standards for beginning teachers or K-12 students in the U.S. Throughout our standards-based history, social justice has been more of a hidden curriculum. To attain the 50 Million Strong…

SHAPE America -- Society of Health and Physical Educators has targeted youth physical activity (PA) as 1 of its 4 goals within the 50 Million Strong[TM] campaign. Only 27.1% of youth met the target of all students (preK-12) participating in at least 60 min of PA that increases their heart rate enough to breathe hard at least some of the time for…

We provide an overview of a recently published, edited book in a rapidly emerging field of research, policy, and practice for physical activity: "Sedentary Behavior and Health". In this commentary, we highlight the broad perspectives provided in the 27 chapters of "Sedentary Behavior and Health" and suggest a research strategy…

Purpose: Visual attention is essential in many areas ranging from everyday life situations to the workplace. Different circumstances such as driving in traffic or participating in sports require immediate adaptation to constantly changing situations and frequently the conscious perception of 2 objects or scenes at the same time. Method: The…

Physical inactivity (and unhealthy nutrition) has distorted body composition and, in turn, reordered the proportions of myocyte and adipocyte insulin receptors. Insulin acting on adipocyte receptors produces less glucose uptake than does comparable interaction with myocyte receptors. Accordingly, in individuals with disproportionate muscle/fat…

Various models and methods have been proposed to address the worldwide decline in children's and youth's physical fitness, and the social-ecological model has shown some promise. Yet, the impact of the policy intervention, one component of that model, has not been evaluated carefully. Using limited data from policy documents, the impact of policy…

The current neoliberal context of schools presents difficult challenges in addressing persistent issues of social inequalities. In this article, first, I argue that because of today's market-driven education, the rise of fitness testing in school physical education (PE) can be seriously detrimental to young people in general and to ethnic-minority…

Physical literacy is a term that has increasingly gained popularity in recent years. A variety of individuals and organizations have promoted the use of the term internationally, and a variety of claims have been made for the benefits of using the term. A historical overview allows the reader to consider physical literacy as one of many terms that…

Physical activity is place-based, and being able to assess the number of people and their characteristics in specific locations is important both for public health surveillance and for practitioners in their design of physical activity spaces and programs. Although physical activity measurement has improved recently, many investigators avoid or…

Social justice education recognizes the discrepancies in opportunities among disadvantaged groups in society. The purpose of the articles in this special topic on social justice is to (a) provide a critical reflection on issues of social justice within health pedagogy and youth sport of Black and ethnic-minority (BME) young people; (b) provide a…

Ongoing events in the United States show the continual need to address issues of social justice in every social context. Of particular note in this article, the contemporary national focus on race has thrust social justice issues into the forefront of the country's conscious. Although legal segregation has ran its course, schools and many…