Education that instills healthy habits has acquired much attention in recent years due to concerns related to obesity and the sedentary lifestyle of the scholastic population. Extracurricular sports activities can contribute to the creation of healthy habits and can promote active lifestyles. These positive habits provide social benefits and are a facilitator of sustainable development. Thisstudy had two objectives: To assess the quality and value of extracurricular sports activities offered by schools, as well as the satisfaction of the participants and their future intentions to participate; and to assess the relationship between these constructs, with the aim of identifying factors that encourage schoolchildren to be active. Information was gathered from 1080 children in secondary education in Spain (n = 1080) (65.90% boys, 13.76 ± 1.39 years). The instruments used were the Scale of Perception of Sports Organizations (EPOD2) and a future intentions scale. The evaluation of satisfaction, quality, and value, as well as the intentions expressed by the young athletes to continue participating in extracurricular sports activities were positive, with average values close to the maximum. The best-rated quality variables were human resources. A significant association was identified between communication and loyalty, and response capacity and sports spaces. Likewise, perceived satisfaction and value were related to loyalty and price. In short, student perceptions establish a clear relationship between evaluations of activities and the intention to continue practicing sports in schools.

Evaluation of Extracurricular Sports Activities as an Educational Element for Sustainable Development in Educational Institutions

In advanced societies, lifestyles are increasingly sedentary, and it is important to identify strategies to help people acquire healthy habits, such as exercise. The present study proposes the use of gamification as a strategy for encouraging users to exercise regularly, based on the possibilities offered by “smart” devices such as smartbands.,The work analyzes how individuals experience their participation in a gamification program, on the premise that it should provide an experience that is intrinsically motivating and fun. Also the moderator effect of the gender and age on the relationship between their experience of participating in a gamification program and perceived self-efficacy.,The results show that individuals' experience of participating in a gamification program exerts a positive influence on their perceived self-efficacy in the practice of sport or exercise. The study also finds that the variables “gender” and “age” moderate the relationship between their experience of participating in a gamification program and perceived self-efficacy, such that it exerts a greater influence on women and older people.,The practical implications for the professionals and institutions involved in promoting the adoption of regular sport and exercise in society are about taking advantage of the potential of wearable technology such as smartbands. The present study finds that the use of gamification for encouraging people to adopt regular physical activity is more effective for women than for men, and for older people than for younger users.,The findings of this study provide a better understanding of whether gamification is an appropriate strategy for helping participants to perceive themselves as having greater self-efficacy in their chosen sport or exercise, taking into account the moderating effect of participant gender and age.

Influence of gamification on perceived self-efficacy: gender and age moderator effect

Sports federations are non-profit organizations that compete for members and resources. These organizations are obliged to cooperate on the environment, nature conservation, and sustainability together with other public bodies. Given this situation and the necessity to differentiate themselves from commercial sports providers, it is essential for sports federations to create loyalty. The objective of this article is to provide an in-depth study of the variables that explain federation members’ loyalty, which is the best tool for federations to meet their sustainable and non-profit objectives. Having made an exhaustive review of the literature on loyalty, an empirical study is made of the loyalty antecedents (service quality, satisfaction, trust, and commitment), using a questionnaire of members of all of Spain’s karate federations. This empirical study has led to a model of structural equations that gives a perfect explanation of loyalty based on the relationships between the various variables, starting with service quality and considering the other variables to be mediating variables between service quality and loyalty. Furthermore, the findings show that service quality is the best option for improving member loyalty through some of the mediators proposed.

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/2/458/pdf

Sustainable Management of Sports Federations: The Indirect Effects of Perceived Service on Member’s Loyalty

The objective of this research was to analyze the influence of the dimensions that enable the rating of service quality perceived by users of sport and health centers in the satisfaction they experience from the service received. In order to present the working hypothesis, a bibliographic review on the concept and dimensions of perceived service quality was carried out, as well as its relationship with satisfaction. The rating scale sports organizations (EPOD) was used as a measurement instrument. The application of a regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. As a prior step, the measurement scales were validated and an exploratory factor analysis was applied to determine the structure of the variables considered. The regression models proposed show the joint influence of the dimensions used by the users to rate perceived service quality in their satisfaction. The results enabled us to observe that the dimensions considered in the model explained 75.7% of satisfaction, with the facilities and material, together with communication and activities, having the most significant influence on satisfaction. Meanwhile, dimensions that had less impact were the monitor and the staff. It is clear that there is a strong correlation between perceived quality and satisfaction with service.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/20/3942/pdf

Quality in Customer Service and Its Relationship with Satisfaction: An Innovation and Competitiveness Tool in Sport and Health Centers.

Sports managers try to understand customer perceptions and to implement programmes that guarantee clients satisfaction and continuity, because of the increase in the practice of physical activity and the competitiveness of sports services. Objective: to determine the existence of differences in the model that relates quality, satisfaction and perceived value according to the gender and age of the users of organized sports activities. Method: 1.654 people (44.9% women), with a mean age of 32.52 ± 14.70 years participated in the study. The instrument used was the EPOD2 questionnaire and exploratory tests, correlations, Cronbach’s alpha, AVE, composite reliability, factorial invariances and regression coefficients were used as statistical tests. Results: the activity assessment was positive, with satisfaction as the highest rated perception, followed by value and quality. Women rated the service better, finding significant differences by gender in the assessment of quality, and significant differences according to age and sex in the assessment of value. Quality has a direct and significant relationship with value, both concepts being an antecedent of satisfaction. Conclusions: the user of organized sports activities has a very positive perception of the service. Women rate quality and value more highly. The younger the age, the lower the value assessment. The results of the study justify the establishment of management strategies for the improvement of quality and perceived value in order to satisfy customers and build customer loyalty.

/pdf/incidence-of-gender-and-age-on-the-quality-satisfaction-and-1mm9dlwiyp.pdf

Incidence of gender and age on the quality, satisfaction and perceived value of users of organized sports activities

The purpose of this paper is to determine how an instrument – designed to assess quality, value, and satisfaction – works, and compare results obtained in female users of unisex sports services and fitness centres and female users of exclusively female sports services and fitness centres.,A total of 745 women belonging to 62 sports services and fitness centres took part in this study; 36.60 per cent were members of female-exclusive centres. The average age was 32.97±14.11 years. In total, 38.70 per cent of the women surveyed used the sports services and fitness centres twice a week for 66.37±32.87 minutes on average. The EPOD2 questionnaire was used. This instrument is made up of 25 items and measures quality, value, and satisfaction. The invariance of the factorial structure in the two groups was verified and regression coefficients were calculated for the relationships in the model.,The model is stable in both of the groups. Quality is a predecessor of value and satisfaction. Value is related to a large extent to Satisfaction. The dimensions of quality (activity, sports instructors, service personnel, and space) are directly related to value and/or satisfaction. There are significant differences in the standardised values that relate quality and its dimensions with the value and satisfaction between women users of female-exclusive centres and women users of unisex centres.,This paper is important because the findings of this study can be applicable to help sports services and fitness centres, whether unisex centres or female-exclusive centres, obtain better assessments from female users.

Female users of unisex fitness centres and of fitness centres exclusive for women: satisfaction

Physical activity is an important tool for promoting women's health. Increasing adherence to physical activity is a challenge for governments and private entities. One of the main objectives of the fitness sector is to build customer loyalty. Their behavioural intentions according to gender and age may be a determining factor. The aim of this study was to establish a model that relates the fitness centre's quality as perceived by female customers, these customers' future intentions, satisfaction, and age. A total of 745 women participated in this study, with a mean age of 32.97 ± 14.11, divided into three age groups. A confirmatory analysis, a factor invariance analysis, and a multi-group analysis were conducted to verify the validity and reliability of the model. The results revealed that quality is an antecedent of both perceived value and satisfaction in the three age groups. Perceived value is a precursor of satisfaction, except in the group of women over 45 years old. The only antecedent to adaptation to price is quality, except in the older age group. Finally, perceived value was found to be related to adaptation to price. These results will facilitate the development of strategies to promote physical activity among women according to their age.

/pdf/women-and-physical-activity-in-fitness-centres-analysis-of-47agmk8rhu.pdf

Women and Physical Activity in Fitness Centres. Analysis of Future Intentions and Their Relationship with Age

La industria deportiva sabe que las necesidades e intereses de la poblacion femenina no son las mismas que las de los varones y por ello en el mercado han aparecido centros deportivos y de fitness exclusivos para mujeres. El objeto de este estudio fue segmentar a mujeres que realizan practicas fisico deportivas en centros deportivos, utilizando como variables de agrupacion diferentes tipos de motivacion (intrinseca, integrada, identificada, introyectada, externa y desmotivacion) y comprobar las diferencias entre las usuarias que acuden a centros mixtos y las que acuden a centros exclusivos femeninos. La poblacion objeto de estudio estuvo conformada por 745 mujeres con una edad media 32.97±14.11 anos, pertenecientes a 62 centros deportivos y de fitness. El 36.60% de las mujeres eran usuarias de centros exclusivos. Los resultados establecieron dos grupos .  Los factores motivacion identificada y desmotivacion fueron los mas relevantes para distribuir a las mujeres en los segmentos. El grupo uno mostro valores mas altos en motivacion integrada, identificada e intrinseca. El grupo dos presento valores mas altos en motivacion introyectada, externa y desmotivacion. En el grupo uno se encuentra la mayoria de las usuarias de centros exclusivos, mientras que un 40% de las usuarias de centros mixtos estan enmarcadas en el grupo dos. Los resultados muestran que existen dos grupos de usuarias de servicios deportivos y de fitness, uno con niveles altos de motivacion autodeterminada conformado principalmente por usuarias de centros exclusivos y un segundo grupo con niveles bajos de motivacion autodeterminada, pertenecientes en su mayoria a centros mixtos. Abstract. Sports industry knows that needs and interests of the female population are not the same as those of men. Therefore, sports and fitness centres exclusive to women have appeared in the market. The aims of this study were to segment women who do physical-sports activities in sports centres, using different kinds of motivation (intrinsic, integrated, identified, introjected, external and lack of motivation) as a grouping variable, and to verify the differences among users who attend mixed centres and those who go to exclusive female centres. The subjects of the study were 745 women with a mean age of 32.97 ± 14.11 years, belonging to 62 sports and fitness centres. 36.60% of the women were users of exclusive centres. Results established two groups. Identified motivation and lack of motivation were the most relevant factors to distribute women in the segments. Group one showed higher values in integrated, identified and intrinsic motivation. Group two presented higher values in introjected, external motivation, and lack of motivation. In group one, the majority of users attended exclusive centres, while 40% of the users of mixed centres were placed in group two. Results show that there are two groups of users of sports and fitness services, one with high levels of self-determined motivation (composed mainly of users of exclusive centres), and a second group with low levels of self-determined motivation, mostly belonging to mixed centres.

/pdf/grupos-de-usuarias-del-mercado-deportivo-femenino-groups-of-8sl5o2buh2.pdf

Mónica Haro-González

Papers

Female users of unisex fitness centres and of fitness centres exclusive for women: satisfaction

Women and Physical Activity in Fitness Centres. Analysis of Future Intentions and Their Relationship with Age

Grupos de usuarias del mercado deportivo femenino (Groups of users in the women sports market)