The effect of competence in fundamental motor skills on physical activity

The relationship between motor skill competence, or proficiency in fundamental motor skills (FMS), and physical activity strengthens as a child progress throughout development. FMS includes walking and running, and can be thought of as the basis for future movements (Stodden et al., 2008). Without proficiency in FMS, physical activity declines, decreasing factors such as perceived motor skill competence, or the child’s perception of their motor skill, and physical fitness, possibly leading to obesity.

               Young children display a weak relation between physical activity and proficiency in FMS due to their differences in experience, such as from parental influences and the variable climate. For example, some children are very active because their parents encourage them to try new physical activities, whereas some children are inactive due to the terrible climate in which they live.  At this stage, the increase in physical activity improves the communication between the brain and the muscles, which can in turn promote coordination, therefore competence in FMS (Stodden et al., 2008).

               As a child moves into middle and late adulthood, an inverse relationship is seen, where a strengthened motor skill competence drives physical activity levels. Some of the individual and environmental constraints that hindered the amount of physical activity in childhood, such as the lack of coordination, decrease due to proficiency in FMS. This allows an individual to participate in various physical activities, thereby increasing motor repetition.

               Additionally, a child’s perception of their motor skill competence also affects the relationship between physical activity and motor skill competence. In early childhood, a child may perceive themselves as very proficient in motor skills, but have inadequate skills in reality. But because the child believes themselves to be highly skilled, he or she will be persistent in mastering various activities, thereby increasing FMS and physical activity due to repetition.

               As a child transitions from early to middle childhood, they begin to correlate perceived motor skill competence with actual motor skill competence (Stodden et al., 2008). In other words, those individuals with lower motor competence will tend to disengage in physical activity because they realize their lack of motor skill competence, promoting a negative spiral of physical inactivity that may lead to obesity.

               Overweight children have a greater difficulty performing physical activities due to their increased overall size. Because overweight children will not engage in physical activities compared to a healthy weight, fit individual, motor skill competence is lowered due to less repetition (Stodden et al., 2008). But with higher motor skill competence, an increase in physical activity and fitness, along with higher perception of motor skill competence can be achieved, leading to a healthy weight.

               Furthermore, adequate motor skill competence promotes physical activity, which can in turn increase physical fitness. Children that are more fit during childhood and adolescence will continue to be physically active in the future, strengthening the relationship between motor skill competence and physical activity. With limited fitness levels, it will hinder the child from participating in physical activities that require adequate fitness levels, which is the case with most sports, further declining motor competence development.

               In the long run, Stodden et al. (2008) hopes that their model will stimulate research and stress the multifaceted problems that leads to inadequate motor competency, such as obesity, negatively perceived motor competence, and lack of physical fitness, which hinders engagement in physical activity.

References

•           Stodden, D. F., Goodway, J. D., Langendorfer, S. J., Roberton, M. A., Rudisill, M. E.,                                     Garcia, C., Garcia, L. E. (2008). A developmental perspective on the role of motor skill competence in physical activity: an emergent relationship. Quest, 60, 290-306.

Renovation of Municipal Park

General Information of Municipal Park

Where is the Park Located?

Municipal Park is located on the south west corner of Clippert Street and Michigan Avenue.  The park is located very close to Michigan State University and thus is surrounded by college apartments and student dorm rooms. The presences of Spartans around provide the park with a true sense of security.

               Figure 1. Overall view of Municipal Park

What’s At The Park?

The Park and Playground: The park has a small playground that has been freshly painted and well maintained. There are also benches located around the playground for parents to sit down and supervise their children, as they play on the playground.  Picnic tables are located throughout the park for that perfect family gathering for lunch in the park. 

                                 Figure 2. View of the play ground at Municipal Park

                                         Figure 3. One of several benches at Municipal Park

The Baseball Stadium: A major attraction of the park is the beautiful baseball stadium which is equipped with lighting and stands for a good sized crowd.  Conveniently located directly behind home plate is a building that houses a concession stand and bathrooms.  The entire baseball park which also includes the building that houses the concession stand and bathrooms is gated off to the public when an organized city baseball game is not scheduled that day. 

                                 Figure 4. Overall view of the baseball park

The Golf Course: Just north east of the park is the Red Cedar Golf Course that opened in 1927 and recently closed in 2007.  As of now it is still abandoned and has been grown over by shrubs.  The city as of now is discussing development plans for this unique piece of land.

                                 Figure 5. Golf course grown over by shrubs

Below is a video that outlines the development proposal for the old Red Cedar Golf Course from the city of Lansing. 

http://youtu.be/8lBr8kz5wMg

Parking Lot: There is a huge parking lot located just south of the park that can easily support a crowed ball game at the park.

Overall, we believe this is a wonderful park that is well maintained and has many amenities.  If you choose to vote for our development plan, this park will elevate neighbouring land values and will promote a desirable opportunity for the citizens of our city to be more physically active, thus increasing the health of our fellow citizens.

Click Link Below for a 360 view of the park and playground

http://360.io/677wB4

                                        

Pros and Cons of Municipal Park

Positive Characteristics of the Municipal Park

o  Nice Playground that includes

§  Slides, shacking bridge, sliding pole, 4 swings (2 for infants), twisting stair climb, a child teeter- totter, and rocking dinosaurs for children

§  There is a large field just north east of the playground that would be excellent for development because of its ideal location between Lansing and East Lansing.

§  This land was originally the Red Cedar Golf Course that went out of business

    Figure 6. Overall view of the playground

o  Large well maintained baseball stadium

§  Has lighting structures that can easily illuminate the ball park for night games

§  Home and away Stands

§  Concession stand

§  Bathrooms

§  Dugouts

§  Honorable plaques

    Figure 7. Millage Fund for the concession stand and restroom

o  There are multiple picnic tables in the park for people to enjoy their lunches as they relax in the park

o  There is a pavilion in the park for family or friend gatherings

o  The park has a city park maintenance crew that comes every Tuesday and Thursday to clean up trash in the park and attend to any equipment that needs attention.

    Figure 8. Pavilion for families. 

o  Side walk by the park for bikers or runners

§  Makes park easily accessible from the south side

o  Large parking lot

§  Is enough parking for a full ball park crowd

§  Children to play roller hockey

§  Or to ride bike

Negative Characteristics of Municipal Park

Newell’s Model displays four types of constraints including functional, structural, task, and environmental. We will focus on the environmental constraints associated with our park.

o  It is difficult for a child to ride their bike or walk to the park if they live north of the park due to the busy Michigan Ave traffic

             Figure 9. Busy traffic of Michigan Avenue.

o  The area just south west of the park is a very poverty struck area with abandoned businesses and a poorly maintained gas station, along with a liquor store, thus making the park unsafe at times

                                Figure 10. Liquor store right behind park.

o  Some step ladders are too high for a young child, making it unsafe.

             Figure 11. Step ladder too high off the ground. 

o  Park is right next to a “danger high voltage” area, which could be dangerous for children

             Figure 12. Power outlet right next to park. 

o  Very sharp corners for the base of the teeter-totter, increasing risk for injury

             Figure 13. Sharp corners of teeter-totter

o  Random stumps appear throughout the park, increasing risk for injury

             Figure 14. Tree stumps throughout the park

o  The lighting is not bright enough to illuminate the park at night time and gloomy days thus making unsafe. 

             Figure 15. Broken lamp not able to illuminate park

o  Swings are relatively high off the ground, which could make it difficult for some kids to use safely

             Figure 16. Swings too high off the ground. 

o  The walking surface underneath the playground is woodchips, which are sharp and do not provide a stable surface for children, which may increase the children's risk for injury

                                Figure 17. Wood chips too sharp

Our Development plan

        

Development of the Red Cedar Golf Course

• Build four large grass fields in the south half of the undeveloped land where the golf course is located.  Also, painting the regulation soccer field lines on each of the 4 fields.   

Cost: $2000.00

Provides:

§  Organized sports for youngsters in the area

§  Open space for playing catch with friends

§  Open space to play fetch with your dogs

§  Great open space to fly a kite

§  Great place to play seven on seven football

Evidence: An article by Barclays explains that the community will be more connected with the fields they put in place. The kids will also gain leadership and teamwork skills from the sport teams being formed. It also encourages kids to be more involved in exercise and sports as they grow up (Barclays, 2008). 

                    Figure 18. Proposal of multiple soccer fields next to the cities proposed strip mall. 

•  The purchase of 8 soccer nets and equipments for soccer games

        

          Cost: : $84.00 / post = $672.00 plus $500.00 for equipments = $1172.00

Provides:

§  Organized soccer leagues a place to play their games

§  A place for organized soccer teams to practice

§  A place for people of all ages to practice soccer and play pickup games.

Evidence: Soccer is one of the most popular sports in America, with participation in youth rising to 17.5 million in 2002, and is projected to keep increasing (Hilgers, 2006). 

                          Figure 19. Proposal of multiple soccer posts. 

                

Development of Playground

•      Resurface the playground with recycled rubber and in the process extend the playground boundary 10 feet north and 10 feet east to account for the needed space of new swings (talked about below).

Cost: $1000.00

Provides:

§  Will increase the stability of the playground surface

§  Provides better traction

§  Acts as a cushion absorbing the weight of the child or a possible fall

§  Is not sharp like woodchips

§  Will raise the level of the playground to decrease the step height a child must take to enter onto the playground

§  The new height will cover the sharp corners of the base of the teeter totter.

Evidence: An article by Fishman states that the rubber surface makes the floor slip-resistant, providing a safer area for children to play (2009). 

•      Placing a tire swing in the north west corner of the playground next to the other swings.

Cost: $100.00

Provides:

§  A unique piece of equipment that sparks the creative play of a child

§  The ability for up to three children to swing together

Evidence: By adding a tire-swing, it would make our playground a unique place to encourage creativity in children (Barth, 1974). 

•      Placing a handicap swing in the north west corner of the playground

Cost: $600.00

Provides:

§  Handicap children the ability to swing

§  Provides a safe and secure activity for handicap children

§  Handicap children with a sense of "fitting in."

Evidence: By having the handicapped swing added will integrate the handicapped children and non-handicapped children together. This will cause more non-handicapped children to gain knowledge and acceptance of those who are disabled (Holley, 1981).

Services Provided

• Services provided at the part: Hiring an individual to come Tuesdays and Thursdays to work in the park, as well as communicating with the strip malls (City of Lansing) for additional security. 

Cost: $1000.00

This individual will:

§  Open the baseball park gates and allow people of all ages to use the baseball field

§  Have access to work out of the building where the concession stands and bathrooms for the baseball stadium are

§  Lend soccer balls, footballs, baseball, baseball bats, and baseball gloves to children (items will be stored in the concession stand building)

§  Will keep an eye on the park and report unusual activity

§  Be one of the many volunteer from MSU that is a part of the new student organization called Promoting and Developing Safe and Fun Physical Activity for Children in our Society

Evidence: An article by the South African Journal of Education concluded that when a child is in a safe environment, free to roam around, it increases creative thoughts and activities (Xaba, 2006). 

Conclusion

Overall we believe this a wonderful park that is well maintained and has many amenities.  If you choose to vote for our development plan, this park will elevate neighboring land values and will promote a desirable opportunity for the citizens of our city to be more physically active, thus increasing the health of our fellow citizens.

                                 Figure 20. Overall view of Municipal Park

Questions to consider

1.   You say that the city of Lansing is planning to redevelop the open field into a strip mall. How is your group planning to negotiate with the city for your proposal to follow through? 

2.   How will redeveloping the park increase child attendance? How will they get there?

3.   What about the various constraints surrounding the park, such as the liquor store? Do you guys plan to do anything about it in order to promote human movement?

Annotated Bibliography

Barclays dedicates new sports fields to east side charter school students. (2008, Sep 29). PR Newswire, pp. n/a. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/448512040?accountid=12598

Barth, H. (1974). Building a creative playground: A community, school, PTA project designed for children series. Educational Design and Consultant, pp. n/a. 

Fishman, S. (2009). Weston resurfacing playground at gator run park: Rubber surfacing will be safer for kids playing at gator run park. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, pp. n/a.

Henley, G. (2010). Area teams see rise in soccer interest. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, pp. n/a.

Hilgers, L. (2006). Youth sports drawing more than ever. Retreived from http://articles.cnn.com/2006-07-03/us/rise.kids.sports_1_youth-sports-tennis-lessons-kids?_s=PM:US

Holley, D. (1981). Playground to Be Rigged for Handicapped: Experiment Aimed at Integrating Them With Other Children. Los Angeles Times, GB4-gb4.

Xaba, M. (2006). An investigation into the basic safety and security status of schools' physical environment. South African Journal of Education, 26, 565-580.