Abstract:

In the specific field of sports, the under-representation of migrants is particularly evident and challenging in their exclusion from positions of authority and overall representation in non-playing positions. This observed gap poses issues that affect the lives of both the migrants and the host European countries not only in terms of sports development but also in cultural and educational integration. One strategy that can address this gap is the “Education through Sports” (ETS) methodology. ETS is a non-formal educational approach that works with sports and physical activities and which refers to the development of key competencies of individuals and groups to contribute to personal development and sustainable social transformation. ETS also aims to integrate sports elements for an educational purpose to address a social issue, develop various competencies and initiate lasting and transversal results. Yet this methodology has not been tested among migrants and transnational sports managers, coaches, and trainers.

In this study, the quasi-experimental research design was utilized. The One-group Pre-Test-Post-Test was employed, where there is only one group, given a pre-test, a treatment, and a post-test. Experiential learning was adopted in improving the sports skills of the 25 migrants in Spain. The mean was used to determine the level of knowledge and skills using the 5-Point Likert scale and the following qualitative descriptors; 1.00 – 1.49 (Strongly Disagree or SD); 1.50 – 2.49 (Disagree or D); 2.50 – 3.49 (Neither nor Disagree or ND); 3.50 – 4.49 (Agree or A); and 4.50 – 5.00 (Strongly Agree or SA). The standard deviation was used to determine the variations in the responses of the respondents in each item.

For the significant difference in the level of knowledge and skills of the migrant’s potential sports managers, paired sample T-test was used. Likewise, ANOVA was used to determine the significant difference among the migrants’ overall knowledge and skills as potential sports managers.

After the implementation of the ETS program, the respondents agree of acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills for them to perform administration and human resource management in sports, coaching and mentoring, digital skills for sports managers, management of sports events, financial sustainability strategies, and mechanisms for sports organizations, marketing, and communication in the field of sport and good governance, mostly within the range of 3.50 to 4.49. The posttest results also show that the respondents rated their trainer high with a mean of 4.2800; sd=0.35076. The series of training provided the participants with a high level of expertise in all rating areas improving what they have prior to the ETS program.

There is a significant difference between the respondents’ knowledge and skills before and after the infusion of the ETS program, p=0.000. Hence ETS was effective in developing the knowledge and skills of the migrants in Spain as potential sports managers.

Keywords:

Knowledge, skills, education through sports, migrants, sports managers.