Hoosier Sport: Refining and Implementing a Sustainable Campus-Community Partnership in Rural Indiana

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.