"Psychological Aspects in School Sports" was the title of the 11th Paderborn School Sports Day on Wednesday, October 1, at Paderborn University. Over 70 teachers from all school types, full-time teachers, and coaches from the region participated in the event to learn about current developments in this field and to deepen their knowledge in subsequent workshops.
Prof. Dr. Matthias Weigelt, head of the Psychology and Movement Department at the University of Paderborn, explained why psychological aspects are so important in school sports today. "Only those who have knowledge of movement and can describe these movements can teach them and perform them without fear." "Therefore," said Weigelt, "the topic belongs in both teacher training and continuing education as well as in physical education classes." He further stated that the way teachers deal with the stresses of everyday school life is crucial for their mental health. "All prospective teachers must be given tools early on to deal with the diverse stresses of their job," the sports psychologist called for an additional training.
In the subsequent panel discussion, which included Weigelt, Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt (University of Münster, Vice President of the ASP for School Sports), and Christoph Prunsche (Helene Weber Vocational College), the topic was examined from various perspectives and current problems were highlighted. The event was moderated by PD Dr. Iris Güldenpenning.

Photo (We move all children, Nicole Satzinger): Discussing psychological aspects in school sports from left: Christoph Prunsche, Mathias Hornberger (organizer of the school sports day), PD Dr. Iris Güldenpenning, Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt, Prof. Dr. Matthias Weigelt and Prof. Dr. Matthias Bauer.