The state of formation of the desire of boys aged 11–14 to engage in sports in the school boxing section

Unlike physical education, participation in school sports is rarely mandatory for schools. However, for many students, school sports play an important role in learning, physical, and social experience. Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the individual aspects of the desire to engage in sports in the school boxing section among boys aged 11-14, with the goal of preparing them for participation in the ‘Healthy Ukraine’ student leagues. Methods: To achieve the set goal, ranges of appropriate research methods were used. To process various sources of information, methods of analysis, synthesis, systematization, and generalization were applied. At the empirical level, the study was conducted using a written survey (with a developed questionnaire) and methods of mathematical statistics. The study involved 52 students who are engaged in the school boxing section. The study participants were divided according to their somatotypes using the method of V. Shtefko and A. Ostrovsky, modified by S. Darska. Results: A number of individual characteristics were identified. It was established that interest in boxing increases with age, a high frequency of section attendance indicates high student motivation, and the main motives are the formation of a sporty physique, health improvement, and achievement of sports results. In general, students show a high readiness to participate in competitions, but there is a discrepancy between personal desire and the assessment of the necessity of the school team’s participation. With age, the importance of victory as the main goal decreases, and the importance of personal development increases. However, a significant part of students express a desire to become professional athletes. Conclusions: The research results have practical significance for optimizing the training process in school boxing sections and increasing student motivation. Taking into account the individual characteristics of students, their somatotypes, motivation, and sports preferences will contribute to increasing the effectiveness of sports activities and achieving high sports results.