Female Participation in Futsal in Physical Education Classes: A Comparison of the Perceptions of Elementary School II Students

Abstract: Introduction: Prejudice against females in futsal still exists, however, some changes have been happening, since the school has been creating an integrative environment for everyone. Aim: To analyze the perception of Elementary II students about girls’ participation in futs+633al. Methods: The study population was made up of 127 students, of both sexes (64 girls and 63 boys), from elementary school II, enrolled at Escola de Ensino Básico Professor Rudolfo Meyer. The research instrument was developed by the researchers themselves, divided into two questionnaires, one for females and the other for males. In both questionnaires, the six questions were structured in a Likert scale format, covering options ranging from one (strongly agree) to five (strongly disagree). It was applied twice, at the beginning of June (pre) and at the end of October (post). The information collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and frequency (absolute number), organized and made available in a Microsoft Excel®, Windows®10 spreadsheet. Results & Discussion: The boys presented a consistent response perception. However, the girls had differences in perception; Only two questions presented similar perceptions, indicating that they neither agree nor disagree regarding the family's encouragement of futsal and their colleagues' opinion about their participation in futsal. Conclusion: It is up to the physical education professional to propose initiatives that can awaken girls' interest in this sport.