This study aimed to determine the impact of teacher verbal encouragement on physical fitness performance, technical skill, and physiological responses during small-sided soccer games (SSGs) of adolescent female students’ during a physical education session. Fifty-two adolescent female students were divided into a verbal encouragement group (VEG, 15.57 ± 0.50 years) and a contrast group (CG, 15.50 ± 0.51 years). Anthropometric measurements, soccer-specific cardiorespiratory endurance (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1; YYIRT1), muscle power (countermovement jump (CMJ); 5-jump-test (5JT), agility (t-test), sprint speed (30 m)), technical skill, and heart rate (HR) responses during SSG were measured. Additionally, heart rate (HR) was recorded throughout the SSG, and video analysis was used to quantify technical actions. The independent samples Student’s t-test was used to compare the difference between the verbal encouragement group and the CG. There was no difference between the verbal encouragement group and the CG in anthropometric characteristics and 30 m speed (p > 0.05). The total distance measured with YO-YOIRT level 1, t-test performance, CMJ, and 5JT performance results of the verbal encouragement group were considerably higher than the CG (p = 0.001, ES = 1.8, large; p = 0.001, ES = 1.09, large; and p = 0.001, ES = 1.15, large, respectively). Furthermore, the ball contacts, successful balls, and average heart rate were higher in the verbal encouragement group compared with the CG (p = 0.001, ES = 3.69, large; p = 0.001, ES = 5.25, large; and p = 0.001, ES = 5.14, large, respectively). These results could inform teachers of the usefulness of verbal encouragement in the teaching-learning process in the school setting during small-sided soccer games.

Background: Mountain tourism implies specific aspects in contrast to other components of physical education and sport, by the vast scope and accessibility regardless of physical condition, age and skills or similarities with everyday life activities. We hypothesized that the joint activities, cooperation, interaction and direct communication with the natural and social environment will result in a better understanding of oneself and partners, placing the group structure on real bases, prompting avoidance of possible malfunctions in the subsequent group activity.Material/Methods: Subjects of this sociological research were 48 first-year students, participating in "Mountain tourism and sport orientation" (26 males and 22 females), which applied a sociological survey. To achieve the research'e objectives, we used the following methods: a questionnaire, a statistical and mathematical method and a graphical method.Results: In the most part, previous relationships of acceptance, empathy, trust, rejection or isolation were of the interpersonal type, motivation being that they had not previously -as a group or individually -experienced collaboration, mutual assistance, addiction group and so on. Experiences conducted in a common framework, adapted to everyday comfort, provide false opportunities for the knowledge of the self and one another. The ranking of desired partners would change significantly: the originally agreed out of "top 10" instead came to be approved by other subjects (46, 48); a symmetrical aspect applies to unwanted partners, and, in fact, produced a reversal of the scale of values. An important aspect is the knowledge and recognition targeting sociometric's leadership, sense that we can say that the initial place 1, 2, 3 have become 7, 3 and 4 and the final places 1, 2, 3 won the original positions 9, 24 and 2.Conclusions: Knowing the stage achieved in the formation of the group cohesion (through calculation of the cohesion index), before an important step for the group and some period thereafter, will show the effectiveness of the actions taken. Calculation of the index at different stages will reveal in which direction the group evolves: increasing cohesion, stagnant or in decline. The two investigative tools can be a strong support for knowing the socio-emotional bases of a group which usually escapes in direct observation, and especially provides the possibility of an action, an intervention in the group that takes into account the internal organization to enhance its functioning to improve group cohesion, and the establishment of a homogeneous team (an important aspect in sport or other activities with high complexity).

Background: The article presents the results of research on mountain tourism in the Apuseni Mountains in Romania, especially in the field of safety and health (physical condition) of participants of expeditions to the mountains and their knowledge about the risks that may be encountered in these destinations and the methods of informing about these threats (proposed markings and information about hazards in the mountains, and placed on hiking trails). Material and methods: 45 volunteer young people were involved in the research. The methods used were: 1) field testing method; we monitored the evolution of the heart rate and correlated it with the geographical area; 2) survey/questionnaire method; through a questionnaire, were subjectively identified the potentially hazardous areas and the reasons why they were considered as such; 3) direct observation method; we made a correlation between the subjective physiological response (accelerated breathing, suffocation, sweating) and the area in which they occurred. Results: Monitoring the evolution of the heart rate has allowed highlighting areas where prolonged physical exertion can generate a state of fatigue that can become acute, thus promoting decreased ability to pay attention and focus. The recommendation that accompanies the proposed tourist sign on several levels of intensity, induces the “obligation” of the recovery break, thus inducing the return of attention and the ability to concentrate. Other areas that may present a significant potential of risk or danger to tourists, by slipping or overloading muscles or areas with a complex geographical structure that require specific skills: balance, muscle strength, etc., have been identified using the questionnaire. Conclusions: Based on all the information collected, depending on the characteristics of the type of risk, we propose to complete the catalogue of tourist signs with more specific information. We assume that informative signs that we propose and the additional information they contain can contribute to the avoidance of some limit situations that would determine the occurrence of some incidents or accidents. The better educated and informed tourists are, the safer their way will be.

Background: Physical education may be thought of as a special form of education through one’s body which aims not only to fulfil biological purposes, but which also entails significant psychological and social issues. Starting from this point, the aim of the present study is to decrease the number of students exempted from physical education classes by asking them to fill in a survey before each class. Material and methods: The study was conducted in 4 schools from Oradea, over the course of 12 weeks of middle school classes. Results: A visible result was a decrease in the number of students exempted from physical education by 4 to 6 students. Surprisingly, the number of eighth graders exempted from physical education increased. Conclusions: Implementing surveys over a longer period of time would lead to significant results with regards to student attendance at physical education classes.