Analysis of the Sport Situation in the Municipality of Vouzela

Introduction: Understanding the sport situation in a given context is the first step to discover and analyze its “state of the art”, at a given moment. This momentary “photograph” should enable the organization, to be situated in the present and, at the same time, to outline the path(s) it intends to take to promote sport as cultural practices that are unequivocal factor of socialization, integration, health and well-being. Consequently, it is crucial to establish tangible indicators that should mirror exactly what the organization is trying to accomplish, when monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of strategies and determining the slope between previously established goals and what has actually been completed. Objectives: Knowing the sports facilities in the municipality of Vouzela; characterize the sports offer, through the identification of the projects developed by the municipality; to know the opinion of sports agents about the sport situation in the municipality; meet the agents and specialists from different areas who are directly or indirectly related to the municipality's sporting activity; update the list of artificial sports facilities in the municipality of Vouzela. Methods: The study results from the combination of an exploratory investigation (field research), consisting of a thorough analysis of a specific entity, resembling a case study and a description that combines quantitative and qualitative techniques. Results: There are 122 sports facilities in the municipality of Vouzela, basic, specialized and special for sport shows, with an emphasis on training-based (fields, pavilions and rooms); 4% of the facilities is under direct management by the municipality, while only 15% requires requalification; the municipality points to citizens' sports activities, specially focusing on youth and old age groups, and has a strong link with associations in various sport modalities; the number and qualification of sport agents involved is considered unsatisfactory, claiming a quantitative and qualitative increase; current sport projects do not have central support, being fully supported by the municipality. Conclusion: Increasing the number of sport agents is essential to expand the social dimension of the municipality; the observed municipality presents a flexible structuring of its work mechanisms, since its actions reflect the needs of its citizens, trying to provide main support to the most weakened age groups, through the adoption of a general sport policy (sport for all); it is not a “tight” organization, establishing relations with the surrounding clubs and associations, a principle that meets the sport phenomenon, which is also an social aggregator.