위기 속 초등학교 소프트테니스부 지속을 위한 감독교사의 실천적 탐구 = A Practical Inquiry into the Supervising Teacher’s Practices for Sustaining an Elementary School Soft Tennis Team in Times of Crisis

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Purpose: This study aims to explore the sustainability of a soft tennis team in the midst of school sports team dissolution caused by declining birth rates and shrinking student populations, focusing on the practices and educational implications of an elementary school sports team coach,.
Methods: Employing an autoethnographic approach, the researcher collected and analyzed data from self-reflective journals, training records, and informal dialogues with students and parents from March 2024 to the present, using inductive category analysis.
Results: The findings revealed three key practices. First, the inclusion of female students through coeducational team management served as a practical alternative to overcome the shortage of male players and prevent team dissolution. Second, morning training before classes and lunchtime practice sessions compensated for insufficient training hours, strengthened students’ confidence and physical fitness, and enhanced parental trust. Third, integrating soft tennis into 1st- and 2nd-grade classes provided early exposure, encouraged natural participation, and established a foundation for long-term player development.
Conclusion: Collectively, these three practices demonstrate alternative approaches for sustaining non-mainstream sports teams and highlight the broader educational significance of school sports. By overcoming the limitations of previous studies that relied on external observations, this autoethnography provides deep insights into the coach's practical knowledge and the process of overcoming educational dilemmas. Consequently, this study offers valuable insights and foundational evidence for future school sports policies and innovations to ensure sustainability.