Game, Story, Movement – The Role of Disney Playmakers in Promoting Girls’ Physical Activity
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The aim of the study is to explore the practical implementation and recreational significance of the Disney Playmakers programme in promoting girls’ physical activity, based on semi-structured interviews conducted with Hungarian and Italian coaches. The findings indicate that the programme’s experience-based, story-driven structure, its emphasis on free play, and the absence of performance pressure strongly contribute to high levels of engagement and sustained motivation among young girls. Participants attend the sessions with enthusiasm, gain positive emotional and social experiences, and simultaneously develop fundamental movement skills as well as life skills such as cooperation, communication, and emotional expression.
However, the feedback suggests that the programme only partially fulfils its stated aim of directing participants towards organised, competitive club football. It can therefore be concluded that the Disney Playmakers programme is primarily best understood as a recreational participation initiative, playing a significant role in fostering positive attitudes towards physical activity and supporting the foundations of long-term active lifestyles among young girls.
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