Department of Physical Education

Physical education at MU as a whole is organised by the Department of Physical Education. The Department uses its faculty offices to organize physical education classes and sports activities at individual faculties. The department is also the sole sponsor of the Universita Brno Sports Club (VSK MU Brno).

The main aim of the system of physical education at the university is to give students an opportunity to go in for sports, to assist them relax in an active manner and recuperate their strength, and first and foremost to adopt the right habits of a healthy lifestyle of a modern man.

Physical education at individual faculties is organized in a variety of ways. Generally speaking, it forms part of the study curriculum in the first years of study, includes one training camp course, and a students need to get a credit for a successful completion of the programme. In subsequent years, physical education is part of the supplementary programme and it is optional. In both cases the students may choose what discipline from the department’s programme they want to go in for, and when. The possibilities are varied and the range is broad enough to allow a majority of MU students to go in for a sport of their choice. The core sports include, e.g., basketball, volleyball, football, tennis, table tennis,  aerobics, ballet, judo, karate, swimming, canoeing, fitness exercise and bodybuilding.

The winter training camps organized by the Department offer courses in downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, with even an opportunity to get a skiing instructor licence. Summer training camps offer watercraft programmes, windsurfing, cycling, hiking, rafting, mountain biking, and an introduction to mountain climbing.

In its 21 teams, the Universita Brno Sports Club provides opportunities for MU students to go in for sports at both recreational and competitive levels. It has 6+8 teams in national league competitions and 9+4 teams in regional competitions. A number of MU teachers act as team coaches or leaders. In 2000, the Universita Brno Sports Club had 1860 members.

An important task for the Department's teachers is to organize sports activities of students at schools of higher education and develop the necessary methodology. Dr. Eva Slonková is the deputy chairperson of the Czech University Sports Association Executive Board. Dr. Karel Opravil is a member of the Czech University Sports Association Executive Board and chair of the Brno Sports Organisation of Schools of Higher Education. Dr. Karel Opravil was appointed head of the Czech university team for the 2001 Winter World Universiade in Poland.

Dr. Pavel Korvas was appointed coach of the Czech university skiing team and will participate in the 2001 Winter World Universiade in Poland in that capacity.

In co-operation with the Universita Brno Sports Club, the Department of Physical Education held a number of major sporting events, including the International University Championships of the Czech Republic as a part of the UNI/FIS European Cup in alpine skiing, the University Championships of the Czech Republic (with international participation) in classical skiing, and the University Championships of the Czech Republic in table tennis, golf and beach volleyball.

Teachers of the department actively participated in four conferences, where they presented four papers. They also participated in the publishing of various methodology materials (the Coach journal).