PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, ATHLETES AND SPECTATORS’ OPINIONS ON DEVELOPMENT OF TURKISH HANDBALL: A CASE STUDY IN ESKISEHIR Sema Çeliksoy - Mehmet Ali Çeliksoy - Erkan Akın Anadolu University School of Physical Education and Sports, Eskisehir, TURKEY INTRODUCTION Handball is a popular sport which has a lot of spectators in many parts of the world. This popularity makes it an important part of physical education classes. Although handball has been federated since 1976, it is one of the sport branches that has not been in a better position yet. Previously, handball had been in a good process but recently there have been appreciable decreases in every aspects (clubs, spectators, etc.) Some factors, such as decreasing of the number of supporters, being uninterested in handball, physical education teachers’ tendencies to other sport branches, not spreading the basic handball training, not giving news about handball in mass media sufficiently, can be seen as a handicap to develop handball. AIM OF STUDY In this research, the following question was considered. What are the individuals’ opinions about development of handball in Turkey? METHOD A survey was prepared by the specialist researchers and then a piloting was carried out on15 individuals. In this process some items were revised and the duration of answering the items was fixed. Finally, the survey was carried on handball coaches, athletes, spectators and others (total 100) in RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In analyzing process the demographic characteristics of the participants were evaluated as follow: % 50 of them were male, % 50 of them were female, % 74 of them were single, % 23 of them were secondary school students, % 77of them were graduate students, % 55 of them were in age group, % 47 of the individuals’ monthly incomes are 400 or under 400 dollars. According to demographic characteristics, a great many of participants are educated, more than half of them are young and single, nearly half of them have low incomes and many of them are students, teachers, and coaches. Principal Component Factor was used in order to group, to classify and to deviate to main factors of the 24 variants. According to analysis of results, there were five factors which indicated restrictions in handball. The primary factor was mini handball which emphasized the importance of mini handball training, facilities, equipments and other factors were seen to have great effects for handball. As a result, it could be said that some factors such as mini handball training, media, institutionalization, advertisement and organization have great importance for the development of handball and several projects should be carried out urgently. ANOVA test was used to reveal the differentiation of attitudes with regard to the factors affecting handball and demographic characteristics. The findings of the research revealed that there were significant differences between the institutionalization which was one of the factors affecting handball and profession groups. As a result, educators implied that General Directorate for Youth and Sports, province delegates, clubs and schools should consider club activities and provide sponsors’ support. REFERENCES Alpman, C. Beden Eğitimi ve Çağlar Boyunca Gelişimi, İstanbul:1972. Argan, M. and Hakan Katırcı, Spor Pazarlaması, Nobel Yayınları, 2. Baskı, Ankara, s.3, Çeliksoy, M.A. Küçük Yaş Gruplarında Hentbol Öğretim Yöntemleri veUygulamaları, Anadolu Üniversitesi Yayınları No:1260, Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Yüksekokulu Yayınları No: 1, Eskişehir: Erkan, M. 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