From gamers to athletes: how fijital sports helps teenagers join a healthy lifestyle

The media center of the Vitebsk region held a press conference “New digital reality: strategy for the development of fijital sports in the Vitebsk region”. Experts discussed a unique format that combines the virtual world of e-sports and physical activity, and presented a plan to involve the youth of the region in this trend.

This is a sport where the result depends on two stages. First, an athlete competes in a computer simulation (e.g., playing digital football or a shooter), demonstrating reaction and tactical thinking. Then he transfers these skills to the real field, proving his physical fitness. The winner is the one who succeeds in both worlds simultaneously.

- Many parents are afraid that children go into virtuality and forget about the movement. Fijital sports solves this problem cardinally, said Andrei Makarenko, Chairman of the Belarusian Fijital Sports Federation. Our main mission is to use the interest of teenagers in games as a “hook” to pull them from the room behind the monitor to the street, to the football field or basketball court. We tell the child, “Do you want to win the game?” Run faster, jump higher, train in reality! And it works seamlessly.

Belarus is already in the top 4 of the world ranking of countries developing this direction, and Vitebsk region is becoming one of the key regions for its scaling. Success is impossible without a well-coordinated teamwork. Alexander Abdulkhakov, organizer of fijital sports of the Belarusian Fijital Sport Federation, spoke about the accessibility of the format for the regions:

- The main advantage is flexibility. Qualifying stages can be conducted online through partner computer clubs even in small towns. And the finals gather the best in real arenas. Thus, we create a unified sports environment from the district center to the capital.

- This is a unique opportunity for the university to study the effects of hybrid loads on the body. How quickly does the brain switch between the game code and the actual run? These are new topics for future research and training.

Tatiana Mikhailovskaya, methodologist of the Vitebsk Regional Training and Methodology Center, emphasized the importance of methodological support for teachers and trainers mastering new technologies. She also said that tomorrow, October 8, on the basis of VSU named after P. M. Masherov will start competitions in fijital football among young men born in 2012-2014. Participants - 16 teams of cities and districts of Vitebsk region. In parallel, a friendly match in fijital basketball with students will be held, and an interactive zone will open for viewers, where everyone can try themselves in the role of an eSportsman.

- We are waiting for everyone! – said Andrey Makarenko. Come and get sick, come and play. Perhaps it is here, in Vitebsk, the future champion of the Games of the future will be born. All reports and news are available on our website.