A Study of the Relationship Between Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence and the Performance of a Set of Basic Soccer Skills

Abstract

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence holds a significant position as one of the most important types of intelligence in physical education and sports science, according to the theory of multiple intelligences. It requires the use of the body or its parts to solve problems and the ability to coordinate movements using mental abilities. Football is a game characterized by a variety of skills and changing situations, which calls for an approach that relies on mental abilities to learn skills, including bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. Given our limited knowledge of students' capabilities and abilities in this type of intelligence, it is important to determine the level of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence to understand its role in the learning process and learner development. This study aims to identify the level of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence among first-year students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Basra, and to examine its relationship to the performance of some basic skills in football. The study included specific hypotheses and used the Khawla Ahmed (2006) Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence Scale. The study covered the period from February 16, 2022 to April 28, 2022. The results confirmed that the sample possessed a good level of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, and that there is a positive relationship between this type of intelligence and the performance of some basic skills. The study recommends focusing on bodily-kinesthetic intelligence during skill performance, and conducting similar research on other sports skills.