Thousands of young people are discovering phygital sport through a growing range of grassroots programs led by World Phygital Community (WPC) members around the globe.
Across Colombia, Belarus and Brazil, members are introducing phygital disciplines into schools, creating youth tournaments and launching community programs in a bid to build grassroots engagement and attract a new generation of phygital athletes.
Colombia takes phygital sports into schools
School and community programs have helped WPC member Phygital Games Colombia introduce more than 10,000 young people to phygital sport through its Phygital School Games.
One of its largest initiatives has been delivered through the Jornada Escolar Complementaria (Supplementary School Day) program, which brings Phygital Dancing to school events and gives students the opportunity to combine physical activity with digital competition.
The initiative also shows parents how gaming can be combined with movement and exercise – addressing their concerns about screen time while introducing their children to a new form of competition.
The organization’s long-term ambition is to create a grassroots pathway that allows young athletes to progress from the Phygital School Games to Phygital Origins and Phygital Rivals tournaments – and potentially compete at the Games of the Future in the years ahead.
Belarus introduces more than 500 young athletes to phygital sport
In Belarus, the Belarusian Phygital Sports Federation used the final of Kozhany Myach, an annual youth football tournament in Minsk, to introduce Phygital Football and Phygital Dancing to more than 500 youngsters aged 9-14 – including 120 girls.
Interactive zones gave participants and spectators the opportunity to try both disciplines for the first time and the Federation is now working with the Vitebsk regional authorities to stage a Phygital Football tournament for 16 youth teams from across the region in October.
Open to children aged 12-14, the tournament will take place at Vitebsk State University and FC Vitebsk.
More than 600 athletes take part in Phygital School Games in Brazil
Phygital Brazil brought more than 600 athletes together for its latest Phygital School Games program in Brasília, with competition taking place across the Samambaia and Ceilândia athletic centers on September 12 and 19.
Across two weekends of competition, 48 teams took part in Phygital Football across across U13, U17 and adult categories. Phygital Basketball attracted a further 26 teams competing across U16, adult divisions, with a further 13 teams participating in a dedicated women’s division.
The program also introduced Phygital Fighting for the first time. 24 athletes competed in 12 fights across four categories, giving more young participants and audiences the opportunity to experience an exciting new phygital discipline.
“I didn’t expect the Phygital School Games initiative to become something so big and exciting. We had more than 600 athletes participating across several disciplines and featured Phygital Fighting for the first time. It was an incredible experience and we will definitely do it again next year,” said Moacyr Alves, CEO of Phygital Brazil.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate how WPC members are using phygital sport to engage young people at an early age, widen access to physical and digital competition and support the development of the next generation of athletes.
