The Influence of the European Experts’ Activities on the Development of the Physical and Sports Movement in Yekaterinoslav Governorate (From the Second Half of the 19th Until Early 20th Centuries)

Abstract

After the establishment of Ukraine as an independent state, the interest in investigating historical aspects of the development of physical culture and sports both in Ukraine and in its several regions increased significantly. The chronological framework of this study covers the period from the second half of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century, when, in the conditions of the progress of the industrial and economic potential and the influx of foreign experts, the foundations of physical culture and sports were laid in the Yekaterinoslav Governorate, one of the largest provinces in the south-eastern lands of Ukraine. The article identifies the peculiarities of the physical culture and sports movement in the region, reveals the role of foreign experts (from Europe) in the development of physical education in educational institutions, in organizing and conducting training classes within the Sokil Gymnastics system in gymnasiums and schools. The contribution of foreign experts in the creation of the first sports organizations and clubs from certain kinds of sports is highlighted. The special contribution of the Polish diaspora and its representative Ignacy Jasiukowicz into the development of academic rowing in the Yekaterinoslav Governorate is revealed.