Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine: "if Olympic champions are real models and idols for today's young people" and whether they would wish or not to become Olympic champions, and which reasons they associate with their positive or negative answers. In surveys carried out in the years 1998, 440 and consequently in the period 2010-2011, 1,274 boys and 1,090 girls, 12-19 years old.
The quota samples were used in the selection of respondents in Prague´ and the Central region in the CZ. The parts of the „Olympic Questionnaire“, created and verified in the 1998 survey were focused on the analysis of the respondents’ answers.
Hypotheses: - the desire to become an Olympic Champion was felt more intensely in respondents of the surveys carried out in the year 1998 than in the project carried out in period 2010-2011. - Young people more involved in sports express their wishes to become Olympic winners significantly clearer than those who practice sports seldom or not at all. - Over 16 year old respondents are more aware of the difficulties associated with the process of becoming Olympic champions than 12-14 year old pubescent. Statistical analysis: the evaluation of the differences and identical opinions between the respondents´ answers in the observed groups were made by the MANOVA and t-tests for independent samples.
Results: the hypothesis about the importance of sports models and idols in current youth was confirmed. The role of Olympic champions is very important; namely in the internalization of the Olympic values in the process of the Olympic education of youth; both at schools and out of schools.
Olympians should be aware of the fact that even their behavior which is not related to sport events is noticed by young people. The Olympians should be informed about their influence on young generations.
Mass-media play a very important role in their mediation. For these reasons, the collaboration between the Club of CZ and the Olympic Academy should be innovated