Interview conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, BA Hons (Cantab)
Please could you give a brief introduction to motor
coordination? The importance of an adequate motor coordination
level in childhood has recently reemerged. In literature on
motor skill development, the focus is mostly on the
proficiency/competence level in movement skills. Motor
competence/coordination can be defined as a person’s ability to
execute different motor acts, including coordination of both
fine and gross motor skills (Henderson & Sugden, 1992). The
development of motor competence during infancy and childhood is
dependent upon and influenced according to the pattern that is
established by two factors namely, biological factors which
include genetics, gender and maturation, and environmental
factors which include experience, opportunity, encouragement,
demographics and social factors (Gallahue, 1982; Thomas, 2000;
Thomas, 2001) and their interactions (Newell, 1986). Why is
childhood a critical time for the development of motor coordinat