The formation of fully democratic citizenship represents one of the most complex challenges for contemporary societies, in an effort to reduce social differences and promote the concepts of equity and justice. John Dewey identifies schools as the key institution to pursue this objective but simultaneously highlights certain limitations that hinder their effectiveness, especially in a rapidly changing social context (Dewey, 1916). The challenges posed by the modern world to schools are multifaceted: not only must they transmit knowledge and skills, but they must also form aware, responsible, and participatory citizens (Morin, 2020). However, schools alone may not be sufficient to address these challenges. It thus becomes necessary to imagine complementary educational tools that can support schools in promoting active and conscious citizenship (Azzarito et al., 2016). Among these possibilities, play and sports stand out as particularly promising fields, thanks to their intrinsic characteristics that make them powerful formative tools.

Indeed, play and sports are recognized as extraordinary educational experiences, capable of developing personal skills. Play is involved in stimulating imagination, problem-solving, and teamwork. Sports, on the other hand, foster respect for rules, discipline, and patience. However, both present critical issues that cannot be overlooked: play is often reduced to a childish activity, fundamentally undervalued and relegated to moments of leisure lacking explicit pedagogical direction (Staccioli, 2004). Conversely, sports risk being dominated by excessive emphasis on competitiveness, which can turn them into exclusive and highly selective experiences, thereby losing their inclusive potential (Isidori - Fraile, 2008).

The aim of the research is to find a synthesis of play and sports in an attempt to overcome these critical issues and provide valuable support to the school in its attempt to form democratic citizenship. The proposal is to imagine a possible mode that arises from the synthesis of the elements of play and sports: a sportified mode.

The concept of sportification suggests filtering human experiences through the lens of play and sports, not to exacerbate their competitive dimension but to make it sustainable and pedagogically significant. Sportification thus represents a modality for translating various human experiences in an attempt to support formal education in its regenerative role of the democratic ideal: the inherent thrust of sportification could allow democracy to be constantly regenerated (Dewey, 1939) rather than taken for granted or assumed as given.

This study examines sportification as an educational modality that integrates play and sports to balance competition, fostering cooperation, personal growth, and democratic participation. Sportification is not merely an abstract model but a theoretical framework with practical applications that support schools in forming conscious citizens. Using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach, this research highlights its potential to regenerate democracy and strengthen education.

Sportification enables schools to cultivate essential personal and social skills, leveraging play and sports to develop critical thinking, empathy, and conflict resolution (Bellantonio, 2014). A sportified approach actively engages students while promoting inclusion and social justice.

This contribution presents sportification as an innovative interpretive key to contemporary educational challenges, reframing play and sports as tools for social transformation.

A program is underway to implement these reflections in educational practices. Within the Primary Education Sciences Degree Program at the University of Turin – Biella Campus, a collaboration with local organizations is developing inclusive, sportified training activities, centered, among other aspects, on that of the coach as educator (Jones, 2006).

This initiative designs and implements activities that enhance accessibility and engagement in diverse educational settings. Through experimental practices blending play and sports, it fosters participatory learning environments and strengthens democratic education.

This study employs a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach to analyze the educational potential of sportification. Grounded in an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, the research integrates pedagogical and sociological perspectives, examining the relationship between play, sport, and democracy within educational contexts. The study unfolds through a theoretical investigation structured into two phases, aiming to construct a conceptual model that redefines the role of movement and competition in education. The first phase involved a systematic review of the literature on the concepts of democracy, play, and sport, with the objective of synthesizing their fundamental characteristics and identifying points of convergence. The analysis of democracy was conducted through the lens of educational theories that emphasize experience, participation, and collective growth as key dimensions for shaping active citizenship (Dewey, 1916; Freire, 1996). The study of play focused on its structural and cultural elements, considering its role as a formative space governed by rules, creativity, and rituality (Huizinga, 1946; Caillois, 1958). Finally, the examination of sport highlighted its dual nature, balancing competitive performance and educational value, and considered its potential as a tool for personal and social development (Guttmann, 1978; Farné, 2016; Svennson, 2023). The second phase of the research involved the theorization of a new conceptual framework, moving beyond the binary opposition between play and sport. Through a synthesis of the key elements emerging from the literature review, the study proposes sportification as a third theoretical structure, capable of incorporating both the ludic and agonistic dimensions into a broader pedagogical perspective. This approach positions sportification as a model that fosters regulated competition, active engagement, and the development of democratic competencies. By bridging theoretical analysis and educational practice, the study seeks to provide a framework for reinterpreting sportificated experiences as essential tools for citizenship education. The findings aim to support educational institutions and informal learning environments in redefining the role of sport and play, emphasizing their function in promoting inclusion, participation, and civic responsibility.

Sportification could emerge as an innovative educational proposal capable of supporting schools in their mission to foster democratic citizenship. By integrating play and sports in ways that equally promote competitiveness and collaboration, sportification aims to revitalize the democratic ideal and offer a response to the educational challenges of our time. It represents a way to harness the structured yet flexible nature of play and sports, allowing individuals to experience participation as both a personal and collective responsibility. Beyond its structural and methodological aspects, sportification serves as a pedagogical framework that educates individuals to develop a specific stance: to take part, to take a stand, to act as a counterpart, to transcend partial perspectives, to experiment with different roles, and, when necessary, to step aside. These dimensions highlight the dynamic and multifaceted nature of participation in sportified experiences, where engagement is not limited to mere involvement but extends to an active, critical, and self-aware positioning within competitive and cooperative dynamics. In this sense, sportification trains individuals to navigate complexity, make informed decisions, and develop a sense of ethical responsibility—fundamental skills in a democratic society. The study highlights how sportification can transform competitive experiences into sustainable educational paths, addressing the needs of a complex and ever-changing society. Sportification encourages individuals to understand the educational potential of competition not as a mechanism for exclusion but as an opportunity for mutual growth. Sportification could open new research lines, such as the necessity of balancing the inclusive and exclusive components of competition or exploring participation in virtual environments, including esports and digital platforms. By rethinking the way play and sports contribute to education, sportification provides a conceptual lens through which schools and other institutions can promote an increasingly democratic and fair society

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