摘要:This article presents the results and analyses of a study conducted with boys and girls in the 8th and 9th grades in one of the metropolitan regions around São Paulo state, Brazil. We identified their perceptions about their experiences doing physical activities and sports, the frequency that they practice those activities in/outside of school, their interest in relation to those activities, and finally their perspectives practicing those activities for pleasure, their physical competency, and social support. The investigation involved providing a survey with closed-ended questions to the students, and the final sample included 1,742 subjects from 39 schools. Gender proved to be a statistically significant marker in the results: inequalities in gender were favorable to boys in almost all the aspects evaluated, except regarding educator support, which was perceived to be equal.