У статті подано ретроспективний аналіз особливостей підготовки майбутніх учителів фізичної культури до спортивно-масової роботи в загальноосвітніх навчальних закладах України (друга половина ХХ – початок ХХІ століття). Автором проаналізовано розвиток мети та завдань фізичного виховання на різних історичних етапах. Охарактеризуємо основні періоди становлення і розвитку вітчизняної системи професійної підготовки вчителів фізичної культури в Україні у ХХ столітті – початку ХХІ століття. Вказано, що провідні ідеї позитивного історичного досвіду становлення і розвитку вітчизняної системи професійної підготовки вчителів фізичної культури можуть бути використані в реформуванні сучасної української системи фізкультурної освіти на теоретико-методологічному та практичному рівнях. Акцентовано увагу на прогностичних напрямах розвитку фізкультурної освіти майбутніх учителів фізичної культури у ХХІ столітті.
The article presents the retrospective analysis of the peculiarities of the preparation future teachers of physical culture for sports and mass work in the general educational establishments of Ukraine (the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century). The author analyzes the development of goals and tasks of physical education at different historical stages. Let's characterize the main periods of the formation and development of the domestic system of professional training of the teachers of physical culture in Ukraine in the twentieth century - the beginning of the XXI century. The leading ideas of the positive historical experience of the formation and development of the domestic system of professional training of teachers of physical culture can be used in reforming the modern Ukrainian system of physical education at the theoretical, methodological and practical levels, it is pointed out. Its use at the theoretical and methodological level is possible for: overcoming template stereotypes of historical assessments, subjective conjunctural interpretations of a number of the positions on the history of the development of professional training of physical culture teachers; substantiation of the principles and basic provisions for the adaptation of higher education establishments in which the preparation of physical culture teachers for market conditions is carried out; substantiation of the provisions on the need to restructure the management of the system of professional preparation of teachers of physical culture on the basis of the organizational and methodological foundations of modern management; theoretical substantiation of principles of selection of the content of professional preparation of the future teachers of physical culture in the conditions of a new paradigm of higher education. On a practical level, the ideas of experience in the preparation of physical culture teachers at different historical stages 20 century - the beginning of the 21 st century can be used to solve the following problems: the creation of a modern regulatory framework for higher education institutions, the organization of scientific and methodological support for them; development of scientifically sound methodological recommendations on certain aspects of vocational training of physical culture teachers in general and a particular institution of higher education in particular; development of state standards for professional training of future physical culture teachers; the development of the program of the training course on the history of physical education for higher educational establishments and post-graduate physical education establishments. Attention is focused on the prognostic directions of the development of physical education for the future teachers of physical culture in the 21st century.