The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of sports course intervention on physical fitness and depression among a college freshmen sample in Taichung city. The study was a pre-experimental design, it utilized the strategy of sports course intervention and lasted for 12 weeks. Meanwhile, the subjects exercised 120 minutes each week. There were 195 students recruited as the subjects. Before and after the 12-weeks sports course intervention, all subjects completed physical fitness test and one self-reported questionnaire. The contents of self-reported questionnaire included gender, age, smoking habit, medication taking history, exercise frequency, exercise duration and exercise intensity, in order to evaluate the impacts on physical fitness and depression level. Additionally, depression level assessment used Taiwanese Depression Question. The physical fitness test included body mass index, sit-ups, sit-and-reach and 3-minute step test. All tests of the subjects were compared before and after 12-weeks. The paired t-test was used for data analysis and the results were followed: 1. The cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly improved (p < 0.05) after sports course intervention. Body mass index, muscle strength and endurance, flexibility were not significantly improved. 2. The depression level decreased significantly (p < 0.05) after sports course intervention. 3. The exercise frequency, exercise duration and exercise intensity were not significantly changed after sports course intervention.
