Athletic Teams Research Articles

Fitness Soccer Athletes Training at the University of Limpopo, South Africa: Are the Macronutrients Intake and Anthropometric Status of These Athletes Optimal?

Background: Dietary practices of the University of Limpopo soccer team athletes have been reported. However, the practices of those engaging in soccer for general fitness from different non-competitive teams remain unknown. To respond to this gap, the researchers investigated the energy, macronutrient intake, and BMI status and further correlated the two variables of the fitness non-competitive soccer athletes registered at the University of Limpopo in South Africa. Method: A quantitative study design was undertaken to conveniently sample 60 out of 90 fitness soccer athletes from the four non-competitive soccer teams at the University of Limpopo sports grounds. Ethics approval was obtained from the University of Limpopo Research and Ethics Committee, and permission was given by the university sports management and team coaches. Athletes signed the informed consent form before participating in the study. Data were collected at the soccer fields during the afternoons before the start of training. Macronutrient intake data were collected using multiple (two) 24-h recall questionnaires on different days, which were validated by the food frequency questionnaire. Weight and height were measured using a digital scale (Seca 813 electronic flat scale) and stadiometer (Seca 213 portable stadiometer) for BMI calculations, respectively. The average energy and macronutrient intakes were calculated through the SAMRC FoodFinder software (3.0). The nutrient averages, together with the BMI results, were loaded into SPSS (26.0) for further analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to report the energy, macronutrient intake, and BMI statuses of athletes using percentages, means, and standard deviations (±SD). A one-way ANOVA test was used to determine the association between the latter variables. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was the criterion used to correlate the variables. Results: All (100%) athletes were males, most of whom played soccer for 2–3 years while at the university. Almost half (48%) of athletes consumed energy (39.6 kcal/kg) below the recommendations. About 92% and 53% of athletes consumed carbohydrates (5.0 g/kg) and fat (1.2 g/kg) below the recommended values; while 43% consumed protein (1.4 g/kg) optimally. The majority (>80%) had a normal BMI (21.6 ± 2.6 kg/m2) status. However, there were no relationships between the energy (p = 0.383), CHO (p = 0.261), protein (p = 0.543), and fat (p = 0179) intake and the BMI status of athletes. Conclusion: The macronutrient intake of fitness soccer athletes at the University of Limpopo is, on the whole, suboptimal. However, the athletes had normal body weights. There was no association between both the energy and macronutrient intake and the anthropometric (BMI) status of soccer athletes.

EFEITOS DO TREINAMENTO INTENSIVO SOBRE A LESÃO MUSCULAR DE OMBRO EM TENISTAS DE MESA

ABSTRACT Introduction: The glenohumeral joint has the greatest range of motion. Its stability is relatively poor. It depends on muscle strengthening and increased proprioception in the articular and adjacent joint tissues. Muscle-strengthening training for this joint is still an empirical subject related to table tennis players. Objective: Explore muscle strengthening training's effect on shoulder muscle injury in table tennis players. Methods: Eight table tennis players from a university were selected as a research subject, separated, and classified between injured and control group. Three weeks of strengthening training were adopted to rehabilitate the rotator cuff injury of the table tennis team athletes. The joint angle test and kinematics were collected with isokinetic force measurement employing Cybex-6000. The EMG and other relevant data were collected before and after the experiment. Results: The infraspinatus strength test results of 8 athletes before the experiment were 1.88 ± 2.10 versus 1.61 ± 1.80 after the experiment; there was no change in pain among 5 of the eight athletes, the shoulder pain of 1 athlete increased, and the shoulder pain of the other 2 table tennis players decreased. Conclusion: Strengthening exercise by intensive shoulder training proved effective in conjunction with traditional rehabilitation, positively influencing hypertrophy and proprioception of the joint complex. Evidence Level II; Therapeutic Studies – Investigating the results.

Genetic polymorphisms of muscular fitness in young healthy men.

The effects of genetic polymorphisms on muscle structure and function remain elusive. The present study tested for possible associations of 16 polymorphisms (across ten candidate genes) with fittness and skeletal muscle phenotypes in 17- to 37-year-old healthy Caucasian male endurance (n = 86), power/strength (n = 75) and team athletes (n = 60), and non-athletes (n = 218). Skeletal muscle function was measured with eight performance tests covering multiple aspects of muscular fitness. Along with body mass and height, the upper arm and limb girths, and maximal oxygen uptake were measured. Genotyping was conducted on DNA extracted from blood. Of the 16 polymorphisms studied, nine (spanning seven candidate genes and four gene families/signalling pathways) were independently associated with at least one skeletal muscle fitness measure (size or function, or both) measure and explained up to 4.1% of its variation. Five of the studied polymorphisms (activin- and adreno-receptors, as well as myosine light chain kinase 1) in a group of one to three combined with body height, age and/or group explained up to 20.4% of the variation of muscle function. ACVR1B (rs2854464) contributed 2.0-3.6% to explain up to 14.6% of limb proximal girths. The G allele (genotypes AG and GG) of the ACVR1B (rs2854464) polymorphism was significantly overrepresented among team (60.4%) and power (62.0%) athletes compared to controls (52.3%) and endurance athletes (39.2%), and G allele was also most consistently/frequently associated with muscle size and power. Overall, the investigated polymorphisms determined up to 4.1% of the variability of muscular fitness in healthy young humans.

Practical Efficacy of Prior Checks on Athletes’ Medication Use for the Prevention of Unintentional Doping

Background: Athletes are subjected to disciplinary action for even unintentional doping. This study aimed to clarify the effectiveness of prior checks on athletes’ drug regimens by medical personnel with knowledge of anti-doping to prevent unintentional doping. Methods: This is a retrospective evaluation of the inquiries to the Anti-Doping Committee by the Japan Table Tennis Association national team athletes and athlete support personnel between 2011 and 2019 regarding whether the drug in question was permitted and whether it contained any prohibited substance. Discrete evaluations were performed for ethical and over-the-counter drugs, in addition to the evaluation of all drugs. Additionally, we evaluated the drugs according to therapeutic category and World Anti-Doping Agency’s classification. Results: Overall, 85/1238 (6.9%) ethical drugs, 49/259 (18.9%) over-the-counter drugs and 134/1497 (9.0%) total drugs were considered as not allowed for use. The proportion of over-the-counter drugs judged as not allowed for use was higher than that of ethical drugs (p < 0.001). When tabulating the drugs not allowed for use in the therapeutic category, numerous prohibited substances were identified in adrenal hormone preparations, Kampo products, synthetic narcotics, antitussives, antihemorrhoidals, and bronchodilators among ethical drugs and in cold remedies, gastrointestinal drugs, and antitussives and expectorants among over-the-counter drugs. Conclusions: Of the ethical and over-the-counter drugs that elite athletes wanted to use, approximately 10% were not allowed because of the risk of unintentional doping. These results suggest that conducting prior checks of the athletes’ drug regimens by medical personnel with anti-doping knowledge are effective measures to prevent unintentional doping.

Team identification and athlete burnout: Testing longitudinal serial mediation via perceived support and stress

Sport participation is associated with exposure to high-stress environments that can lead to the development of athlete burnout. Researchers have, therefore, shown great interest in identifying relevant coping resources. While perceived support has been shown to act as such a coping resource, its effectiveness is likely influenced by other social factors. Following the social identity approach, team identification and stress may be relevant factors. Thus, the present study employed a two-wave longitudinal design to test whether team identification predicts athlete burnout through a serial mediation of perceived support and stress. Online surveys were used to assess team identification, perceived support, stress, and athlete burnout in 176 athletes (Time 1) and 95 athletes (Time 2). Path analyses indicated that team identification did not predict athlete burnout directly or indirectly. However, perceived support significantly and negatively predicted athlete burnout via stress. The results suggest that perceived support may reduce stress, and in turn reduce the risk of athlete burnout development in athletes, but the effects of team identification may occur via alternative pathways.

The Effect of Foam Rolling on Lower Limb Flexibility Among Cyclists

The purpose of this study was to study the influence of foam rolling on lower limb flexibility in a cycling team. A total of twenty subjects (N=20) were involved in this study and selected through the purposive sampling method. The research design that is used in this study is one group pretest-posttest. Sample Paired T-Test was used as this study included a pre-test and post-test using one group of subjects. During the pre-test, all subjects performed sit and reach flexibility test for three trials. After an intervention trial of 4 weeks, one week consisting of 6 days of intervention, subjects performed the same flexibility test for the post-test. Paired sample T-test has been used to analyze and measure the differences in flexibility between the pre-test and post-test with foam rolling treatment among cycling team athletes. The alpha is set at 0.05. The result showed the mean score for the difference between the pre-test and post-test (M=2.35, SD=1.556). The study found that the differences between pretest and posttest for flexibility is t (19) = - 6.751, p < 0.05. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. This finding suggests that foam roller positively affects lower limb flexibility among cycling team athletes.

Is Preferred Language Other Than English Associated With Delayed Surgery After ACL Injury in Children and Adolescents?

Previous studies have investigated the impact of social determinants of health, such as the type of healthcare insurance and household income, on children and adolescents with ACL tears. However, despite the increasing incidence of ACL injury in young patients and a substantial proportion of families who may prefer languages other than English, the relationship between language and clinical care remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between language and the care of children and adolescents with ACL tears, we asked: (1) Is a preferred language other than English (PLOE) associated with a delay between ACL injury and surgery? (2) Is a PLOE associated with a greater odds of a patient experiencing a meniscal tear and undergoing a meniscectomy than in those who prefer English? We treated 591 patients surgically for ACL injuries between 2011 and 2021. Of those, we considered patients aged 18 years or younger who underwent primary ACL reconstruction for this retrospective, comparative study. Five percent (31 of 591) of patients were excluded because the date of injury was not clearly documented, 2% (11 of 591) were revision reconstructions, and 1% (6 of 591) underwent procedures that were intentionally delayed or staged, leaving 92% (543 of 591) for analysis. The mean age was 16 ± 2 years, and 51% (276 of 543) of patients were boys. The family's preferred language was noted, as were demographic data, time between injury and surgery, and intraoperative findings. A language other than English was preferred by 21% (113 of 543) of patients. Of these, 94% (106 of 113) preferred Spanish. In a univariate analysis, we used independent-samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U-tests, and Fisher exact tests, as appropriate. Purposeful-entry multivariable regression analyses were used to determine whether PLOE was associated with increased time to surgery, concomitant meniscus injury, or performance of meniscectomy while adjusting for confounding variables. Variables were included in multivariable models if they met the threshold for statistical significance in univariate testing (p < 0.05). The median time between injury and ACL reconstruction was shorter in families who preferred English compared with those with a PLOE (69 days [IQR 80] versus 103 days [IQR 107)]; p < 0.001). After controlling for potentially confounding variables like insurance and age, we found that patients whose families had a PLOE had greater odds of undergoing surgery more than 60 days after injury (OR 2.2 [95% CI 1.3 to 3.8]; p = 0.005) and more than 90 days after injury (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.1 to 2.8]; p = 0.02). After controlling for insurance, age, and other factors, PLOE was not associated with surgical delay beyond 180 days, concomitant meniscal tears, or performance of meniscectomy. In this study of children and adolescents undergoing primary ACL reconstruction, patients whose families prefer a language other than English experienced a longer delay between injury and surgery. In areas with a large proportion of families with a PLOE, partnerships with primary care clinicians, emergency departments, schools, athletic teams, and community organizations may improve efficiency in the care of children with ACL injuries. Clinicians proficient in other languages, reliable interpreter services, and translated references and resources may also be impactful. Our results suggest a need for further research on the experiences, needs, and long-term outcomes of these patients, as well as the association of preferred language with results after surgery. Level III, therapeutic study.

“Nothing was lost sailing-wise and lots is gained on a personal level”: Practitioners’ behaviors and athletes’ perceptions of working in online environments

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of expert practitioners and their British sailing team athletes concerning effective, athlete-centered online delivery during a period of COVID-19 restrictions between March and June 2020. In particular, we explored how psychosocial behaviors of practitioners and inherent attributes of online environments influenced the overall wellbeing of the athletes. MethodsUsing appreciative inquiry (AI), which adopts a social constructionist viewpoint, we interviewed nine expert practitioners, which included technical and strength and conditioning coaches, physiologists, and physiotherapists, and 18 elite athletes. ResultsOur results highlight that when delivering sessions online, practitioners expressed psychosocial behaviors that helped build effective relationships, with expression of care and empathy developing closeness, active participation exhibiting commitment, and psychosocial behaviors such as promoting a holistic mindset supporting an athlete-centered approach. Key to these positive outcomes was the connection that practitioners developed with their athletes in these online sessions. Our results suggest that the online environment provide opportunities for practitioners and athletes to reveal part of their personalities and identities that go beyond focusing on performance due to the change in the contextual setting (i.e., restrictions called for a ‘people first’ approach). ConclusionThe findings offer a novel contribution to the literature in highlighting how online environments provide the opportunity to deliver athlete-centered sessions.

A Data-Driven Approach to Running Gait Assessment Using Inertial Measurement Units

Background: Running is an extremely common exercise, both recreationally and competitively. Combined with clinical assessment, technology-driven biomechanical gait analysis can be used to examine markers of performance and injury risk in runners. Indications: The indication is to provide clinicians and sports science researchers a framework for using inertial measurement units (IMU) for data-driven, quantitative gait assessments. Technique Description: This video details practical application of IMU use in biomechanical gait assessments. Details on participant and equipment setup, in-session protocols, and selection of gait variables are included. Results: Following collection of demographic and anthropometric outcomes, IMUs should be placed on rigid segments of the lower extremity, sacrum, and trunk. In our model, we place IMUs on the foot, shank, thigh, sacrum, and lower thoracic spine. Following static anatomical calibration, running gait biomechanics are evaluated at multiple speeds using IMUs, 2-dimensional high-speed video cameras, and an instrumented treadmill. The high-speed video and IMU data are analyzed together at various parts of the gait cycle, including foot strike, mid-stance, toe-off, and flight. Many kinematic and kinetic variables (ie, unilateral discrete joint angles, joint excursions, joint moments, spatiotemporal outcomes, etc) can be selected for analysis, ideally via a collaboration between the sports science, athletic, and sports medicine teams. A collaborative approach should also be used to determine how this information will be used to alter training programs or influence injury risk in the running athlete. Discussion/Conclusion: This report details how to use a data-driven approach to evaluate running gait biomechanics using IMU technology. This framework for gait analysis is most applicable, and effective, when the team of researchers works in conjunction with coaches, sport scientists, and athletes. Utilizing this framework, training can be adapted based on the objective and clinical assessment to reduce injury risk and improve performance in the gait assessment.

Pregnancy Incidence And Perception Of Athletic Care In Female College Athletes

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of pregnancy amongst female student-athletes during their tenure on a collegiate athletic team. To determine if those same athletes feel that the athletic and healthcare professionals (ie. strength & conditioning coaches (SCC), athletic trainers (AT), sport coaches (SC)) in their continuum of care are competent and compassionate in their role. To assess the athlete’s awareness of their rights under Title IX with regards to pregnancy. METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed via mass email to sport coaches, across all collegiate athletic levels, with a request to forward to their female athletes. Inclusion criteria: ≥ 18 yrs old, be female sex at birth, a member of collegiate athletic team currently or within the past 2 yrs. A total of 1,868 participants were eligible and completed the survey. Questions assessed 4 major areas: inclusion/exclusion, seeking healthcare from athletic continuum of care, perceptions of healthcare from athletic continuum of care, rights of the pregnant athlete and Title IX. RESULTS: 1.76% (n = 33) reported incidence of pregnancy during their tenure as a collegiate athlete. Sought care/guidance from: 18.2% (n = 6) SCC, 21.2% (n = 7) AT, 30.3% (n = 10) SC. Perception of knowledge for pregnancy/post-partum care: 22.5% (n = 420) positive for their SCC, 42.5% (n = 793) positive for their AT, 39.6% (n = 739) positive for their SC. 14.1% (n = 263) of all athletes surveyed were aware of their rights granted to pregnant athletes under Title IX. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that with a 1.76% rate of pregnancy within our sample (n = 1868), with a reported 216,378 female college athlete population it is estimated that thousands of female athletes become pregnant over the course of their collegiate career. With the potential for so many female athletes to experience a pregnancy during their collegiate career, it is important to understand who they are seeking prenatal/postpartum care and advice within athletics. The results suggest a reluctance to approach SCCs and SCs over ATs, and yet none were highly rated as all were < 50%. Given the reported awareness around their rights and Title IX, and collectively, the results of the study suggest a need for change in the athletic continuum of care, or at least the perspective of the female college athlete towards her athletic continuum of care.

Team loyalty and intergenerational influence: the role of nurturant fathering in the transference process

PurposeThis study assessed the intergenerational influence of family socialization, specifically, nurturant fathering – the affective quality fathers provide children through warmth and acceptance – to explore how individuals initially connect with a sports team to become team-loyal.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via an online survey from respondents self-described as college football fans who selected their “Favorite NCAA Division I football team.” The 623 respondents subsequently selected their biological father's favorite team. An intergenerational “match” between father and child served as the dependent variable. Step-wise logistic regression assessed the relationship that team loyalty, nurturant fathering, and their interaction had on the intergenerational matching of a father's favorite team.FindingsTeam loyalty had a significant, positive relationship with an intergenerational match. A positive but weak direct relationship was found between nurturant fathering and a favorite-team match. However, nurturant fathering significantly moderated the relationship between team loyalty and intergenerational match. This suggests that the quality of a father-child relationship during the child's formative years can facilitate team loyalty to a team favored by the father.Research limitations/implicationsThe strength and quality of the relationship between a father and his children through nurturant fathering during their formative years can facilitate mutual team loyalty toward a college football team if not directly, then indirectly, through an interaction effect with a parent-socialized, team-loyal child.Practical implicationsCollege athletic teams, and sports properties in general, should address the bond between fathers and their children to take advantage of the intergenerational transference process identified in this study through targeted, family-focused sports marketing. More specifically, university athletic departments should engage in marketing efforts that encourage and solidify the mutual loyalty fathers and children may have to their father's favorite football team. The outcome would be a competitive advantage that leads to the cultivation of long-lasting fans from generation to generation.Social implicationsCollege football teams and sports properties in general should engage in father-child marketing promotions to encourage and enhance the intergenerational influence of fathers on their children with respect to the father's favorite team. However, while building future team loyalty among the children, these marketing promotions and the resultant father-child game attendance concurrently reinforce the father-child relationship. This ideally leads to a virtuous cycle of parental bonding and team loyalty.Originality/valueThis study extends research in intergenerational influence in a sports setting by introducing the construct of Nurturant Fathering and its scale to the sports marketing literature. The results found that a nurturing father can facilitate the formation of a mutual team loyalty between a father and his child with regard to the father's favorite football team. Extant research has focused on the behavioral elements of loyalty (e.g. attendance and revenues). This study's focus was on the attitudinal aspects of team loyalty. It empirically identified, at least in part, how individuals initially connect with a sports team to become team-loyal.

Social Distancing and Quality of Life Among Candidates for the Sports Science Degree During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures and the COVID-19 impact on the quality of life of the candidate students in the Faculty of Sports Sciences, based on their gender, whether they are athletes or non-athletes, and whether they are individual athletes or team athletes. The study included 1083 candidate students, including 364 females and 719 males. The Social Distancing Scale and the COVID-19 Impact on Quality of Life Scale were used to collect data. The results showed that the degree of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures between athletes and non-athletes was also discovered to differ in favor of non-athletes; and the COVID-19 impact on the quality of life of athletes and non-athletes was similar, being below the average. The level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures in individual or team athletes was higher, and the negative impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life of both groups was below the average. There was no relationship between the level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures and the COVID-19 impact on the quality of life of athletes, and there was a weak negative relationship between the level of compliance with COVID-19 social distancing measures and the quality of life of non-athletes. Because these findings show that people who engage in movement and sports are less affected by COVID-19-related negatives, it is essential not to restrict people's movement and sports activities while taking precautions for COVID-19 and similar emergencies.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian national team athletes' mental performance and mental health: The perspectives of mental performance consultants and mental health practitioners.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has led to significant disruptions in the lives of high-performance athletes, including the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the cancellation of many international and national competitions, and drastic changes in athletes' daily training environment. The purpose of this research was to examine the interplay between the mental health and mental performance of Canadian national team athletes and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these variables from the perspective of mental performance consultants and mental health practitioners. Twelve individuals working in these roles with national team athletes participated in focus groups and interviews during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Findings from the inductive reflexive thematic analysis revealed three main themes: (a) factors impacting athlete mental health (i.e., social and environmental, psychological, and public health restrictions), (b) consequences of COVID-19 for athletes (low mood symptoms, anxiety and stress symptoms, maladaptive behaviors, time for life outside of sport, rest, and recovery), and (c) impact of the pandemic on practitioners (roles, preparation and resources, gaps, and well-being). Interestingly, athletes with prior good mental performance skills were perceived to be more equipped to cope with challenges related to the pandemic, which concurrently seemed to facilitate good mental health throughout the pandemic. Furthermore, even though the pandemic had several debilitative consequences on athletes' mental health, it imposed a break from training and competition that allowed them to rest and enjoy their life outside of sport. Finally, participants discussed the need for more mental health resources and better access to practitioners supporting mental performance and mental health in the Canadian sport system.

Comparison of eating disorders symptoms and body image between individual and team sport adolescent athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundCOVID-19 has significantly disrupted the routines of school sports for adolescent athletes, which can affect their usual eating behaviors and body image. Specific pressures of individual sports (which tend to emphasize “leanness” as a means to improving performance), versus team sports (which tend to not require “leanness” for an athlete to be competitive), may further increase the risk of disordered eating (DE), eating disorders (ED), and distorted body image. An additional factor to consider is the gender of the athletes, with participation in “lean” sports associated with increased DE and body dissatisfaction for male, but not female, athletes.MethodsParticipants of the study included 124 Iranian male adolescent athletes residing in Mazandaran province (one of the most affected areas of Iran during COVID-19), who played in 1 of 6 sports (3 individual, 3 team). ED symptoms were assessed by the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), and body image was assessed by the Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA).ResultsThe individual athlete group (n = 62) had significantly higher EAT-26 subscale scores for Bulimia and Food Preoccupation (p = 0.019), as well as significantly higher BESAA subscale scores for Appearance (p = 0.001), Weight (p = 0.001), and Attribution (p = 0.001), compared to the team athlete group (n = 62). However, there were no significant differences between the two athlete groups on the EAT-26 Dieting and Oral Control subscales.ConclusionsCOVID-19 presents specialized issues for adolescent athletes, particularly those at risk for, or experiencing, DE, ED, and distorted body image. While individual athletes had significantly higher scores than team athletes on most subscales, there were no differences between groups on subscales of dieting and oral control. Overall, the findings highlight the need for sport psychologists, coaches, and other sports professionals working with male adolescent athletes (individual and team) to monitor DE, ED, and distorted body image during COVID-19, in order to provide early intervention, and mitigate the risk of long-term consequences.Plain English SummaryCOVID-19 has significantly disrupted the routines of school sports for adolescent athletes, which can affect their usual eating behaviors and body image. Specific pressures of individual sports (which tend to emphasize “leanness” as a means to improving performance), versus team sports (which tend to not require “leanness” for an athlete to be competitive), may further increase the risk of disordered eating (DE), eating disorders (ED), and distorted body image. An additional factor to consider is the gender of the athletes, with participation in “lean” sports associated with increased DE and body dissatisfaction for male, but not female, athletes. Participants of the study included 124 Iranian male adolescent athletes in Mazandaran province (one of the most affected areas of Iran during COVID-19), who played in 1 of 6 sports (3 individual, 3 team). The individual athlete group (62 participants) had significantly higher scores on measures of ED (Bulimia, Food Preoccupation), and body image (Appearance, Weight, Attribution), versus the team athlete group (62 participants). However, there were no significant differences between groups on other measures of ED (Dieting, Oral Control). Findings highlight the need for sport professionals working with adolescent athletes to monitor DE and body image during COVID-19 for early intervention.

Student-Athlete Mental Health, Help-Seeking, and Service Utilization: Implications for a Multi-Tiered, Public Health Approach on College Campuses

ABSTRACT Student-athletes experience unique stressors and challenges that impact both their mental health and athletic performance. The current study sought to explore these stressors and challenges; examine how they relate to help-seeking, service access, and utilization; and recommend what colleges and universities can do to better support the mental health of student-athletes. Three focus groups were conducted with NCAA Division I student-athletes in upstate New York between November 2019 and October 2020. Student-athletes described significant stress juggling athletic, academic, and social demands while maintaining a performance level that met the expectations of their coaches and themselves. Student-athletes were also impacted by an unhealthy athletic culture and team environment, specific higher-risk transition periods, and inaccurate beliefs about student-athletes held by their non-athlete peers. While many athletes reported struggling with their mental health, they felt either unable or unwilling to seek help due to stigma, how it would appear to their coaches, the hours and location of the counseling center, and previous poor experiences accessing and utilizing services. The authors present a set of multi-tiered recommendations to help increase awareness, access to, and utilization of both on- and off-campus mental health services, resources, and supports.

The Multiple Levels of Violence Against Women in the University Context

Failure to prevent violence against women and respond to women who experience it is unscrupulous. Based on this idea, our article was guided by the need indicated in the literature for research on the multiple levels that comprise the context of violence against women. This violence is more likely to occur in certain contexts, among which the university environment stands out due to the violence that occurs in fraternities, among athletic teams, and at parties, and competitions. Based on in-depth interviews with women and men, song lyrics, student diaries, videos, and private institutional documents, we examined the main catalysts of violence against women in the university context. We identified that (i) the actions and omissions of the educational institution, (ii) the taste for violence, the perception of self-efficacy, the socioeconomic origin, and the influence of the aggressors’ group of friends, and (iii) the apparent dichotomy between women’s vulnerability and women’s strength are among the main antecedents of violence against women. Among the contribution of the discussions presented in our article, we highlight the importance of adopting a multilevel view so that we can better understand and fight against this violence, the existence of which is not restricted to the university context.

The Role of Aerobic Capacity and Strength Levels on Wingate Performance and Lactate Concentrations

Background: Blood lactate (La-) is commonly assessed in tests of sport performance. Sports that utilize intermittent high intensity effort, monitoring of La- from previous exercise can be useful to document intensity of effort. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role La- played during successive Wingate (Win) tests and subsequent anaerobic exercise performance. Method: Well-trained, national team athletes from Jordan (n = 31) volunteered to participate. A quasi-experimental design was utilized to test Win performance and La- concentration. All participants engage in two Win tests with one minute rest between sets. La- was collected at four time points (prior to Win test 1, immediately after Win 1, after Win 2 and after a 10 minute recovery period). Results: Findings from a multiple linear regression model (p = 0.032) showed increased levels of La- accumulation as a predictor to higher power and strength (p = 0.046). Conversely, peak aerobic capacity was a predictor for decreasing La- accumulation over time (p = 0.039), which may suggest faster recovery. Conclusion: Anaerobic athletes who participate in short, high intense bouts of exercise may require high intensity training programs to increase aerobic fitness, power output, and optimal performance. Practical applications include optimizing training programs to reflect competition.

‘Athletes for Peace’? From the Quest to Hold the Mavericks Accountable to a Second American Rebel Tour of South Africa

ABSTRACT In 1988 a team of American track and field athletes violated international bans against competing in apartheid South Africa. Their trek created a global firestorm of controversy. Critics including white and Black US and South African athletes condemned the ‘rebels’ as at best naïve dupes but more commonly as immoral mercenaries. The ‘rebels’ defended themselves on the grounds that they were exercising ‘athletes rights’ and wanted to see the South Africa situation firsthand rather than kowtowing to athletics administrators. As the ‘rebels’ returned to the US, The Athletics Congress, the US body that oversaw track and field, held a series of trials and sentenced the members of the South African tour to long suspensions. A defiant group of ‘rebels’ fought their suspensions. About half of the original group, reinforced by new recruits, returned to South Africa for a 1989 tour as national and international debates about their activities raged.

EXAMINATION OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AFFECTING SPORTS PERFORMANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF ATHLETE EXPERIENCE

Introduction: In our research, we investigated the components, executive functions, and cognitive abilities underlying decision-making in sports performance using a computer-based test system. To define the athlete experience, we classified athletes according to an exact, unambiguous definition following international terminology, based on their performance, achievement, playing age, and sport's popularity. We hypothesize that team athlete with significant athletic experience will perform better on the executive function test. &#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on team athletes N=52. The VTS-DT test was used to measure executive function. The classification of athlete experience was based on an internationally accepted taxonomy defined with scientific precision (SWANNN, 2015). &#x0D; Results: When classified by athlete experience, the athletes we studied fell into amateur and elite categories. The DT/S2 scores of the two groups were compared based on each factor. We obtained trend-like correlations for the factors 'number of reactions', 'number of stimulations,' and 'number of good responses. Correlation analysis was performed between the factors on a group-by-group basis. When examining the relationship between reaction time, we found that there is a strong relationship with the number of stimulations (amateurs: r = -0.80; elite athletes: r = -0.87) since the faster someone is (i.e., the less reaction time), the more times they can respond to stimulations. Looking at the results for elite athletes, we also observe a moderately strong relationship between reaction time and the number of good responses (r = -0.68). We may suggest that experienced athletes could produce better responses faster than less professional athletes.&#x0D; Conclusions: Our hypotheses were partially confirmed, as we found a trend-like correlation that elite athletes scored higher on the DT test, which examined athletes' executive functions in a complex, adaptive way. Our research demonstrates that, on the one hand, it is worthwhile for coaches to build on experienced athletes when assembling a team, in addition to the momentum of young athletes, and that the development of executive functions and cognitive skills can improve the performance of athletes.

The effectiveness of American college sexual assault interventions in highly masculine settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sexual assault is prevalent on college campuses, with research showing that one in five undergraduate college women will be victims of sexual assault. Previous research has identified highly-masculine settings in higher education, such as fraternities and male athletic teams, as high-risk populations for sexual assault perpetration, resulting in the development of multiple interventions targeted at these groups. To date the effectiveness of these programs among this subpopulation has not been examined, as such, this systematic review examined the effectiveness of sexual assault interventions aimed towards fraternities and male collegiate athletic teams. To synthesize the existing scientific evidence five databases were searched resulting in a 5859-article screening. A total of 10 articles met full text criteria. Qualitative synthesis of these articles provided evidence to support the effectiveness of these programs in preventing sexual assault from these high-risk and highly masculine groups. A meta-analysis of five intervention effects among fraternity members indicated promising effects in the reduction of rape myth beliefs. Given the disproportionate number of sexual assault intervention programs aimed at fraternity members, future intervention programs should also target men in collegiate athletic teams. • Most sexual assault interventions are geared towards fraternity members. • There is a lack of sexual assault interventions aimed at male college athletes. • Sexual assault interventions were effective in reducing rape myth acceptance.