Abstract Purpose Rinck hockey has been shown to be a highly demanding team sport with serious gaps between training and competitions. This study examined elite male rink hockey players’ training and competition variation demands, considering player positions. Methods Ten participants from a leading European team underwent data collection during two microcycles using a local positioning system and heart-rate monitoring. A linear mixed model, accounting for individual repeated measures, was used to compare physiological and mechanical load demands between player positions across training days and competition. Results Regarding physiological metrics, forward players showed lower total distance skated (m) on match-day-4 and match-day-2 when compared to match-day ( p < 0.001) and lower maximum heart rate (bpm) on match-day-4 and match-day-3 than on match-day-2 and match-day ( p < 0.001). Regarding biomechanical metrics, forwards presented lower ( p < 0.001) accelerations, decelerations, and high-intense impacts across the training sessions when compared with match-day ( p < 0.001). Defenders/midfielder players also experienced significantly lower high-intensity impacts than match-day ( p < 0.001). Cluster analysis classified physiological and biomechanical demands into "Low" and "High" categories between training days and competition. Results highlighted the inadequacy of training sessions replicating game demands for defenders/midfielders and forwards. Conclusions The proposed approach allows for categorizing and classifying physiological and biomechanical loads in rink hockey, assisting coaches in customizing training sessions, and emphasizing the importance of position-specific modifications in elite rink hockey training.

This study examined whether differences in countermovement jump (CMJ) and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) force-time metrics exist between starters and non-starters in professional female basketball players. Twenty-two athletes (7 starters, 15 non-starters) competing in the first Spanish basketball league completed CMJ and IMTP testing using dual force plate system. CMJ variables included jump height, peak and mean braking and propulsive force, time-to-takeoff, and net impulse. IMTP variables included peak force and rate of force development (RFD) at 0-100 and 0-250 ms. Independent t-tests and Hedges' g effect sizes were used to assess between-group differences. No statistically significant differences were observed between starters and non-starters for any CMJ or IMTP force-time metrics of interest (p > 0.05). Both groups displayed similar values in jump height, force production, and RFD, with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate (g = 0.04-0.49). However, starters were significantly older than non-starters (p = 0.018), while no differences were found in body mass and height (p > 0.05). Overall, the findings of the present study indicate that, at the professional level of play, CMJ and IMTP performance characteristics are not capable of distinguishing starters from non-starters in women's basketball. Starting status may be shaped more by competitive experience, technical proficiency, and tactical awareness. Although monitoring neuromuscular performance remains valuable, player selection and role differentiation appear to depend more on skill execution and contextual game demands than on strength characteristics alone.

Badminton, a technically and tactically demanding sport, requires rapid reaction, eye-hand coordination, and agility, alongside both aerobic and anaerobic energy system capabilities. However, current mainstream fitness assessments primarily rely on non-specific and semi-specific tests, which, while reliable, lack ecological validity in capturing the multidimensional demands of badminton. Field-based tests, designed to simulate the sport-specific movements and energy demands, are critical for accurately evaluating badminton athletes' performance. This systematic review aims to evaluate the reliability, validity, and applicability of existing field-based tests for badminton athletes, providing evidence-based insights for the development of more contextually relevant assessment methods. Method: Using keywords such as “badminton”, “specific”, and “test”, we searched multiple databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and SPORT Discuss Full Text in November 2024. The inclusion criteria : (1) Study participants must be healthy, physically active, and fully functional badminton players of any age and gender; (2) Testing must occur on a badminton court or equivalent-sized site; (3) The assessment must simulate actual game demands, including specialized footwork and batting styles; (4) Research must be published in peer-reviewed English journals. A total of fifteen articles were included in the current study, involving a total of 7 endurance tests, 8 agility tests, including 5 changes of direction (no decision) tests. All studies involved 2–4 levels of interventions. Participants included males and females, with ages ranging from 10.3 to 34.4 years, and playing experience ranged from at least 1 year to 19.1 years of experience. Findings showed that the 13 tests demonstrated high reliability and validity, with only two tests (one endurance test and one COD test) considered ineffective for assessment purposes. Based on the studies reviewed, it seems that most tests serve as effective evaluation tools, they have limitations. Agility tests predominantly focus on horizontal displacement rather than spatial movement, and endurance tests often rely on single metrics, lacking multidimensional assessment. Additionally, specific on-court tests lack a universally accepted gold standard, complicating validity assessments. In practical applications, court-specific tests should be combined with traditional assessments to provide a comprehensive evaluation of athletes' performance.

ObjectiveTo describe the frequency, rates and contextual features of heading in matches across the English men’s elite football pathway.MethodsThis prospective observational cohort study coded purposeful heading events in English Premier League First Team (senior), Category 1 and Category 2 Academy matches played between April 2021 and June 2024. Using video analysis and predefined heading and match descriptors, the study focused on heading frequency, rates, preceding events and unintended head impacts occurring during heading events.ResultsA total of 687 matches were included in the analysis, yielding 26 510 purposeful heading events across 49 703 match minutes. Heading rates/min increased by 13% per age group, from U9s to senior levels, rising from 0.167 to 0.875 headers/min. Central defenders exhibited the highest heading frequency, accounting for 34.2%–36.3% of all heading events. The most common preceding event leading to a header was a long pass. Unintended head impacts during heading events were infrequent (31 occasions, <1% of all purposeful heading events), with the highest incidence (1 per 971 match minutes) observed in senior players and the lowest incidence (1 per 1852 match minutes) observed in foundation (under 9s to under 11s) players. Six players were removed from play following medical assessment.ConclusionsThis is the first published study to report heading rates across an entire elite, men’s football pathway. The findings support data-informed decisions regarding heading exposure in elite male footballers and provide valuable insights for those preparing players for the demands of the elite game at different age levels. Unintended head impacts during heading events occurred more frequently in senior players. Further research is needed to understand the variability in heading exposure throughout an individual player’s development pathway and any potential clinical ramifications.

The team agility plus test: A novel three-dimensional approach for assessing agility in multidirectional sports.

Transition from U18 to senior basketball in males: A comparison of external and internal game demands

BackgroundAlthough it is known that determining the external loads during matches and training is essential for coaches to understand game demands, optimize and specify players’ performance, or avoid overtraining or overload scenarios, it has been observed that the pre-match warm-up external load is neglected. The aims of this study were (i) assess the pre-match warm-up external load for female volleyball players and (ii) compare this load by player position.MethodsExternal loads (total distance, jump count, acceleration (ACC), deceleration (DEC), ACCmax, DECmax, ACC/min, speedmax, metabolic load) of fourteen elite female volleyball players during pre-match warm-up were monitored with Local Positioning System (LPS) for a season and separated according to player positions (libero (L), outside hitter (OH), opposite (OPP), middle blocker (MB), setter (S)).ResultsElite female volleyball players performed 888.1–1078.5 m total distance, 15.9–85.3 jumps (excluding L: 7.6 jumps), 18.5–31.8 ACC and 10.4–28.2 DEC counts, 13.1–15.3 m.sec− 1 speedmax and 214.2–406.0 m metabolic load during the pre-match warm-up. While S had significantly higher total distance, jump count, ACC and DEC count, ACCmax, ACC/min and speedmax (η2: large, p < .001), OH and OPP had the highest metabolic load (η2: large, p < .001). L had significantly higher ACCmax and DECmax, speedmax data accompanied by significantly lower total distance, ACC count and metabolic load (η2: large, p < .001).ConclusionExternal load metrics during pre-match warm-up in female volleyball players showed clear positional differences. These findings highlight the need for coaches and strength and conditioning professionals to design role-specific warm-up strategies that reflect the physical demands of each position. By tailoring pre-match preparation in this way, practitioners may better optimize readiness, reduce the risk of fatigue or overload, and improve subsequent match performance.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the external load demands of large-sided games, with and without regulatory interruptions, to the average (FOOTmatch) and most demanding scenarios (MDSmatch) observed in official football matches, taking into account players’ pitch positions. Methods: Large-sided training games were implemented with regulatory interruptions (FOOTtask) and without interruptions (MURDtask), during which a coach continuously introduced new balls to maximise effective playing time. GPS data were collected from eight official matches and six training sessions, involving a total of 30 young male football players. Results: MURDtask surpassed FOOTmatch, FOOTtask, and even MDSmatch in distance covered (Effect Size = 0.6–2.5), and equaled MDSmatch in the number of decelerations > 3 m·s−2. Both FOOTtask and MURDtask exceeded the average match demands in most locomotor external load variables, except for sprinting efforts > 28 km·h−1. However, none of the training games reached the peak values of MDSmatch in high-speed running or high-intensity accelerations and decelerations (>4 m·s−2). Positional analysis revealed significantly higher values in MDSmatch for most variables, except for decelerations <−3 m·s−2. Conclusions: MURDtask is a useful strategy to overload players, but additional tasks are required to replicate high-speed and high-intensity accelerations and decelerations typical of MDSmatch.

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) are increasingly shaping high-performance sport by translating complex time series data into actionable insights for coaches and practitioners. This paper outlines a structured, five-stage DSS development pipeline, grounded in the Schelling and Robertson framework, and demonstrates its application in professional basketball. Using changepoint analysis, we present a novel approach to dynamically quantify Most Demanding Scenarios (MDSs) using high-resolution optical tracking data in this context. Unlike fixed-window methods, this approach adapts scenario duration to real performance, improving the ecological validity and practical interpretation of MDS metrics for athlete profiling, benchmarking, and training prescription. The system is realized as an interactive web dashboard, providing intuitive visualizations and individualized feedback by integrating validated workload metrics with contextual game information. Practitioners can rapidly distinguish normative from outlier performance periods, guiding recovery and conditioning strategies, and more accurately replicating game demands in training. While illustrated in basketball, the pipeline and principles are broadly transferable, offering a replicable blueprint for integrating context-aware analytics and enhancing data-driven decision-making in elite sport.

With the rising popularity of esports, the demand for effective performance assessment methods has become critical for coaching practices. Esports performance evaluation remains a complex task due to the unique demands of different games and the dynamic nature of the esports ecosystem. Additionally, the effectiveness of performance indicators in evaluating amateur players in the early stages of their careers remains unclear. To investigate this, we conduct expert interviews with head coaches of three distinct team games, Valorant, PUBG Mobile, and League of Legends, to uncover critical factors that coaches consider in evaluating amateur player performance. Our findings reveal fundamental challenges that question the validity of standardized indicators for performance measurement. Coaches highlighted that while quantitative metrics, such as in-game statistics, are commonly used in tracking player progress, they must be carefully contextualized within the unique demands of each game and the team dynamics. Moreover, coaches underscore that soft skills are as determinant as individual technical skills for fostering future career success in esports, particularly in team-based games where communication and stress management play a crucial role. These findings highlight the need for a more nuanced, coach-driven approach to performance assessment for amateur players. This exploratory study suggests that performance measurement frameworks need to account for context-dependent competencies and player career development in esports.

The rapid growth of digital educational games demands an evaluation model that accurately captures user experience and adopts a human-centred approach. This study introduces DEGREE (Digital Educational Game Review and Evaluation Engine), an enhanced model extending MEEGA+ by incorporating two previously underrepresented dimensions: Control and Feedback. Using a quantitative approach, questionnaires were distributed to high school students who actively use Minecraft and Duolingo, yielding 4800 responses.Reliability analysis via Cronbach’s Alpha revealed that the Player Experience + Control combination achieved the highest score (α = 0.914), while the inclusion of Feedback reduced reliability (α = 0.864), leading to its exclusion in the final model. The DEGREE model consists of two core domains: Usability (Aesthetics, Learnability, Operability, Accessibility) and Player Experience (Focused Attention, Fun, Challenge, Social Interaction, Confidence, Relevance, Satisfaction, Perceived Learning, User Error Protection, Control). Evaluation scores were calculated using the Fuzzy Weighted Average (FWA) method and Mean of Maximum (MoM) defuzzification. The Control dimension emerged as the most influential (0.2735), followed by Fun (0.2664) and Satisfaction (0.2516), highlighting the significance of user agency in digital learning environments. The DEGREE model offers a statistically robust and user-oriented framework for evaluating educational games, delivering actionable insights for developers and educators to design more effective and engaging digital learning experiences. This study contributes a new validated and generalizable evaluation framework that strengthens the theoretical foundation of user experience assessment in educational game design.

Training load data should be provided to address various contextual factors such as player role; however, limited research has specifically quantified training and game demands based on player roles in female basketball players. Consequently, this study aimed to compare sessional training and game loads across a season between main (&gt;25 min playing time in games) and bench (&lt;25 min playing time in games), semi-professional, female basketball players (n = 12). Across all on-court team training sessions and games, players had external load measured with microsensors (PlayerLoad and inertial movement analysis variables) and internal load measured using heart rate and session-rating of perceived exertion monitoring methods. Linear mixed models revealed games imposed higher external and internal loads than training for all variables in main players (p &lt;0.001). In contrast, training sessions induced greater external and internal intensities than games (p &lt;0.01), while games imposed higher perceptual demands than training (p &lt;0.01) in bench players. Main players exhibited greater external loads and heart rate demands in games than both games and training in bench players (p &lt;0.01). The lower demands in bench players suggest they may be inadequately prepared to cope with increased loads if required to take on a main role.

SauDial: The Saudi Arabic dialects game localization dataset

This study examined the psycho-physical demands experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during several Traditional Indigenous Games (TIGs). Women engaged in three TIGs (Kai Wed, Ilye, Edor) with psycho-physical demands (i.e. heart rate; movement distance and speed; rating of perceived exertion, RPE) recorded. Significant differences were noted between TIGs with Ilye inducing greater maximum and average heart rate (5-14 %), absolute and relative distances (146-282 %), speed (3-29 %) and lower RPE (48 %) compared to Kai wed and/or Edor. Results will guide future, culturally relevant interventions to improve physical activity levels and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

BackgroundWalking football (WF) can be used as an impactful activity for healthy aging and decrease the high levels of sedentary behavior among older adults. This study examines the external and internal intensity profiles of male and female participants during a WF tournament, addressing a gap in research on game demands and induced load.MethodsThe study involved 176 players aged 50 + participating in a 40-min, 5v5 WF tournament with unlimited substitutions. External intensity profiles (total and categorized distances) were measured using Global Positioning System (GPS), while heart rate (HR) monitors assessed internal intensity profiles, including absolute HR and intensity zones based on %HRmax.ResultsThe proportion of male participants (n = 123; 70.3%) was higher than females (n = 52; 29.7%), p < .001. They were similar in age (61.6 ± 8.6 and 60.8 ± 6.9, respectively). Males covered a higher distance per minute than females, with sex showing a moderate effect (63.3 ± 10.7 m/min vs. 54.7 ± 15.8 m/min; p < .001; Cohen’s dunbiased = 0.69 [0.36; 1.03]), especially in fast walking (41.7 ± 12.2 m/min vs. 32.6 ± 16.7 m/min; p < .001; Cohen’s dunbiased = 0.66 [0.33; 1.00]). Males played more time than females (22:26 ± 09:47 min:ss vs. 15:41 ± 07:46 min:ss; p < .001), with moderate effect (Cohen’s dunbiased = 0.73 [0.40; 1.06]). However, no differences between sexes were identified in the intensity load variables, such that the female average %HRmax was 80 ± 11% and the male was 82 ± 8% during the practice.ConclusionsOverall, while males generally exhibit higher external intensity profiles in WF, both sexes experience similar internal intensity profiles, highlighting WF’s potential as a scalable, health-promoting intervention for aging populations.

The goal of this research is to look into the demand for creative educational games that would enable students at Ma'had at-Tarbiyah al-Islamiyah (MATRI), Perlis, learn Hadith 40 Imam Nawawi. As part of the research methodology, students were given questionnaires to fill out in order to obtain feedback on the use of interactive teaching tools such as board and card games. Additionally, two professionals validated the questionnaire. The data analysis focused on five important areas: the need for educational innovation, interest in educational games, the games' suitability for Hadith learning, their ease of use, and their ability to create collaboration. The findings revealed that the majority of students agreed that the learning of Hadith 40 Imam Nawawi requires innovation in teaching materials. A total of 62.5% of respondents agreed, and 37.5% strongly agreed, that interactive games can facilitate easier understanding of the Hadiths. Furthermore, a majority of students (68.8%) expressed interest in using card or board games as a method for learning Hadiths. The results also indicated that educational games could enhance students' motivation, attract their interest, and simplify their comprehension of Hadith content. In terms of game suitability, 62.5% of respondents agreed that Hadith 40 Imam Nawawi is appropriate to be adapted into card or board game formats. Regarding the aspect of ease of use, 75% of respondents agreed that clear and concise game instructions are crucial to ensuring effective learning. Additionally, 87.6% of students believed that educational games could promote collaboration among classmates through discussions and the sharing of views about the meanings of Hadiths. Overall, the findings indicate a need to develop educational game-based teaching materials for the learning of Hadith 40 Imam Nawawi. The use of such games has the potential to increase students’ interest, motivation, and understanding of Hadith content, while also encouraging social interaction and collaboration among students. Suggestions from students were also considered to improve the design and effectiveness of the games within the context of Hadith learning.

This preliminary study had two aims: (i) to compare the internal and external loads between training sessions and official games in youth basketball players; (ii) to investigate the effects of the playing role on physical capacities, basketball skills, and internal and external loads accumulated during training and competition. Thirteen under-16 male basketball players, aged 15.30 ± 0.88 years, were followed over 10 consecutive weeks and assigned into two groups according to their playing role: starters and rotation players. Prior to the 10-week monitoring period, players' training experience, basic anthropometrics, physical capacities, and basketball skills were assessed. Then, internal and external loads were monitored in formal training and official competition. Data were analyzed using non-parametric techniques. Players attained significantly higher values in most measures of internal and external loads during official games (r = 0.82 to 0.88, p < 0.01). Starters outperformed rotation players in the 20-m sprint (r = 0.61, p < 0.05), the lane agility drill (r = 0.77, p < 0.01), and the control dribble (r = 0.73, p < 0.01). They also reached a lower HRpeak in practice (r = 0.65, p < 0.05), but a higher %HRpeak (r = -0.61, p < 0.05) and greater scores in the summated-heart-rate-zones model (r = -0.61, p < 0.05) as well as the dynamic stress load during official games (r = -0.57, p < 0.05). The findings highlight that young basketball players apparently do not train as intensely as they play. Moreover, it was during competition that starting players experienced higher internal and external loads. It is recommended that basketball coaches regularly monitor loads in both formal training and competition to closely match game demands when planning their practices. Finally, it is suggested that future research includes larger sample sizes to provide a more comprehensive understanding of both internal and external loads in youth basketball.

ABSTRACT Concurrent training (CT), which combines resistance exercise and energy systems conditioning, is the default approach to preparation in high-intensity intermittent (“stop and go”) team sports. This review provides an overview of CT, emphasizing its complexities and challenges in managing fatigue and optimizing performance. These complexities are specifically compounded by the variability in game demands across the season, where the presence of intensified and nonintensified competition periods necessitates a flexible and adaptive training approach. In this context, there are essential training variables to consider, including intensity, volume, session order, and recovery intervals between sessions. In addition, nontraining variables such as travel, sleep, and nutrition play a role in the fatigue experienced while training and competing. These variables interact to influence acute performance and training adaptations and can be strategically adjusted by strength and conditioning practitioners. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of fatigue management for practitioners in team sports, emphasizing the complexities and challenges of CT and offering simplified practical recommendations for adjusting training variables within any given microcycle.

This study examines the impact of locally born players on team attendance and revenue in the National Hockey League (NHL). Using data from 31 NHL teams from 2005 to 2018, the study employs a refined definition of locally born players and explores alternative definitions to ensure robustness. Each additional locally born player completing a full season is associated with an increase in home game attendance by approximately 12,000 spectators and $4.8 million in additional revenue. These effects are consistent across geographic regions, including traditional and non-traditional hockey markets. The findings underscore the value of investing and promoting local talent, particularly for teams with lower attendance levels. By fostering stronger community connections and regional loyalty, locally born players enhance team identity, boost fan engagement, and increase game demand. This study provides actionable insights for team management and marketing while advancing the understanding of fan demand dynamics in professional hockey.

With the increasing demand for digital art, animation, and games, facial generation for anime characters has attracted growing research interest in recent years, which aims to build models to automatically generate unique and high-quality character images. Thanks to the rapid advancement of deep learning techniques, particularly generative adversarial networks, GAN-based image generation methods have continuously achieved breakthroughs in generation effectiveness and speed. Focusing on generating realistic anime face images, this paper proposes an anime character face image generation model based on GANs, which integrates Bath Normalization and Dropout to maintain strong stability and avoid overfitting. Comprehensive experiments show the efficacy of the proposed method, which can achieve high diversity in facial features and styles while maintaining visual coherence