Individual Athletes Research Articles

The Coaching Principles Self - Study: Outdoor Sports Events Coach Experiences

This qualitative descriptive study deals with the coaching principles of outdoor sports events as the coaches’ experience. The study was conducted at the Physical Education and Health Sciences of Chongqing Normal University in China. The researcher utilized 10 coaches of outdoor sports including volleyball, tennis, track and field, and football coaches who were chosen using the purposive sampling. The study therefore recommends that: 1) Coaches should prioritize their own development by staying updated with the latest coaching techniques, sports science, and research. 2) Adopting a student-centered approach involves understanding the unique needs and abilities of each individual on the team. 3) Coaches should develop well-structured training plans and set clear, achievable goals for both the team and individual athletes. 4) Coaches should foster a positive and supportive environment where athletes feel encouraged to learn and grow. 5) Coaches must conduct risk assessments and develop risk management plans to ensure the safety and well-being of their team. 6) Building strong team unity and positive relationships among team members can lead to improved cooperation and performance. 7) Recognizing that athletes have different learning styles and needs, coaches should tailor their teaching methods to accommodate individual differences.

Identifying The Effective Factors Of Personal Branding In Individual Sport Athletes

Identifying The Effective Factors Of Personal Branding In Individual Sport Athletes

“In Soccer, We Have the Opportunity to Call Attention to Certain Things”: An Examination of Media Framing of Activism for Human Rights in German Sport

The goal of this study was to extend the contemporary athlete activism literature by (a) exploring athlete activism beyond a strictly North American context and (b) examining how athlete activism at an organizational/institutional level (i.e., sport organization) may be framed differently than activist efforts at an individual level (i.e., athlete). By examining two examples of activism in German soccer, we show that the framing of both athlete-enacted and organization-enacted examples of activism highlighted the importance of speaking up when human rights are violated, called for the display of solidarity, and discussed the broader political implications for such protests. Additionally, framing of both examples of activism included voices of criticism regarding the sport organizations governing global sport. As calls for accountability of sport organizations suppressing athlete expression are becoming increasingly common in global sport, this study adds to a shifting focus of activism research targeting the sport institutions that often perpetuate the various injustices individual athletes call attention to.

Analysis of Coach’s Leadership Style on Individual Athlete Satisfaction

The coach's leadership has a big influence on the athlete's motivation, enthusiasm, and self-confidence in achieving the set goals. An effective leadership style in a sports context has a significant impact on athlete motivation and performance. Therefore, it is important to understand athletes' perceptions and satisfaction with their coach's leadership style. This study aims to analyze the effect of the coach's leadership style on individual athlete satisfaction by using the Leadership Sport Scale (LSS) questionnaire to measure the coach's leadership style and the Satisfaction Scale For Athletes (SSA) questionnaire to measure athlete satisfaction. This study uses a quantitative descriptive with a survey test method. The sample in this study were Student-Athletes of UKM Pencak Silat UPI in the sparring category and the single art category and sparring category, totaling 40 people. The results of data analysis show that the coach's leadership style affects individual athlete satisfaction with a percentage of 58%. Based on the results of data processing and statistical analysis in this study, it can be concluded that there is a significant influence between the coach's leadership style and the satisfaction level of individual athletes.

Is There a Relative Age Effect among the Most Successful Track and Field Athletes?

The prevalence of the Relative Age Effect (RAE) was studied among medalists from the World Athletics Championships at U18, U20 and Senior age groups and from the Olympic Games from 2000 to 2022. The specific events examined were the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, and 3000/5000 m, the long jump, the triple jump, the high jump and the pole vault. Dates of birth from 1,858 outdoor track and field athletes were analysed and further divided into four groups according to the quartile of birth. The RAE was found to be widespread among athletes of both sexes in U18 and U20 age groups in all examined disciplines. There was no difference between the most successful U18 and U20 athletes (p = 0.52). Among senior athletes of both sexes, this effect was not detected and the number of "late-born" athletes in this age group was higher than athletes born in the first three quarters. The prevalence of the RAE across the four groups of events was found in U18 and U20 age groups. Additionally, within each age group, the difference among events was statistically significant. In most successful track and field athletes, the RAE is only significant in U18 and U20 age groups. In senior athletes, the number of "late-born" athletes is significant while RAE disappears. These data may be considered when assessing the athletic potential of an individual athlete.

Wireless sensor system for real-time performance monitoring in sports

In Paralympic sports, investigating seating ergonomics and optimizing for performance is crucial due to individual impairments. Usually, experiments are conducted in laboratory environments and for skiing, usually on a treadmill. In this paper, we are moving experiments out of the laboratory setting to in-slope performance monitoring of kinetics and kinematics. A wireless sensor system is developed and validated in terms of delay. The results show a median delay of 52 ms for the wired main system and 53 ms for the wireless sub-system. The sensor system was implemented on a highly adjustable Paralympic sit-ski, and an experiment was conducted to pinpoint optimal equipment settings for an individual athlete. In addition, the system provided force data from both knees, seat, belt, and both poles. The data collected can also be used to analyze the technique, in addition to assisting in the classification process in the LW10–12 class. The proposed system design also allows for adding a vast amount of different sensor types, and by testing for delay, synchronized with well-known GNSS and IMU sensors already used in many sports to analyze athlete performance.

Immunosurveillance associated with upper respiratory symptoms in elite swimmers: The 8-month period leading into Commonwealth Games

ObjectivesTo monitor individual mucosal immunity and identify potential risk factors of upper respiratory symptoms in elite swimmers over a competitive season. DesignEight-month longitudinal study, observing mucosal immunity, Epstein–Barr virus status, training loads and illness symptoms of elite international swimmers, leading into the Commonwealth Games 2018. MethodsParticipants were fourteen elite swimmers (age ± standard deviation = 19.9 ± 0.8 years, height = 178.9 ± 6.3 cm, and mass = 75.0 ± 7.7 kg). Self-reported upper respiratory symptoms, training load and saliva samples were collected weekly. Venous blood samples were taken at study commencement to determine Epstein–Barr virus status. ResultsThroughout the study, 70 episodes of upper respiratory symptoms were recorded resulting in 34 days of missed training. Incidence (p = 0.001), severity (p = 0.022), and duration of upper respiratory symptoms (p = 0.001) were significantly higher during high training loads, compared to low. Eight swimmers (61 %) had evidence of past infection with Epstein–Barr virus, but this had no relationship with incidence, severity, or duration of upper respiratory symptoms (p > 0.05). Relative individual salivary immunoglobulin A concentration was 12 % lower when upper respiratory symptoms were present but was not statistically significant (p = 0.101). ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of individual athlete monitoring, to identify swimmers at increased illness risk. Identification of possible risk factors for upper respiratory symptoms, such as increased training load, may allow for modifications in training or other illness preventative strategies for elite swimmers.

AN ATHLETIC NATION: AN EXPLORATION OF MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK’S SPORTS VISION ON THE CENTENNIAL OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC

This research extensively examines Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's profound connection with sports in Türkiye. Commencing with Atatürk's personal interest in sports, this investigation delves into how sports became integrated into the vision of the Republic of Türkiye from various perspectives. The study highlights the place of sports within the broader context of the Turkish Revolution and underscores its critical importance in societal transformation. Through this work, Atatürk's perspective on the fundamental principles of sports is thoroughly elucidated and linked to national education and cultural values. As a result of this research, Atatürk's relationships with individual athletes and sports clubs are revealed, shedding light on his personal dedication to and profound commitment to the sector. Additionally, the establishment of sports organizations, state support in the early years of the Republic, and the significance of the Physical Education Law in Atatürk's institutional support and vision in this field are summarized within the scope of the study.

Differences in Relaxation and Imagery among NCAA Division I Sport Types.

Athletes use psychological skills such as imagery and relaxation to decrease stress, cope with competitive anxiety, and achieve an optimal state of arousal. There is conflicting literature on how team and individual sport athletes use these skills, with some saying that individual sport athletes have better capabilities and others saying team sport athletes use imagery more frequently. The current study analyzed sport type differences in the use of relaxation and performance imagery among NCAA Division I (DI) athletes. This study included 117 NCAA DI athletes, including team sport (n = 72) and individual sport (n = 45). Participants completed a modified version of The Deliberate Relaxation for Sport Survey through Qualtrics. Results indicated there is a statistically significant difference in the type of relaxation technique used based on the individual's sport type. Team sport athletes used muscle relaxation (p = 0.034), eastern relaxation (p = 0.014), and stretching (p = 0.020) more frequently than individual sport athletes. Additionally, individual sport athletes used performance imagery more often for mental focus than team sport athletes (p = 0.012). There were no differences between sport types in the level of deliberate practice of relaxation and performance imagery. Athletes used a variety of methods to learn both imagery and relaxation skills and have been using these for an average of four years. The majority of participants (n = 67) did not work with a sport psychology professional, but their school has one. This study supports the use of individualized intervention programs to help athletes use relaxation and imagery in the most effective ways for their performances.

Training, children, and parents: Coach perspectives on wearable sensor data in sub-elite figure skating in the United States

Motion data from wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors is widely used in some sports but is not widely used in figure skating. In order to understand how coaches perceive the use of IMU data in figure skating training, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 8 figure skating coaches at the sub-elite level in the United States. Unlike other qualitative studies involving the role of data in sports training, our study involves amateur athletes who are children or adolescents and who work closely with a coach. Based on those interviews, we found that coaches see themselves as the gatekeeper for sharing and interpreting data, coaches consider the varying needs of individual athletes when determining how to share data with that athlete, and that coaches are cautious when sharing data with parents. Based on these themes, we propose a discussion around a whiteboard as a paradigm for presenting data and suggest abstraction of numerical data to support sharing data with skaters and parents.

Variability analysis of muscle activation symmetry to identify indicators of individual motor strategy: a case series on elite Paralympic powerlifters.

In Paralympic powerlifting competitions, movement execution symmetry is a technical requirement influenced by individual athlete characteristics and motor strategies. Identifying the elements associated with individual motor strategies can offer valuable insight for improving sport performance. Therefore, this case series study aimed to explore muscle activation symmetry and its intra- and inter-individual variability to determine the muscles mostly related to individual motor strategies in elite Paralympic powerlifters. Bilateral electromyographic activation of the anterior deltoid (AD), pectoralis major (PM), latissimus dorsi (LD), triceps (TRI) and external oblique (EO) muscles were analysed in five elite Paralympic powerlifters while performing four sets of one-repetition maximum of Paralympic bench press. Muscle activation symmetry indexes (SI) were obtained and transformed to consider individual-independent evaluation. The coefficient of variation (CV), variance ratio (VR), and mean deviation (MD) were computed to assess inter- and intra-individual variability in electromyographic waveforms and SI. Both transformed and non-transformed SI indicated overall symmetric activation in DA, PM, TRI, and LD. Transformed SI revealed asymmetrical muscle activation of EO when grouping data (mean bilateral difference: 10%). Athletes exhibited low intra-individual SI variability in all analysed muscles (CV < 10%) and low inter-individual variability in DA, PM, LD, and TRI (CV < 10%; VR: 4%-11%; MD: 29%-43%). In contrast, higher inter-individual variability was observed in EO (CV: 23%; VR: 23%; MD: 72%-81%). The highest variability and asymmetry in abdominal muscle activation among athletes emphasize the importance of personalized training approaches for targeting these muscles due to their role in individualizing motor strategies.

Scale Development Study on Match Analysis

Match analysis is a method used to evaluate and improve teams' game understanding, tactical structure, and individual-based player performances. Today, with match analysis methods, coaches can make detailed analyzes of both their own teams, rival teams and individual athletes. This present study aims to develop a scale for match analysis. Within the scope of this objective, an item pool consisting of 51 items was created by the researchers, and a 47-item scale was drafted by excluding 4 items in line with expert opinions. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses, internal consistency analysis and test-retest reliability methods were used for statistical purposes. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, a measurement structure was obtained consisting of 4 sub-scales and a total of 22 items. The fit indices of the scale were evaluated within the relevant reference range. The reliability of the scale was examined by test-retest method and internal consistency analysis. As a result, the stability coefficient of the scale was calculated as 0.792 and the Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient as 0.911. Internal consistency analysis results showed that the items had high reliability. The current scale has a 7-point Likert-type rating. There are negative items in the scale. In this context, these items should be reversed when scoring. It was concluded that the scale developed is a reliable and valid measurement tool.

FORMATION OF MOTIVATION AND VALUE ORIENTATIONS IN TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL SPORTS ATHLETES

The article highlights the problems of forming motivational and value orientations among team and individual sports athletes. It showed that in the majority of scientific works devoted to the study of sports motivation, consideration of individual motivational variables, mainly the main sports motives of activity, prevails. Three main aspects of the study of motivation in general and sports motivation are highlighted, in particular: the topological (content) aspect, which involves consideration of the content of the main motives of activity; the structural aspect, which focuses attention on the internal structural characteristics of motivation and assumes the presence of a certain structure of interdependent motivational variables as a single entity, which, in fact, is motivation; dynamic aspect, which includes the entire complex of factors that ensure the process of formation, development, extinction of motivation, as well as the development of demotivation. Motivational variables have been studied that will allow to consider and characterize the structure of sports motivation in a socio-psychological context, in representatives of team and individual sports, in which the fact of having a team can determine the uniqueness of the combination and the degree of manifestation of these motivational variables: external and internal motives of sports activity, valuable orientations, types of orientation of the athleteʼs personality, as well as jealousy as one of the motives that ensure success in a competitive situation. It was revealed that the structure of sports motivation is a system of interrelated internal and external motives that ensure the desire to achieve high results in sports of higher achievements, which is determined by the social and psychological context ‒ the presence or absence of a team as a group (“a single whole”), factors, that determine the specifics of the professional development of athletes. We see the prospect of further research in the development of programs that provide training for professional athletes to perform at national and international competitions.&#x0D; Keywords: formation; motivation; motives; values; orientations; motivational variables; young athletes; interaction team and individual sports; team.

The NFL's Pro Bowl Was Broken? Considering Players’ Incentives

This article examines the growing trend of NFL players to forego participation in the league's yearly All-Star exhibition game, the Pro Bowl. Viewership of the Pro Bowl has been substantially lower than the average game day in recent years, causing controversial discussions about the viability of the game and its future. As a consequence, the league revised the Pro Bowl's concept entirely in 2022. Since the major determinant of viewership demand is the participation of (superstar) players, this article analyses the individual athletes??? economic incentives in the decision to participate. To this end, it models the athlete's decision as a rational evaluation of cost???benefit under incentives of monetary reward and punishment. It uses unbalanced panel data on Pro Bowl players from the Super Bowl era (1971???2019), alongside viewership data and official league data. It applies a range of econometric methods (Pearson correlations, graphical examination) to evaluate hypotheses about the players’ decision-making process. It concludes that the incentives to participate in the Pro Bowl for the majority of players–especially viewership-driving superstar players–were weak. The monetaryincentives in their previous form were not an efficient way of positively manipulating the percent age of superstars in the game. If the goal was higher demand from players, the incentive structure had to be changed. Such changes are, inter alia, the reduction of costs for participation in the form of minimizing the risk of injuries. Furthermore, possible changes to the design of the incentive structure are proposed that contain general learnings for the design of such events.

Characterization of movement patterns using unsupervised learning neural networks: Exploring a novel approach for monitoring athletes during sidestepping

ABSTRACT The monitoring of athletes is crucial to preventing injuries, identifying fatigue or supporting return-to-play decisions. The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of Kohonen neural network self-organizing maps (SOM) to objectively characterize movement patterns during sidestepping and their association with injury risk. Further, the network’s sensitivity to detect limb dominance was assessed. The data of 67 athletes with a total of 613 trials were included in this study. The 3D trajectories of 28 lower-body passive markers collected during sidestepping were used to train a SOM. The network consisted of 1247 neurons distributed over a 43 × 29 rectangular map with a hexagonal neighbourhood topology. Out of 61,913 input vectors, the SOM identified 1247 unique body postures. Visualizing the movement trajectories and adding several hidden variables allows for the investigation of different movement patterns and their association with joint loading. The used approach identified athletes that show significantly different movement strategies when sidestepping with their dominant or non-dominant leg, where one strategy was clearly associated with ACL-injury-relevant risk factors. The results highlight the ability of unsupervised machine learning to monitor an individual athlete’s status without the necessity to reduce the complexity of the data describing the movement.

Comparison of Self-Efficacy of Individual and Team Athletes

The aim of this study is to compare the self-efficacy of individual and team athletes. The population of the study consists of athletes over the age of 18 in Samsun province. The sample group consists of a total of 200 athletes, 101 from individual athletes and 99 from team athletes. Athlete Self-Efficacy Scale and "Personal Information Form" were used as data collection tools. For data analysis, Independent Sample T-Test was used to compare the variables. Results: In the comparison of athletes' self-efficacy according to the type of sport, there is no statistical difference in the sub-dimensions according to the findings related to the type of sport (p&gt;0.05). However, when the mean scores are analysed, team athletes have higher mean scores than individual athletes in the sub-dimensions of Sports Competence and Personality. In the sub-dimensions of Psychological Competence and Professional Thinking, individual athletes had higher mean scores than team athletes. In the comparison of self-efficacy of individual and team athletes according to gender, there was no statistical difference in sub-dimensions (p&gt;0.05). In the comparison of self-efficacy of individual and team athletes according to their height, there is a statistical difference between athletes with a height of 175 cm and below and athletes with a height of 176 cm and above in the sub-dimension of professional thinking in athletes (p

Push Up Exercise Against 50 Meter Swimming Speed Breaststroke

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of push-up training on improving the speed of breaststroke swimming in athletes who are members of the Palembang Tirta Sriwijaya Aquatic Club (TSAC). This study was conducted as an experiment using a one-group pretest and posttest research design. The research subjects included athletes who are part of the Palembang Tirta Sriwijaya Aquatic Club (TSAC). The research sample involved all members of age group III with an age range of 12-13 years consisting of 30 individual athletes. The tool used to measure variables is the breaststroke swimming test using a distance of 50 meters. The data analysis was conducted utilizing the T-test. Based on the analysis results, the t-value exceeded 4.762, while the t-table value was 2.045. These results indicate a significant difference between the pretest push-up and posttest push-up groups in relation to the improvement in 50-meter breaststroke swimming speed. The conclusion of this study revealed that push-up exercises had a positive impact on increasing breaststroke swimming speed as far as 50 meters.

Anxiety and Depression Prevalence in Incoming Division I Collegiate Athletes From 2017 to 2021.

Young adults report increased rates of anxiety and depression than other age groups. Furthermore, young adult athletes experience additional stressors that may negatively impact their mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among Division I collegiate athletes and the influences of sex, sport type, and distance from home. It was hypothesized that self-reported levels of anxiety and depression would increase among this population during this timeframe. Cross-sectional. Level 3. Participants included 792 incoming Division I collegiate athletes. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores were completed by all incoming student athletes at a single institution as part of their preparticipation examination over 5 years. Both survey scores were categorized into different levels of severity and separately compared with chi-square tests. Continuous scores were modeled separately using negative binomial regression models including year, sex, sport type, and home location as covariates. Results showed consistent levels of anxiety and depression over time. Female athletes reported higher levels of both anxiety and depression than male athletes, and individual sport athletes reported higher levels of depression than team sport athletes. Distance from home was not associated with anxiety or depression levels. Overall, levels of anxiety and depression did not change in this population over this time period. However, differences in anxiety and depression were seen between sexes and depression between sport types. Understanding anxiety and depression risk factors among collegiate athletes can enhance early identification and intervention to improve mental health and allow for better allocation of resources to at-risk groups among Division I collegiate athletes.

Effect of Different Nutrients Intake on Anaerobic Exercise

This paper explores the influence of different nutrient intakes on anaerobic exercise, focusing on activities that require short bursts of intense effort and power. The impact of nutrition on anaerobic exercise performance is a significant area of interest for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Understanding how different nutrient intakes affect anaerobic performance can help optimize training outcomes and overall athletic success. This paper comprehensively analyzes the effects of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals on anaerobic exercise performance. It provides evidence-based recommendations to enhance anaerobic performance, inform training strategies, and optimize nutrient intake for individuals engaged in high-intensity activities. Adequate carbohydrate intake supports high-intensity efforts, while protein intake aids muscle repair and growth. Healthy fat consumption provides supplemental energy during prolonged activities. Vitamins and minerals play crucial roles in energy metabolism and muscle function. Strategic nutrient intake before, during, and after anaerobic exercise can maximize performance potential and overall anaerobic capacity. Further research can explore personalized nutrient recommendations based on individual athlete profiles and specific anaerobic exercise goals. This paper's findings contribute valuable insights to the fields of sports nutrition and exercise science, assisting athletes, trainers, and coaches in optimizing dietary choices and enhancing anaerobic exercise performance.

Capital game: male athletes’ rationalisation of playing hurt and reproduction of the risk, pain, and injury custom in professional combat sports

ABSTRACT As the phenomenon of playing hurt persists in sports, extant literature has explored the risk, pain, and injury custom (RPIC) from diverse angles. However, academic endeavours revealing the agency–structure continuum between individual agents’ willingness to play hurt and the capital structure related to the RPIC remain limited. This study aims to investigate professional athletes’ health-compromising practice and its underlying mechanism through capital games. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of practice, we examined two research questions: (a) how does individual athletes’ desire for capital justify playing hurt? and (b) how are their capital games connected to the RPIC? Empirical data were collected through semi-structured and photo-elicitation interviews with eight athletes and six coaches (ex-athletes) from three combat sports. The data were interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings were categorised into two narratives: (a) rationalisation of playing hurt and (b) reproduction of the RPIC. First, our participants continued playing hurt, expecting certain rewards (cultural, social, economic, and performance capital); this profit-seeking aspiration rationalised self-destructive action as an investment to garner social energy in the field. Second, the more athletes immersed themselves in capital games using health as a token, the more prominent the habitus of playing hurt became in the field. This RPIC reproduction mechanism drove former/present athletes’ choices to converge into an identical career trajectory, uni-taste, and limited subversion strategy, trapping them in a cycle where the victim becomes another perpetrator of playing hurt. These results are expected to provide sport institutions with insights into building safer sporting environments.