Intercollegiate Athletes Research Articles

Spatiotemporal kinematics during top speed sprinting in male intercollegiate track and field and team sport athletes

ABSTRACT We investigated spatiotemporal kinematics during top speed sprinting and biomechanical running strategies in 98 male intercollegiate athletes from a range of athletic backgrounds in track and field (TF, n = 28) and team sports (TS, n = 70). Participants completed 40 m running trials with sagittal plane motion analyses of high-speed video captured from 30 m to 40 m. Across the entire sample, measures of contact time, step rate, step length, flight length and duty factor (ratio of contact duration to stride duration) were meaningfully correlated with top speed (p < 0.05, 0.51 ≤ |r or ρ| ≤ 0.78). Flight time and contact length were weakly correlated with top speed (p < 0.05, 0.27 ≤ |r or ρ| ≤ 0.34). When comparing sub-groups of Slow TF (n = 14) and Fast TS athletes (n = 22) with similar top speeds (~9.3 m/s), Fast TS athletes clearly demonstrated a more ground-based strategy, with longer ground contact times and contact lengths, shorter flight times and flight lengths, and larger duty factors. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that existing technical models and normative metrics based on data from TF athletes could require modification when evaluating and coaching sprinting performance with TS athletes.

Change-of-Direction Performance and Its Deficits in Relation to Countermovement-Jump Height and Phase-Specific Performance Among Female Athletes.

Jump and linear sprint performances both correlate with pro-agility performance. However, correlation does not imply causation, and potential confounders may affect the correlation. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between change-of-direction (COD) performance and COD deficits (COD-D) in linear-sprint and countermovement-jump (CMJ)-related performance using multiple stepwise linear-regression models. The study included 42 female national-level intercollegiate athletes. The 10- and 20-m linear-sprint and pro-agility times, COD-D, CMJ height, and phase-specific force production and rate of force development during eccentric unloading, eccentric braking, and the concentric phases of CMJ were measured. Stepwise linear-regression analyses were used to predict the factors related to COD and COD-D. CMJ height was the sole predictor in the 10-m pro-agility model (adjusted R2 = .234, P = .001). Modified Reactive Strength Index (standardized coefficient, -.710) and the lowest center-of-mass depth during the CMJ (standardized coefficient, .323) were predictors in the 20-m pro-agility model (adjusted R2 = .330, P < .001). For the 10- and 20-m COD-D models, the rate of force development at 30 and 60milliseconds, respectively, during the concentric phase was the only predictor of performance (adjusted R2 = .183, P = .003 and .237, P = .001, respectively). These results suggest that athletes should concentrate on improving their CMJ height, increasing their ability to lower their center of mass more deeply, and increasing their instantaneous force-production abilities immediately after the eccentric braking phase of CMJ to improve their COD performance.

"You're made to feel like you're the crazy one": an interpretive description of former college student-athletes' views of emotional abuse.

Many normalized coaching behaviors are often abusive yet are seen by coaches and athletes as instrumental in achievement and competition. The current study was designed to extend past research and theory by subjectively exploring how and why former intercollegiate athletes identified their head coach as emotionally abusive. Twenty former intercollegiate student-athletes (M age = 26.0 years) from nine sports participated in semi-structured interviews ranging from 65 to 189 min (M = 105.8, SD = 58). Interpretive description methodology was used with reflexive thematic analysis to generate a coherent conceptual description of the themes and shared experiences that characterized emotionally abusive coaching. The themes that associated with an athlete labeling a coach as emotionally abusive fall under two aspects of Stirling and Kerr's 2008 definition: non-contact coach behaviors and the resulting harmful outcomes experienced by the athletes. Non-contact behaviors were ones that diminished performance, neglected holistic development, and were inconsistent. The harmful effects were the negative emotional responses and dehumanization experienced by athletes. Finally, participants felt that a coach's desire for power and control over athletes explained the coach's behaviors generally. Based on these results, we put forth the conceptual claim that emotional abuse, and psychological violence more broadly, cannot be defined or identified based solely on the perpetrator's behaviors. The athlete's cognitions, perceptions, emotions, and behaviors are critical in determining whether emotional abuse occurred, and these interpretations are shaped by an athlete's existing relationship with the coach.

Screening college athletes for sexual violence: athletes’ experiences and opinions on best practices

ObjectivesCollege athletes are at elevated risk for sexual violence, yet few formally report it and screening for sexual violence is uncommon. This study aimed to evaluate the nature of screening...

Alumni Support for NCAA Division I Reclassification

We surveyed alumni of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in an attempt to measure their support for the school changing classifications in NCAA membership from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Using a contingent valuation method (CVM) mechanism, we show that alumni who intend to attend more football games in FBS are most likely to support the reclassification and support it most strongly. In general, alumni who donate to the university anyway, are out-of-state residents, are former intercollegiate athletes, attend football games, and think athletics are important would favor the reclassification.

Navigating an Intercollegiate Athletes’ Transition Related to the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Interim Policy

On July 1, 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Interim Policy, permitting most student-athletes across the U.S. to monetize their NIL through participation in various branding activities, having a transformative effect throughout intercollegiate athletics. The purpose of this manuscript is to conceptualize NIL as a career change event and share an intervention supporting an intercollegiate student-athlete in navigating this NIL-related transition. This includes the client’s challenges related to the stress of negotiating contracts, decisions about transferring or remaining at an institution, and a lack of clarity around regulations of NIL engagements. Using the Scheme of Change for Sport Psychology Practice (SCSPP; Samuel & Tenenbaum, 2011a) as a framework, the authors conceptualize NIL as a change-event and overall career transition in which student-athletes are transitioning to businesspeople, as highlighted through the case study of Jamal (pseudonym). This manuscript offers applied considerations for sport psychology practitioners supporting intercollegiate student-athletes through this unprecedented transition.

Career transition in intercollegiate athletes with above average athletic identity: A qualitative analysis of transition experiences, coping, and the role of religious faith

ABSTRACT Athletes with high athletic identity (AI) experience difficulty with sport retirement (Menke & Germany, 2019); yet qualitative research is lacking on their transition experiences. Moreover, athletic and religious identities may intersect during transition, but little is known on this topic. Current participants were 72 former intercollegiate athletes (69.4% female; Mage = 22.6 years), with above average AI. Thematic analysis on participants’ responses regarding transition experiences yielded higher-order categories of Losses and Difficulties. Participants coped by Filling the Void and Managing Challenges. Themes were compared across high (HRF) and low religious faith (LRF) subgroups. HRF participants most often used Physical Activity to cope while LRF participants Maintained Sport/Competitor Identity. More HRF than LRF participants reported Loss of Identity. Results are discussed using social identity theory and the model of adaptation to retirement among athletes as theoretical frameworks. Suggestions are provided for practitioners to prepare athletes with higher AI for transition.

An Exploratory Investigation of the Body Image and Health Behavior Transition in Retiring Intercollegiate Athletes

Because an athletes’ body is central to their identity, it is important to consider the ramifications of retirement from sport on their well-being. Using a single-group pre–post test design, the purpose of this exploratory study was to expand on the current state of knowledge regarding the body image and health behavior transition of retired intercollegiate athletes. Ten athletes from three institutions completed demographic and health behavior questions, the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire, and selected items from the Body Parts Satisfaction Scale-Revised online prior to and after retirement (M = 305 days). Although most athletes reported maintaining healthy patterns of nutrition and physical activity in retirement, results showed that body satisfaction significantly declined, and that actual–ideal body discrepancy increased, albeit to a nonsignificant degree. National Collegiate Athletic Association athletics departments to consider how they can more effectively empower athletes to take care of and appreciate their body even after the final performance.

Impact of Aquatic Resistance Training and Boot Camp Training for Inter-Collegiate Athletes 100 Meter Sprint

Impact of Aquatic Resistance Training and Boot Camp Training for Inter-Collegiate Athletes 100 Meter Sprint

Comparison of Life Skills between Intercollegiate Athletes and Non-Athletes of Government Girls Higher Secondary Schools of District Mardan, Pakistan

This study aimed to compare the life skills about interpersonal relationship skills, stress management skills, and decision-making skills amongst intercollegiate athletes and non-athletes of government girls’ higher secondary schools in district Mardan, Pakistan. The researcher followed a descriptive survey research design to meet the set objectives of the study. girl athletes and non-athletes from Government Higher Secondary schools of District, Mardan with age range 15-21 years of class 9th, 10th, 1st year, and 2nd year constituted the target population for the current study. A close-ended adapted questionnaire University of Pretoria (South Africa) using a Likert scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” was used to collect the required information from the participants consisting of girls’ athletes and non-athletes from government higher secondary schools of district, Mardan. A total of 568 questionnaires were administered among the participants and 468 questionnaires with (an 82.39%) ratios were received back. For an inclusive assessment of life skills, different attributes were labeled to each life skill, whereas all 34 items were assigned to 04 skills in the questionnaire. The collected data were properly tabulated and processed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings of the study indicated that sport has produced a positive role in the development of life skills among athletes as compared with non-athletes. This finding can be helpful for those who intend to develop and promote the sport in their respective areas. It has been concluded that participants acknowledged the role that sport has essential in the development of life skills such as interpersonal relationships (2.90), stress management (2.37), decision making (2.66), and problem-solving skills (2.49). However, it was noticed that urban school athletes produced a higher mean score on one life skill such as interpersonal relationships (2.93) and the rest of life skills mean scores are lower. It is recommended that school sports participation of girls may be ensured/enhanced to develop and promote the positive life skills necessary for products as well as a dynamic role in society.

Shed light on potential risks of signing NIL agreements with hedge fund companies

The industry surrounding name, image, and likeness has grown to approximately $1 billion annually and is expected to increase over the coming years. What is interesting, however, is that none of the state legislation, or any NCAA rule or bylaw, addresses one of the newest trends in intercollegiate athletes: NIL hedge funding.

Changes in the incidence of stress reactions and fractures among intercollegiate athletes after the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of detraining due to the COVID-19 pandemic on incidence of bony injuries and stress fractures in collegiate athletes.MethodsA comprehensive collegiate athletic conference injury database was queried for all in-season, sport-related bony injuries (defined as all stress reactions and fractures) that occurred across all sports from January 2016 to June 2021. The bony injury rate per 1000 athlete exposure hours (AEH) was calculated and compared between the immediate post-hiatus season and historic rates from pre-hiatus seasons (2016–2019). Injury characteristics were also compared between the pre- and post-hiatus time periods.ResultsA total of 868 bony injuries across 23 sports were identified. The sports with highest overall baseline bony injury rates in historic seasons were women’s cross country (0.57 injuries per 1000 AEH) and men’s cross country (0.32). Compared to historic pre-hiatus rates, female cross-country runners demonstrated a significantly lower bony injury incidence rate in the post-hiatus season (0.24 vs. 0.57, p = 0.016) while male swimming athletes demonstrated a statistically significant increase in bony injury rate (0.09 vs. 0.01, p = 0.015). The proportion of bony injuries attributed to repetitive trauma increased; while, the proportion of injuries attributed to running decreased between the pre- and post-hiatus seasons.ConclusionAcross all sports, there was no consistent trend toward increased rates of bony injury in the immediate post-hiatus season. However, female cross-country runners demonstrated lower rates of bony injury in the post-hiatus season while male swimmers demonstrated higher rates. Furthermore, bony injuries in the post-hiatus season were more likely to be the result of repetitive trauma and less likely to be from running.Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective, cross sectional study.

Building Bridges: Examining the Role of University Athletic Departments and Local Congregations in the Holistic Care of Student-Athletes in the United States

This conceptual essay discusses how university athletic departments and local churches can collaborate in providing spiritual care for intercollegiate athletes in the United States. Parachurch organizations such as Athletes in Action (AIA) and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) play a vital role in creating and maintaining these partnerships. Additionally, a considerable body of literature is available on the importance of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of intercollegiate athletes in the United States. In the interests of helping intercollegiate student-athletes grow and develop religiously and spirituality, many sports chaplains assist student-athletes with finding a local place to worship while on campus. Chaplains that subscribe to the “urban chaplaincy/congregational model” play a significant role in bringing this task to pass. This essay highlights the primacy of building a relational bridge between university athletic departments and local churches in the United States to collaborate in intercollegiate student-athlete spiritual development and holistic care.

Social Media Scholarship in Sport Studies and College Athletes’ Name, Image, and Likeness Opportunities

The passage of name, image, and likeness (NIL) laws in individual states within the United States has provided intercollegiate athletes opportunities to potentially profit from their personal NIL in a free marketplace. Concurrently, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) also allowed college athletes to utilize their NIL rights. Thus far, most college athletes’ NIL deals for payments are for posts on the athletes’ own social media channels for products, including their own self-promotion in relation to brands, or promotion of brands such as fast food and auto dealerships. Notably, published scholarly work on NIL itself is sparse since it was not until 2021 that the NCAA enacted NIL rules for college athletes. Published scholarship on NIL and social media is even rarer. Therefore, this commentary provides recommendations for potential future scholarship related to NIL and social media, focusing on three potential frameworks: (a) agenda setting, (b) relationship marketing, and (c) personal branding.

Time of day and athlete status effects on the modified clinical test of sensory integration and balance (mCTSIB) and stability evaluation test (SET)

BackgroundConcussions or musculoskeletal injuries may impair postural control, which is one diagnostic to help determine return-to-activity decisions. Postural control may be affected by diurnal rhythm. Research questionDoes time of day influence postural control as measured by two Neurocom Balance Master diagnostic protocols, the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) and the Stability Evaluation Test (SET)? MethodsFollowing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, consented participants completed the SET and mCTSIB twice: between 0700 and 1000; and between 1600 and 1900. We randomized and balanced testing order. Familiarization trials were completed for the mCTSIB and SET. Assessments were completed in a controlled laboratory environment. We instructed participants to get a normal night’s sleep prior to testing and refrain from caffeine use and exhaustive exercise on the day of testing. Sixty-nine participants (48 female, 21 male: age = 21.42±2.56 years, height = 168.20±7.53 cm, mass = 72.05±16.60 kg) completed the study. Thirty-one of the participants were National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) student-athletes from the sports of baseball, soccer and softball. Average postural sway velocity was measured and compared by time of day for each of the balance conditions in the mCTSIB and SET protocols. ResultsAccording to repeated measures ANOVA, there were no significant postural sway velocity main effects by time of day for any of the balance conditions. We found significant postural sway main effects by foam, stance and eyes. We also noted significant ANOVA between participants’ differences for athlete status, but not for sex. SignificanceThese results inform practitioners about the importance of controlling time-of-day between baseline and post-injury testing, which may allow for more flexible, accurate and reliable diagnosis and return-to-activity decisions. Athletes displayed better static postural control, possibly warranting different normative values for diagnostic comparison.

Athletics is Education

While participation in intercollegiate athletics has historically been classified as extracurricular, sports have the potential to serve as an educational avenue in postsecondary institutions if reframed through a higher education lens. Through a synthesis of research on traditional college students’ and athletes’ educational experiences, the current article highlights the unique nexus of higher education and Division I intercollegiate athletics by extending Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education to intercollegiate athletics. First, the Seven Principles are briefly presented in their original form relating to the traditional higher education environment: (1) encourage contact between students and faculty, (2) develop reciprocity and cooperation among students, (3) encourage active learning, (4) give prompt feedback, (5) emphasize time on task, (6) communicate high expectations, and (7) respect diverse talents and ways of learning. Next, these factors are reconsidered and applied to the educational development of Division I intercollegiate athletes. Finally, implications of applying this framework and further integrating the educational components of collegiate sport to cultivate improved experiences for athletes are provided.

Reduced somatosensory evoked potentials and paired-pulse inhibition in the primary somatosensory cortex of athletes with chronic pain.

Chronic pain impedes athletic training and performance. However, it is challenging to identify the precise causes of chronic pain for effective treatment. To examine possible neuroplastic changes in sensory transmission and cortical processing, we compared somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and paired-pulse inhibition (PPI) in primary sensory cortex (S1) between athletes with chronic pain and control athletes. Sixty-six intercollegiate athletes (39 males and 27 females) were recruited for this study, 45 control athletes and 21 reporting persistent pain for > 3months. Sensory-evoked potentials were induced in S1 by constant-current square-wave pulses (0.2-ms duration) delivered to the right median nerve, while PPI was induced by paired stimulation at interstimulus intervals of 30 and 100ms (PPI-30 and PPI-100ms, respectively). All participants were randomly presented with total 1,500 (each 500 stimuli) single stimuli and stimulus pairs at 2Hz. Both N20 amplitude and PPI-30ms were significantly lower in athletes with chronic pain compared to control athletes, while P25 amplitude and PPI-100ms did not differ significantly between groups. Chronic pain in athletes is associated with substantially altered excitatory-inhibitory balance within the primary somatosensory cortex, possibly due to reduced thalamocortical excitatory transmission and suppressed cortical inhibitory transmission.

Reliability of sonographic measurements of the ulnar collateral ligament: a multi-rater prospective study.

The use of sonography is a cost-effective and reliable method to evaluate upper extremity superficial tissue structural integrity and pathology. Establishing the measurement reliability of widely used diagnostic ultrasound evaluation for musculoskeletal assessment is paramount enhance accurate clinical evaluations. The objective of this study was to establish the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of select ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) thickness measures at two distinct anatomical locations in intercollegiate baseball athletes using ultrasound imaging (USI). This was a prospective cohort study conducted in a university research laboratory and included a total of 17 NCAA Division I baseball athletes (age 20.4 ± 1.43, height = 183.63 cm ± 6.27 cm, mass = 89.28 kg ± 8.24 kg). Two trained clinicians measured UCL mid-substance and apex thickness in the throwing extremity, prospectively, on 5 occasions at 1-month intervals during rest. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) (model 3,3), associated standard error of measurement, and 95% minimal detectable change in thickness were derived. Intrarater reliability estimates for operator 1 were 0.90-0.98 (mid-substance) and 0.91-0.99 (apex). Operator 2's values were 0.92-0.97 and 0.93-0.99, respectively. The standard error of measurement (SEM) ranged from 0.045-0.071 cm (mid-substance) and 0.023-0.067 cm (apex). The minimal detectable difference (MDD95) was 0.12-0.20 cm (mid-substance) and 0.07-0.19 cm (apex). Interrater reliability was 0.86-0.96 (mid-substance) and 0.79-0.98 (apex); most ICCs were >0.90. Measurement of UCL thickness at two locations demonstrated very good to excellent reliability with high precision. Using this protocol, two evaluators can obtain consistent UCL measurement at two positions. This finding has significant implications for the clinical evaluation of superficial tissue pathology of the same individual by two experienced practitioners.

Evaluation of a BMI Based Body Composition Equation in Intercollegiate Athletes

INTRODUCTION: Assessment of body composition in collegiate athletes is an effective tool to enhance training and nutrition protocols. The use of Body Mass Index (BMI) based equations for such purposes has been found to be relatively invalid in athletes due to the inability to decipher between fat and fat-free mass. Recently, a BMI based equation developed by Nickerson et. al. (BMINICKERSON) that incorporates handgrip strength as a surrogate for lean mass was found to estimate body fat with low error in general population adults. The use of such a method in collegiate athletes may in turn provide a cost-effective and easily administered option for body composition assessment. PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of BMINICKERSON with traditional body composition methods in estimating body fat percentage of collegiate athletes. METHODS: Forty-one (n = 41) intercollegiate athletes (n = 21 male, 20 female) were assessed for percentage body fat using BMINICKERSON, bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) and seven site skinfold (SF). Pearson’s correlation was utilized to assess relationships among measurements methods. A sex x measurement method Two-Way ANOVA with repeated measures on the latter was utilized to determine potential differences in body fat percentage as estimated by each method between males and females. RESULTS: Good to excellent agreement was displayed between BIA and BMINICKERSON compared to SF in the total population and each sex (r &gt; 0.76, p &lt; 0.001). A significant interaction (F = 5.01, p = 0.01) between sex and measurement method was found for the sample. Paired samples t-testing in females revealed a significantly greater body fat estimation by BMINICKERSON (26.75 % ± 3.72 %) in comparison to both BIA (t = 7.73, p &lt; 0.001, 22.36 % ± 2.80 %) and SF (t = 5.15, p &lt; 0.001, 23.37 % ± 4.49 %). BIA and SF did not significantly differ (t = 1.51, p = 0.15) in females. Further paired samples t-testing in males revealed a significantly greater body fat estimation by BMINICKERSON (17.66 % ± 4.30 %) in comparison to both BIA (t = 8.74, p &lt; 0.001, 13.15 % ± 4.28 %) and SF (t = 8.78, p &lt; 0.001, 11.73 % ± 4.38 %). In addition, a significantly greater (t = 2.10, p = 0.05) body fat estimation was found using BIA in comparison to SF in males. CONCLUSION: Although the use of BMINICKERSON in estimating body composition has been shown to provide relatively accurate results in the general population, the current study did not observe the same in collegiate athletes. Further research comparing BMINICKERSON to a gold standard measurement technique in collegiate athletes is warranted.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Hiatus From Sports Activities on Injuries Observed Among Division I NCAA Athletes.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly disrupted athletic activities, including those in the Pacific 12 (Pac-12) Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It is currently unknown how the disruption in training and competition impacted athletes' risk of injury upon resumption of activities. To describe and compare the rate, timing, mechanism, and severity of injuries among collegiate athletes across multiple sports in the Pac-12 Conference before and after the COVID-19 pandemic-associated hiatus of intercollegiate athletic activities. Descriptive epidemiology study. Descriptive and injury data among intercollegiate athletes from both the season before the hiatus and the season after the hiatus were acquired from the Pac-12 Health Analytics Program database. Injury elements (timing of injury onset, injury severity, mechanism, recurrence, outcome, need for procedural intervention, and event segment during which the injury took place) were compared by time using the chi-square test and a multivariate logistic regression model. Subgroup analyses were performed on knee and shoulder injuries among athletes participating in sports with traditionally high rates of knee and shoulder injuries. A total of 12,319 sports-related injuries across 23 sports were identified, with 7869 pre-hiatus injuries and 4450 post-hiatus injuries. There was no difference in the overall incidence of injury between the pre-hiatus and post-hiatus seasons. However, the proportion of noncontact injuries was higher in the post-hiatus season for football, baseball, and softball players, and the proportion of nonacute injuries in the post-hiatus season was higher among football, basketball, and rowing athletes. Finally, the overall proportion of injuries sustained by football players in the final 25% of competition or practice was higher in the post-hiatus season. Athletes competing in the post-hiatus season were observed to have higher rates of noncontact injuries and injuries sustained in the final 25% of competition. This study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic has had varied effects on athletes from different sports, suggesting that many factors must be considered when designing return-to-sports programs for athletes after an extended absence from organized training.