League Season Research Articles

No Increased Injury Risk on Artificial Turf in Finnish Premier Division Football.

To compare the injury risk between natural grass and artificial turf in the male Finnish premier division (Veikkausliiga) matches during the 2019 league season. A retrospective reanalysis of prospectively collected season-long injury surveillance cohort study. Finnish elite-level male football. All 12 teams of Veikkausliiga participated in the study. All players were eligible to participate. Two hundred thirty-six players took part in the follow-up between February and November 2019. Matches were played between April and November 2019. Injury data were collected using standard injury reports from the team medicals and weekly player questionnaires. Individual player exposure in matches was collected. Artificial turf was classified as exposure and natural grass as control in the analyses. Match-related injury incidence and incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) on natural grass and artificial turf. A total of 113 injuries (65 on artificial turf, 48 on natural grass) in 167 matches (90 on artificial turf, 77 on natural grass) were included. Injury incidence was 27.2/1000 hours on artificial turf and 23.9/1000 hours on natural grass and (IRR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.7). There was no difference in injury types, anatomical regions, injury recurrence, injury severity, or injury contact. Forwards may have had an increased injury incidence on artificial turf compared with natural grass (IRR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.0-11.8). This study supports previous reports that there is no significant increase in the overall risk of injury in professional football played on artificial turf compared with that on natural grass.

Relative Rest Index Correlates To Winning Percentage In 2022 National Football League Season

Relative Rest Index Correlates To Winning Percentage In 2022 National Football League Season

Influence of Menstrual Phase and Symptoms on Match Running in Professional Footballers.

This study examined the effects of menstrual cycle phases and symptoms on match running performance in football (soccer) players. Twenty-one nonhormonal contraceptive using football players from four professional teams were monitored for up to four menstrual cycles during a domestic league season. Menstrual phases, classified as early-follicular phase (EFP), mid-late follicular phase (MFP), and luteal phase (LP), were determined by self-reporting of menstruation and urinary hormone tests (luteinizing hormone and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide). On match day, players completed a menstrual symptom severity questionnaire. In repeated matches, players wore 10 Hz Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) devices to measure relative (/min) total distance, high-speed running distance, very high-speed distance, peak speed, acceleration count, and deceleration count. Linear mixed models were performed for each GPS measure to determine the relationship with phase or symptoms. Data for 7 and 10 players were included for menstrual phase and menstrual symptoms analyses, respectively. A significantly higher total distance was reported during MFP compared to EFP (Δ 5.1 m min-1; p = 0.04) and LP (Δ 5.8 m min-1; p = 0.007). Significantly greater high-speed running was reported during MFP compared to EFP (Δ 1.2 m min-1; p = 0.012) and LP (Δ 1.1 m min-1; p = 0.007). No significant effect of menstrual phase was found for any other GPS measures (p > 0.05). Accelerations declined with increasing symptom severity (p = 0.021, estimate = -0.01count.min-1). Menstrual symptom severity did not affect any other GPS measures (p > 0.05). In conclusion, greater total distance and high-speed running occurred during the MFP. Additionally, accelerations minimally decreased with increasing menstrual symptom severity. Large intra- and inter-variability existed, suggesting individualized monitoring and management of menstrual effects on performance would be beneficial.

Own goals in football: do they occur randomly or exhibit systematic patterns?

ABSTRACT Due to the low-scoring nature of soccer every single goal can drastically change the outcome of a match. Therefore, most large-scale performance studies aim at defining systematic processes and factors involved in goal scoring, while the scoring of the seemingly unintentional goals (like own goals) appears to be overlooked so far. In this study, factors for scoring own goals are investigated and compared to the factors connected to other (normal) goals. Therefore, a large dataset consisting of all goals from seven full seasons of the English Premier League (seasons 12/13 to 18/19) was analysed. Factors investigated include a priori factors like matchday, playing minute and team strength, but also specific situational variables like the zone from where the goal was scored, the body parts used, scoreline, defensive order and the preceding action. Favourites (p < .001) and home teams (p <0.05) profit more often from own goals than outsiders and away teams, suggesting systematic influences on own goal scoring. However, own goals significantly differ from all goals in the zone of goal scoring where more than 50% of the own goals are scored from the zone closest to goal (Zone 1). Additional aspects and potential reasons for the observed patterns are discussed.

Analysis of the market value of Premier League attacker

The main purpose of this study is to use the method of multiple linear regression to conduct a comprehensive discussion on "Factors affecting the market price of Premier League striker players". In the era of increasingly hot soccer, the transfer of stars is a big attraction in the transfer period every year, but there are still many clubs signing overpaid and underpaid players. The overall objective of this study is to find the determinants of players' price, so as to provide a reference for clubs to improve the utilization of funds in the transfer period. In this study, a dataset of player data for the 17-18 Premier League season was first downloaded via Kaggle. Then, the dataset obtained from Kaggle was used for empirical analysis to identify correlations that significantly affect the market price of players, and multiple linear regression analysis was performed after processing these data. Through the calculations, it was determined that match performance and goals scored had a significant positive impact on market value, and age and match possession had a non-significant negative impact on market value, which suggests that there is a need for the relevant team managers to optimize these aspects in order to promote a virtuous cycle of club development and team performance.

Analysis of the market value of Premier League attacker

The main purpose of this study is to use the method of multiple linear regression to conduct a comprehensive discussion on "Factors affecting the market price of Premier League striker players". In the era of increasingly hot soccer, the transfer of stars is a big attraction in the transfer period every year, but there are still many clubs signing overpaid and underpaid players. The overall objective of this study is to find the determinants of players' price, so as to provide a reference for clubs to improve the utilization of funds in the transfer period. In this study, a dataset of player data for the 17-18 Premier League season was first downloaded via Kaggle. Then, the dataset obtained from Kaggle was used for empirical analysis to identify correlations that significantly affect the market price of players, and multiple linear regression analysis was performed after processing these data. Through the calculations, it was determined that match performance and goals scored had a significant positive impact on market value, and age and match possession had a non-significant negative impact on market value, which suggests that there is a need for the relevant team managers to optimize these aspects in order to promote a virtuous cycle of club development and team performance.

Rankings and Benchmarks of Volleyball Performance Indicators in High-Intensity Volleyball Games

&lt;p&gt;目的：本研究旨在探索高強度排球比賽中技術指標之排名與獲勝基準。方法：資料透過排球資訊系統 (Volleyball Information System, VIS) 收集2017-2021 年台灣企業排球聯賽攻守數據。採用迴歸分析及條件機率鑑定各項技術指標之排名及獲勝基準。結果：結果顯示各項指標之排名及獲勝基準僅有些微地性別差異。首先，防守失誤及攻擊得分是男子組前兩名的指標，女子組則是攻擊得分為最重要之指標，防守失誤次之。其餘的八個指標排名男女組皆一致。 其次，若要將獲勝機率提升至50%以上 (獲勝基準)，攻擊得分必須要超過每局一半的分數，但僅僅2到3個攔網得分便能達到獲勝基準。再者，少數的發球失誤並不嚴重拉低獲勝機率，但1到2顆的發球得分卻可以達到獲勝基準。雖然非得分的技術指標 (如接發球失誤及舉球失誤) 之數量不多，但卻顯得相當重要。結論：條件機率足以呈現排球各項技術指標中整體團隊之獲勝基準。本研究基於統計的佐證提出陣容組建、訓練計畫、以及戰術運用等實務建議。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the rankings and benchmarks of performance indicators in high- intensity volleyball games. Methods: Data were collected through the Volleyball Information System (VIS)for the Top Volleyball League (TVL) seasons in Taiwan from 2017 to 2021. We adopted regression analysis and conditional probability to identify rankings and benchmarks of performance indicators. Results: Results revealed that there were no major differences between the sexes. Dig fault and spike point ranked men&amp;rsquo;s top 2 indicators while spike point possessed women&amp;rsquo;s highest rank followed by dig fault. The rankings for the remaining eight indicators were consistent across both sexes. In order to reach over 50% of the winning probability for a set (benchmark), more than half of the points must come from spiking. Achieving the benchmark could be accomplished with just 2 to 3 blocks, and a few service faults were not detrimental. In addition, 1 to 3 service aces was essential to meet the benchmark. Non-scoring indicators such as reception fault and set fault were not common but crucial for overall performance. Conclusion: Conditional probability could sufficiently present benchmarks of overall volleyball team performance indicators. This study offers statistical evidence for roster construction, training plans, and tactic applications.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Rebounds in football: A systematic investigation of characteristics of goals scored after rebounded balls in English Premier League seasons 2012/2013 to 2018/2019

The literature on systematic aspects of goal scoring in football is rich, while little is known about random influences. This study focuses on an unsystematic element of goal scoring, namely rebounds, where a shot that bounces back from another player or the goal creates contested opportunities. Aspects including causes, match situation, player positioning and pitch zones were investigated for 554 rebound goals from seven seasons (2012/2013–2018/2019) of the English Premier League. Rebounds were predominantly caused by short distance and defensive errors, with goalkeepers playing a crucial role. Interestingly, the superiority of home teams and stronger teams to score significantly more goals than away teams and weaker teams can also be observed for rebound goals. Rebound goals are particularly prevalent in zones close to the goal, more prevalent after corners than non-rebound goals and associated with a high number of players in the penalty box. Overall, high similarities exist between rebound and non-rebound goals, while differences in match situations and spatial patterns suggest unique characteristics of rebound goals. These results are in line with the notion of systematicity and randomness concurrently contributing to success in football. More research appears useful to further disentangle the influence of both factors.

The effect of assessor expertise on reliability of analysis of video signs associated with concussion in Australian football

ObjectivesTo determine whether spotters with medical training and experience in managing concussion have higher inter-rater reliability and accuracy than non-medical personnel when identifying video signs associated with concussion in Australian football. DesignRetrospective cohort study. MethodsVideo clips were collected of all impacts potentially resulting in concussion during 2012 and 2013 Australian Football League (AFL) seasons. Raters were divided into medical doctors and a non-medical group comprising allied health practitioners (physiotherapists) and non-medical/non-allied health personnel (performance analysts). Raters assessed 102 randomly selected videos for signs of concussion. The inter-rater reliability was calculated. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated by comparing the rater responses to the consensus opinion from two highly experienced clinicians with expertise in concussion. ResultsNo statistically significant difference in inter-rater reliability was observed between the medical doctors and the non-medical group. Both groups demonstrated good to excellent agreement for slow to get up, clutching at head/face and facial injury. Both groups displayed intra-class coefficient >0.55 for no protective action-floppy, loss of responsiveness, and motor incoordination, and displayed lowest agreement for no protective action-tonic posturing, impact seizure and blank/vacant look. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for correctly classifying video signs compared to the expert consensus opinion. ConclusionsAfter completing sufficient standardised training and testing, medical and non-medical personnel demonstrate comparable reliability in identifying video signs of concussion in professional Australian football and may be suitable for the role of video spotter.

Seasonal Muscular Power Changes: Considerations of Concurrent Resistance and Field-Based Training in Professional Rugby League.

Redman, KJ, Wade, L, Whitley, R, Connick, MJ, Kelly, VG, and Beckman, EM. Seasonal muscular power changes: considerations of concurrent resistance and field-based training in professional rugby league. J Strength Cond Res 38(9): 1620-1626, 2024-A rugby league player's ability to develop or maintain lower-body power will be significantly influenced by the resistance and field-based training loads completed. This study aimed to examine the power changes across a rugby league season and to investigate the relationship of concurrent training and training experience on power changes. Eighteen rugby league players participated in this study. Lower-body power was evaluated using a countermovement jump throughout the season. Four measures of external training loads were collected. A Friedman's test was used to assess differences in power throughout different phases of the season. A series of Spearman's rank-order correlations were conducted to assess the relationship between percentage changes in power during the training block, external training loads, and training experience. Countermovement jump peak velocity significantly decreased from the start ( p = 0.006) and end of pre-season ( p = 0.022) to the late competition. Correlation analysis revealed a large significant association between early competition field-based external loads (relative ( rs = -0.571) and total distance ( rs = -0.628)) and change in peak power. Very large significant negative relationships were also observed between mid-competition volume load with change in peak force ( rs = -0.825) and peak power ( rs = -0.736). Training experience was not significantly associated with changes in muscular power variables throughout this study. Coaches should seek to monitor changes in peak power when competition begins and to assist with decision-making for potential adjustments to running volume and intensity during field-based sessions.

What the Eyes Don’t See: An Objective Assessment of Players’ Contribution to Team Success in Men’s Rugby League

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study addresses the lack of objective player-based metrics in men’s rugby league by introducing a comprehensive set of novel performance metrics designed to quantify a player’s overall contribution to team success. Methods: Player match performance data were captured by Stats Perform for every National Rugby League season from 2018 until 2022; a total of five seasons. The dataset was divided into offensive and defensive variables and further split according to player position. Five machine learning algorithms (Principal Component Regression, Lasso Regression, Random Forest, Regression Tree, and Extreme Gradient Boost) were considered in the analysis, which ultimately generated Wins Created and Losses Created for offensive and defensive performance, respectively. These two metrics were combined to create a final metric of Net Wins Added. The validity of these player performance metrics against traditional objective and subjective measures of performance in rugby league were evaluated. Results: The metrics correctly predicted the winner of 80.9% of matches, as well as predicting the number of team wins per season with an RMSE of 1.9. The metrics displayed moderate agreement (Gwet AC1 = 0.505) when predicting team of the year award recipients. When predicting State of Origin selection, the metrics displayed moderate agreement for New South Wales (0.450) and substantial agreement for Queensland (0.652). Conclusion: The development and validation of these objective player performance metrics represent significant potential to enhance talent evaluation and player recruitment.

Expected Pass Turnovers (xPT) - a model to analyse turnovers from passing events in football

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to create a novel metric, Expected Pass Turnovers (xPT), that could evaluate possession retention from player-passing events in football. Event and positional data were analysed from all 380 matches in the 2020/21 English Premier League season, which encompassed 256,433 passes in the final dataset. A logistic mixed-effects model was implemented to attribute the probability of each pass getting turned over. The use of positional data enabled the identification of a) opposition players present in radii surrounding the ball carrier and b) availability of teammates with respect to the ball carrier. The addition of these positional features improved the accuracy (+6.1 AUC Score) of the model. xPT serves as a practitioner Key Performance Indicator, as analysts can identify players that lose possession more often or not than expected, given the situational context of each pass, from game to game. Future work may include modelling the turnover probability of dribble and carry actions, as this would lead to a more comprehensive understanding of turnover events in football.

Exploring Premier League Clubs Performance and Home-Away Differences Based on Passing Network Analysis

Abstract Whereas many studies have investigated the home advantage in football, only few studies focused on different passing patterns of home and away teams. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use two holistic indicators of social network analysis to explore potential differences: transitivity and density. As these metrics are not born in sport science, a further contribution of this study was to evaluate if these can serve as performance indicators. Based on a sample of the complete 2017/18 Premier League season, this study shows that higher ranked teams show significantly higher values for density (Z = 12.00; p &lt; .001; r = 0.795) and transitivity (Z = 7.08; p &lt; .001; r = 0.469) with large effect sizes. The differences of the teams’ performances for home and away games were not pronounced, and only with a small effect size (density: Z = 5.20; p&lt; .001; r=0.267; transitivity: Z = 1.73; p = 0.084; r=0.089). Overall, results contribute to the current knowledge base in two ways: First, we could show that density and transitivity are correlated with performance, which makes sense as they can be interpreted as a team’s coopration variability. Second, we could show that the degree of successful collaboration is not significantly higher for matches played at home.

Examining Changes in Shoulder Strength, Lower Body Power, and Body Composition among Collegiate Baseball Players after Completion of a Summer Baseball League Season.

The strength of the shoulder musculature involved with internal rotation and arm extension plays an important role in the overhead throwing motion for baseball athletes, both for throwing-related performance and injury risk. The maintenance of shoulder strength is a high priority for baseball athletes throughout a season; however, little is known in regards to the expected changes in strength throughout a season. To examine pre-post changes in shoulder strength, lower body power, and body composition among collegiate baseball players after the completion of a summer baseball league season. Amateur baseball players (n = 12; age: 20.9 ± 1.0 years.; height: 181.6 ± 5.6 cm; body mass: 86.4 ± 11.1 kg; BMI: 26.0 ± 2.6 kg/m2) participated in the current study. Pre- and post-competitive season, the participants completed shoulder strength assessments and body composition and countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) tests. An upper-body isometric test (athletic shoulder [ASH] test) was used to evaluate shoulder strength for each arm. Each subject completed maximal isometric contractions for both the throwing and non-throwing arms at four separate angles of abduction (180°, 'I'; 135°, 'Y'; 90°, 'T'; and -180°, 'A') while lying in a prone position. For shoulder strength, the primary dependent variable of interest was a composite measure that represented the average of the forces produced across all four positions of the ASH test (I, Y, T, A). For the ASH test composite measure, there was a trend toward a significant arm-by-time interaction effect (p = 0.08), as shoulder strength decreased by 9.03% for the throwing arm (ES = 0.72; 95% CI = [-0.27, -0.01]), compared to only 2.03% for the non-throwing arm (ES = 0.15; 95% CI = [-0.16, 0.09]), over the course of the season. The main effects of time (p = 0.16) and arm (p = 0.58) were not significant for the ASH test composite measure. There was no relationship between lower body power and throwing arm strength at baseline (r = 0.20, p = 0.56), and only a non-significant weak relationship at post-test (r = 0.28, p = 0.41). Throughout a season, baseball players may experience reductions in shoulder strength of the throwing arm with minimal changes in shoulder strength in the non-throwing arm.

The Eye in the Sky—A Method to Obtain On-Field Locations of Australian Rules Football Athletes

The ability to overcome an opposition in team sports is reliant upon an understanding of the tactical behaviour of the opposing team members. Recent research is limited to a performance analysts’ own playing team members, as the required opposing team athletes’ geolocation (GPS) data are unavailable. However, in professional Australian rules Football (AF), animations of athlete GPS data from all teams are commercially available. The purpose of this technical study was to obtain the on-field location of AF athletes from animations of the 2019 Australian Football League season to enable the examination of the tactical behaviour of any team. The pre-trained object detection model YOLOv4 was fine-tuned to detect players, and a custom convolutional neural network was trained to track numbers in the animations. The object detection and the athlete tracking achieved an accuracy of 0.94 and 0.98, respectively. Subsequent scaling and translation coefficients were determined through solving an optimisation problem to transform the pixel coordinate positions of a tracked player number to field-relative Cartesian coordinates. The derived equations achieved an average Euclidean distance from the athletes’ raw GPS data of 2.63 m. The proposed athlete detection and tracking approach is a novel methodology to obtain the on-field positions of AF athletes in the absence of direct measures, which may be used for the analysis of opposition collective team behaviour and in the development of interactive play sketching AF tools.

Competitive Balance in the Post-2024 Champions League and the European Super League: A Simulation Study

The proposal of the European Super League and the 2024/25 reform of the UEFA Champions League are both major events in European club football. This study compares the competitive balance (CB) of these new tournament formats with the previous Champions League format. Short-, mid- and long-term CB are quantified by measuring the average uncertainty of match outcomes, the ratio of stakeless matches, and the recurrence ratio of teams in knockout rounds. A simulation method is applied using the teams, their seeding, and Elo ratings in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Champions League seasons. Results suggest that the 2024/25 reform improves CB, especially in match uncertainty and the occurrence of stakeless matches. In comparison, the Star League of the European Super League concept of December 2023 is superior concerning average match uncertainty. However, it has a worse CB regarding stakeless matches and dynamic CB. Reasons and suggestions for improvement are also discussed.

Predicting Team Success in the Indian Premier League Cricket 2024 Season Using Random Forest Analysis

Background. Random Forest is a popular machine learning algorithm used for classification and regression tasks. The study purpose is to investigate the use of Random Forest machine learning to predict the winning chances of teams in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Objectives. By analyzing comprehensive player statistics, including matches played, batting and bowling averages, as well as fielding contributions, the study aims to understand the factors that influence team success in T20 cricket and provide actionable insights for team management, betting markets, and cricket enthusiasts. Material and methods. The study involved 10 cricket teams competing in the IPL 2024 season. Player statistics and match outcomes data from previous IPL seasons were collected and cleaned, with missing values addressed through imputation. The features were based on player statistics, including both aggregate measures and calculated metrics. A Random Forest is chosen as the machine learning model, trained using preprocessed data, with features derived from player statistics as input and match outcomes as the target variable. The dataset was split into training and validation sets, using methodologies such as cross-validation to ensure a robust model performance. Results. The Random Forest model demonstrates strong predictive performance, with a low Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 8.2174, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 2.8666, and a high R-Squared value of 0.9173, indicating approximately 91.73% variance explained in the data. Chennai Super Kings emerge as frontrunners with a predicted performance percentage of 83.4%, while teams like Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants show lower predicted performance percentages, suggesting potential areas for its improvement. Conclusions. This study reveals the effectiveness of Random Forest machine learning in forecasting IPL match outcomes based on player statistics. It provides valuable insights into team dynamics and offers actionable recommendations for team management and cricket enthusiasts. The findings enrich our understanding of IPL match dynamics, contribute to the evolution of cricket analytics, and promote greater engagement with sport, ultimately enhancing the fan experience in the IPL.

Analysis of Time Loss Injury in Korean Professional Baseball Players

PURPOSE: This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of time-loss (TL) injuries in 68 Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) players aged 26.6±5.4 years (31 pitchers and 37 field players).METHODS: Injury data collected during the 2021-2022 KBO league seasons were used to calculate the injury rate (IR), IR ratio (IRR), and TL. IR was calculated as follows: (total number of injuries×100)÷(total number of game exposures). IRR was computed as follows: (IR of pitchers)÷(IR of fielders). TL was defined as an injury that resulted in the inability to compete or participate in standard routines.RESULTS: A total of 92 TL injuries were recorded from 5,320 athlete-exposures (1.7 per 100 athlete-exposures). Pitchers exhibited a 1.7-fold increase in IR (IRR =1.69, 95% CI=1.05-2.61, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.018) and a 2.6-fold increase in the rate of severe injuries that resulted in a TL of ≥3 weeks (IRR=2.59, 95% CI=0.93-7.10, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.045) compared to field players. The trunk/spine (20.6%) among pitchers and thigh/groin (22.4%) among field players were the most frequently injured body parts. Overuse (38.2%) and batted ball contact (38.2%) were the leading causes of injury among pitchers, whereas noncontact (36.2%) and overuse (17.2%) were the leading causes of injury among field players. Pitchers were most likely to be injured while pitching (55.9%) and fielding (38.2%), whereas field players were most likely to be injured while batting (31.0%) and base running (31.0%).CONCLUSIONS: The current findings indicate that the characteristics of the injuries of KBO players differ by position, emphasizing the importance of a position-specific injury prevention program.

Comparison of Nutrition among Female Floorball Players of Extra-Class Teams from Poland and the Czech Republic during the Preparation Period for the League Season.

The study aimed to assess the frequency of food intake and to compare the consumption of female extramural players training floorball in Poland and the Czech Republic during the preparation period for the league season. In total, 43 players training floorball in senior clubs participated in the study, including 21 from the Polish and 22 from the Czech clubs. The research tool was based on the standardised questionnaire for the Examination of Eating Behaviours and Opinions on Food and Nutrition (QEB). The study also analysed body composition using the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) method, and the research tool was a TANITA MC-780 S MA body composition analyser (Tanita Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The Polish women's floorball players had lower results in body fat percentage (FM) and muscle mass (MM) than the Czech team. The mean FM in the players of the Polish team was 18.6% ± 5.4, and the mean MM was 45.8 kg ± 4.2. In the Czech team players, these figures were 19.8% ± 5.4 and 47.8 kg ± 4.2. Despite the similar value of mean BMI in both teams, the highest BMI in the case of female athletes from Poland (17.7), indicating underweight, and the highest BMI in female athletes from the Czech Republic (26.9), indicating overweight, were significant. The study showed differences in both body composition analysis and dietary patterns of the Czech and Polish players. The Czech women's floorball players had a higher muscle mass and body fat percentage than Polish floorball players. Furthermore, differences in diet were observed among the players of the Czech team compared to the players of the Polish team. The Czech women's floorball players consumed a slightly higher amount of healthier products, such as whole-grain products. The Polish players took in more meat, processed products and fruit juices. This study is one of the first to assess the nutrition of those involved in floorball. There is a need for further research that focuses on the specifics of the discipline, the exercise capacity of the players and points during the season that require nutritional support. This knowledge would help develop effective nutritional strategies and plan and implement appropriate nutrition education for this group of athletes.

Concussion Reporting and Racial Stereotypes: ESPN’s Role in Shaping Public Perception About Athletes of Color

In the 2022 National Football League (NFL) season, Miami Dolphins’ quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, received two concussions in 5 days and was taken off the field on a stretcher. The media framing around Tagovailoa’s concussions was focused on the flaws in the NFL concussion policy and the poor decision making of the neurotrauma consultant. However, no mention of Tagovailoa’s race was mentioned despite historical racist practices regarding concussions in football for racialized athletes. Given the media’s role in the framing of concussions and the perpetuation of racial stereotypes, I conducted a content analysis to explore ESPN media articles dedicated to concussion stories during the 2022 NFL season. Ultimately, this paper concludes that through subtle but pervasive frames, the writers at ESPN continue to perpetuate racial stereotypes that construct racialized athletes as physiologically superior, intellectually inept, and criminally dangerous.