Local Clubs Research Articles

What makes a devoted local-food-buying club customer?

Local food-buying clubs (LFBCs) are special types of consumer-driven grassroots groups that are particularly well suited to enhancing the transition to a post-growth economy, given the finite growth potential of individual communities, the tendency of groups to distribute rather than accumulate capital, and the prospects of the movement for expansion. This paper analyses consumers of LFBCs and analyses how the different constructs proposed by the theory of planned behaviour are applicable according to engagement with LFBCs. A representative survey was run in May 2020 in Hungary. Respondents who were classified as devoted (regular) LFBC customers, occasional LFBC customers, and consumers not interested in local food were compared pairwise through matching-based treatment effect analysis approaches. Consumers of LFBCs comprised a heterogeneous group based on their pre-existing beliefs and attitudes. Occasional LFBC customers emphasised the broad quality-related features of local food and the potential for supporting local farmers. For more devoted customers, environmental aspects were very important. As belonging to a group has been shown to shape attitudes, targeted messages applied by LFBC managers may increase the level of engagement, contributing to the more efficient scaling up of local food systems.

Enhancing Snooker Player Development in China: A Comprehensive Analysis of Training System and Competition Setup

This paper explores the development of snooker in China, focusing on the proliferation and challenges faced by snooker in China. It examines the inequalities in snooker popularity and specialization in China. By comparing youth development mechanisms in other sports, this paper argues that snooker needs better screening and development mechanisms to improve the quality and quantity of players. Also, Chinese snooker needs more tournaments held by local clubs to screen players for the higher levels of the game.

Football, Entertainment, and Business: Hans Gamper and KS Cracovia’s 1923 Tour of Spain

Józef Lustgarten in his memoir of KS Cracovia’s 1923 Spanish tour reveals hitherto unknown details of the business dealings of Hans ‘Joan’ Gamper, a Swiss businessman and founder of FC Barcelona. He also provides insight into 1920s football in Spain where in the absence of a national competition generating sufficient economic resources to sustain a professional team, tours of foreigners such as the Polish one were organized to provide the necessary founding. Three factors from this tour reveal how football turned into mass entertainment and business: the press activity that exceeded mere recounting of events; the construction of greater capacity stadiums that generated higher economic income; and the mergers of local clubs that resulted in competitiveness at the national level.

What Benefits Does Local Sports Club Membership Confer On Community-Dwelling Older People In Ireland?

Abstract Background There is a strong culture of sports club membership amongst older people in Ireland. It has been suggested that this confers health benefits due to increased physical activity and social connection, but studies examining this are currently lacking. The aim of this study therefore was to assess the relationship of sports club membership with markers of health and well-being in a large population-representative cohort of older people. Methods Over 3,500 participants ≥65 years at Wave 5 (mean 74 years, 54% female) of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing were included. Sports club membership (GAA, soccer, rugby, tennis, golf) was elicited by self-report. Depressive symptoms (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), loneliness (UCLA Scale), and quality of life (Control Autonomy Self-Realization Please Scale) were assessed with internationally validated scales. Physical Activity was by self-report and mobility impairment was defined as Timed-Up-and-Go≥14s. The associations between sports club membership and these outcomes were assessed with regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, polypharmacy, chronic disease burden and heart disease. Results One fifth (708/3,510) of participants were a member of a local sports club. Sports club membership was associated with lower rates of depressive symptoms (Odds ratio 0.51 (95% CI 0.34,0.75)), lower levels of loneliness (Beta = -0.28 (95% CI -0.46, -0.10)) and better quality of life (Beta= 0.93 (95% CI 0.49,1.38)) in fully-adjusted models. Sports club members spent more days doing moderate physical activity per week (2.0 (95% CI 1.85,2.21) vs 1.64 (95% CI 1.54,1.73); p<0.001) and had lower likelihood of mobility impairment (Adjusted Odds Ratio 0.49 (95% CI 0.36,0.68)). Conclusion Sports Club Membership is prevalent amongst community-dwelling older people in Ireland and is associated with lower rates of loneliness, depressive symptoms and mobility impairment, and better quality of life. Older sports club members should be encouraged to maintain this activity where feasible.

Promoting Competitive Football through Geodetection: Performance of Departments in Producing Talent in Cameroon

Renewing competitiveness is a permanent challenge in football to ensure its survival, as the world quickly tires of the absence of magic or of the same champion winning every time. Football governing bodies around the world have therefore invested heavily in the detection and training of new talent according to a well- defined planning model. In Cameroon, we have seen a decline in the overall level of football through the absence of results for several years on the continental stage, whether by local clubs or the national team, and this can be explained by the absence of a clear planning policy with regard to the detection of new talent. In this context, the aim of our study was to map the performance of departments in terms of their development ecosystem in producing talent in order to revitalise football in Cameroon. The methodology used consisted of a weighted hierarchical analysis of the various criteria considered in the talent development ecosystem, including the concentration of young people in the departments, as well as the infrastructure, structures such as clubs and training centres that cater for them, and also their educational and health care. The data was collected and processed using appropriate geographic information science tools and software. The results revealed three categories of departmental performance, with only 4 of Cameroon's 58 departments performing very well, 18 performing moderately well in terms of producing talent for the development ecosystem and the rest not performing at all. With a view to planning detections throughout the country, these results are convincing and will enable FECAFOOT decision-makers to draw on clear studies to launch the new generation of Cameroonian football, and also to identify concrete areas for improvement in the less successful departments.

Comparison of Effects of Implicit versus Explicit Learning of a Novel Skill in Young Gymnastic Athletes.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of explicit learning with implicit learning using a dual-task paradigm on learning a novel skill and whether the performance was maintained over an extended period. Forty-four young children from a local gymnastics club (n = 44, boys n = 10, girls n = 34, age: 10 ± 2.9 years) completed four 30 min front-flip practice sessions over four weeks between pre- and post-test, followed by two retention tests three and six months after the post-test, in which no front-flip practice occurred. Comparable improvements were found beyond baseline performance for both learning conditions over the six-month hiatus. While both groups increased performance at the post-test, neither explicit nor implicit learning groups were able to maintain the achieved performance level into six months of retention. In particular, the explicit group showed a more marked decrease than the implicit group after three months, which was probably caused by the decay of their reliance on the retrieval of declarative knowledge from working memory. The current findings highlight the importance of conducting retention tests over an extended period to monitor performance development after the acquisition of a novel task by different learning methods, as they can differ over time.

The Role of ICT in Maintaining Social Cohesion: Understanding the Potential of Digital Initiatives for Social Networks in Rural Areas☆

AbstractDigital initiatives may have helped to maintain active social networks during restrictive, social distancing measures of the COVID‐19 pandemic. To examine how and under which circumstances digital initiatives can contribute to social cohesion, semistructured interviews with 35 stakeholders of local communities and clubs were conducted. The thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews identified four main themes, characterizing conditions under which digital initiatives successfully contributed to social cohesion. First, preexisting digital routines need to be considered. Information and communications technology (ICT) routines, even if limited, need to be extended for digital initiatives to be successfully integrated into communities. Second, acquiring ICT skills are not a technical but a social problem. Members with limited prior knowledge relied heavily on strong ties to improve their ICT skills to become part of digital networks. Third, social media fatigue is particularly prevalent in those with limited prior ICT experience. Importantly, individual withdrawal from digital networks, resulting from SMF, had a knock‐on effect on others. Finally, communities that were not engaging with ICT dissipated. As such, ICT may contribute to social capital by maintaining social engagement in social networks, particularly if providing additional benefits to the community.

Supporting Timor-Leste midwives and nurses through an educational program: An evaluative study

Little is currently known about the impacts of participation in a five-week Australian maternal and newborn health training program for Timorese midwives and nurses. BackgroundThe maternal mortality rate in Timor-Leste is estimated to be around 204 per 100,000 live births, and there is a correlation between safe and quality maternal and newborn health services. Hence, there is a need to develop the nation’s maternity workforce. Whilst numerous training programs have been geared towards improving the knowledge and skills of Timorese midwives and nurses, to date, no published study has evaluated their impact on participants. AimTo describe satisfaction of an Australian maternal and newborn health training program for Timorese midwives and nurses and its impact based upon the participants survey and qualitative evaluations. MethodsAn evaluative study was conducted using a survey to explore the impacts of a five-week Australian residential training program on 12 Timorese midwives and one nurse. FindingsThe survey data demonstrated an increase in the participants knowledge and skills required to provide enhanced maternal and newborn care; post-training, most participants demonstrated increased knowledge of obstetric emergencies. The participants showed the most pronounced increase in Advanced Clinical Skills in the subjects of fetal assessment, neonatal resuscitation and obstetric emergencies.The qualitative data identified two main themes and six subthemes related to professionalism, communication, and connections. ConclusionAn Australian residential training program, provided in collaboration with local Rotary clubs can enhance the development of maternal and newborn healthcare skills for midwives and nurses from Timor-Leste.

Safety Nets: A Social Prescribing Intervention to Support Young People on CAMHS Waiting Lists

High numbers of children face mental health difficulties in the UK, leading to increased referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) which face reduced capacity and increased waiting times. Children’s mental health can deteriorate significantly during this wait for treatment. Safety Nets is an 8-week group intervention for children on CAMHS waiting lists, involving psychoeducation and physical activity co-delivered by clinicians and coaches at local sports clubs. A mixed-methods feasibility study was conducted exploring the impact of Safety Nets. A fully powered trial is now needed to further test for clinical and cost-effectiveness and to support future implementation.

Information experiences of bonsai growers: a phenomenological study in serious leisure

PurposeThe paper reports the findings of a research project exploring the information experiences of bonsai growers in Australia as an example of a serious leisure pursuit.Design/methodology/approachThe study used phenomenology as a qualitative approach in an interpretive paradigm. The data collection technique was a semi-structured interview with open-ended questions, and 23 volunteers were recruited via a maximum variation sampling strategy. The study employed the Serious Leisure Perspective and Information Experience as its theoretical frameworks.FindingsBonsai growers rely on three primary sources of information: publications, people, and plants. They use formal and informal publications across various media. They interact with fellow bonsai growers to share experiences and seek advice. The shape and conditions of bonsai trees are sources of embedded information that help them to make informed decisions in their practice. They have a culture of information sharing on many grounds, such as local clubs, online forums, and workshops. Their embodied information manifests in their sophisticated skills of shaping bonsai trees to express the aesthetic principles of this ancient art.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are contextual and cannot be generalised. A generalisation of the result needs to be tested in a broader population.Social implicationsEngaging in the bonsai hobby often fosters a sense of community among bonsai enthusiasts. Understanding these social connections can contribute to the development of supportive networks and enhance belongingness.Originality/valueThe study contributes to understanding the information experiences in serious leisure. It offers new evidence-based insights that can inform the design of information systems and services tailored to the needs of leisure pursuers.

‘A dangerous and exhausting struggle’: Hunting the devil fish of coastal North and South Carolina from the colonial era to the early decades of the 1900s

Scientists, hunters and business entrepreneurs in the Carolinas all had mutual interests in giant manta rays ( Mobula birostris) during the early decades of the 1900s. Eastern-seaboard coastal communities called them devil fish, because of the horn-shaped fins on their head. Although the Ocean Leather Company in Morehead City primarily processed shark-skin leather, it also experimented with the skins of rays and other sea animals for the manufacture of a great variety of consumer products. Articles were written for scientific journals and ray specimens were contributed to national institutions like the American Museum of Natural History. Local fishermen, along with celebrities like the US president, Teddy Roosevelt, harpooned devil fish in Cape Lookout while marvelling at their grace and strength, breaching up to six feet above the water's surface. Beaufort planter William Elliott presented many accounts of this fantastic sea creature, with vivid stories of enslaved African harpooners jumping off boats onto the backs of giant manta rays. This research combines historical accounts and images, newspaper advertisements and talks at local explorer clubs to illustrate case studies of the community's obsession with collecting, cooking, hunting and conquering rays as an important component of maritime leisure and environmental history. It concludes by addressing international examples of subsistence, recreational and industrial fishing, and its impacts on manta rays.

Nationwide assessment of illicit drug consumption patterns in South Korea using wastewater-based epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022)

Illicit drugs have become a crucial global social issue, with South Korea experiencing a continuous increase in the number of offenders and drug smuggling. This study employed wastewater-based epidemiology to investigate consumption patterns of 8 illicit drugs and their 7 metabolites during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) in South Korea. Ten compouds were detected in the wastewater influent. Methamphetamine (METH) was prevalent in samples, followed by amphetamine and ecstasy (MDMA). Interestingly, MDMA and ketamine (KET), which were not detected in previous Korean studies conducted before COVID-19 pandemic, were detected in this study. METH exhibited the highest consumption rates, decreasing from 16.6 to 12.4 mg/day/1000 people between 2020 and 2022, while MDMA increased over the three years (mean: 1.16, 1.24, and 1.62 mg/day/1000 people in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively) (p < 0.05). Significant correlations were identified between regional income levels and the consumption rates of METH (p < 0.01), MDMA (p < 0.01), and KET (p < 0.05). Furthermore, METH and MDMA consumption rates in cities were positively correlated with the number of drug offenders arrested and local clubs in those cities. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into shaping regulatory policies related to illicit drugs and future studies.

비수도권 대학 지역 연합 동아리 기반 UX 디자인 프로그램 개발

Recently, the UX design expert training program is founded around Seoul metropolitan area, where firms growing in the online platform industry and global companies are concentrated. Accordingly, there are certain limitations in the environment in which students majoring in UX design at non-metropolitan universities can grow into experts. This research confirmed the possibility of after-school activities ‘clubs' through a pre-test that assessed the positive effects on major learning from club participation among students at non-metropolitan universities. As mentioned above, this research founded the local united club for studying UX design. The local united club recruited students who wanted to study a project-based major. For club activities, which was the UX design program based on content from pre-research, was constructed following the stages of UX design education confirmed in previous studies. After experiencing the 15- week course twice, cross-verification was conducted through students participating in the club to see whether the UX design education program presented in the previous study was a universal education program or a situation of improving local infrastructure of UX design. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the UX design education program, operated in the form of a regional association club, could improve the UX design education infrastructure. The program of after-school club activities based in non-metropolitan areas, which will help students grow into UX design experts in IT firms, will be an alternative to improving the disappointing environment for students in Daegu and Gyungbuk area.

Enhancing Effectiveness of Programming and Quality of Information Services in the GLAM Sector Through the Serious Leisure Perspective

ABSTRACT Serious leisure enthusiasts, including hobbyists, volunteers and amateurs, continuously need information to deepen their knowledge and improve their skills in their chosen leisure pursuits. The Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) is a conceptual model that categorises leisure activities and outlines the main components of each category. This paper aims to demonstrate how the SLP can inform policy and practice for public programming and information services across the GLAM sector. To achieve this goal, the author used the SLP as the theoretical framework, reviewed the literature and re-analysed the data pool in his ongoing research trajectory on the informational aspects of serious leisure to address the emergent research questions. The findings suggest that the SLP can inform and transform the policies and practices within the sector in various ways. Firstly, information professionals can benefit from the SLP as a conceptual model to review and revise their current policies and practices. Moreover, they can seek partnerships with local clubs and communities of serious leisure enthusiasts to foster collaboration and use their knowledge and expertise. Finally, adopting the new approach can extend their domain of action from conventional information services to vibrant cultural hubs, which can empower their communities.

Mengapa Sepak Bola Menjadi Populer di Kalangan Siswa Sekolah Dasar?

This article aims to identify and analyze the factors that cause elementary school children's interest in football to increase. This study uses a qualitative approach with a literature review method. The data collection process is carried out through scientific journals, books, and research reports that focus on research. The search was conducted through academic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and other online journal portals Using relevant keywords such as "popularity of elementary school football", "influence of media on elementary school children", "early childhood football coaching", and "social aspects of children's football". Data analysis is carried out qualitatively consisting of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of the analysis showed that media influence, such as games aired on television or soccer content that went viral on social media platforms, gave elementary school children greater access to the sport. Coaching from an early age, both through school programs and local football clubs, provides opportunities for children to start learning and loving the sport from an early age. In addition, social aspects such as peer relationships and the experience of playing in a team can increase elementary school children's interest in football, as this sport not only provides an opportunity to play, but also strengthens the social bonds between them

The Safe Sport Allies bystander training: developing a multi-layered program for youth sport participants and their coaches to prevent harassment and abuse in local sport clubs.

Harassment and abuse represent a pervasive and critical problem in sport with far-reaching consequences. Survivors' testimonials underscore the profound and enduring impact of these experiences at individual, interpersonal, organizational and community level. Many of their stories reveal painful inaction from responsible adults in the sport organization, aggravating the harm. Other contributing factors to the harm inflicted include a culture of silence, lack of knowledge and understanding of what constitutes abuse, unawareness of reporting and supporting mechanisms, and fear of potential consequences. While effective bystander interventions have been developed outside the sport context, particularly targeting students in higher education, such initiatives have yet to be extensively adapted and assessed within the sport context. To address this gap, the Safe Sport Allies Erasmus+ collaborative partnership relied on the intervention mapping approach as a guiding framework to systematically develop a bystander training program (i.e., Safe Sport Allies) to train youth sport participants and youth sport coaches to act as effective bystanders. The current paper describes the comprehensive development process and provides an overview of implementation and evaluation possibilities. Throughout the paper, it is explained how each step of the Intervention Mapping approach shaped the Safe Sport Allies bystander training program. The program development, and the developed plans for implementation and evaluation are presented, shedding light on challenges encountered. The bystander training program developed in this paper and the implementation and evaluation plans can serve as an outline to build future interventions within this critical domain of safeguarding in sport.

Consistency of wound care in Leg Clubs.

Mr B had lost his wife of 65 years and was distraught, but he tried to move on with life. However, while playing football he injured his leg, which then developed into a venous ulcer that was to last for many years. Unfortunately, his care was inconsistent, and the wound was not progressing. He found the local Leg Club and decided to self-refer. He not only went on to achieve wound closure rapidly, but he found a social atmosphere in the club, made friends and learned how to prevent the wound from recurring. He felt that consistency of care was the reason for the rapid progress.

Influence of Programmed Physical Training on the Performance of Table Tennis Athletes

This study aims to explore the influence of a programmed physical training program on enhancing the performance of table tennis athletes at the local table tennis club level. The study utilizes a quantitative research approach with a case study design. Research participants consist of 30 table tennis athletes from one local table tennis club. Data were collected through physical tests covering measurements of muscle strength, agility, and cardiovascular endurance, as well as direct observation of athlete performance during table tennis training sessions. The results of the study indicate a significant improvement in muscle strength, agility, and cardiovascular endurance of athletes after participating in the programmed physical training program. Regression analysis also confirms a positive relationship between the level of participation in the programmed physical training program and athlete performance improvement. The practical implications of this research are that local table tennis clubs can utilize programmed physical training programs as a strategy to enhance their athletes' performance. However, this study has limitations that need to be considered, including the limited generalizability of the results due to being conducted in only one local table tennis club. Therefore, further research with larger samples and diversification of table tennis clubs is needed to confirm these findings more broadly.

Coping mechanisms used by caregivers of HIV/AIDS orphans in North West province, South Africa.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a pandemic that has affected families and left many children orphaned worldwide. After the death of their parents, HIV/AIDS orphans are often taken care of by caregivers who are faced with overwhelming challenges that affect their capabilities to perform caring tasks. It has been reported that caregivers of HIV/AIDS orphans use different coping mechanisms to deal with the challenges faced during caring. Coping mechanisms play an integral role in maintaining individuals' physical and mental well-being, particularly those caring for orphans. This study explored coping mechanisms used by caregivers of HIV/AIDS orphans. A qualitative design was adopted, and individual semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 13 caregivers of HIV/AIDS orphans in North West province. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select the participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Rigor was maintained throughout the study. Three main themes were identified with eight subthemes. The first theme includes support from significant others, and subthemes are family support, neighbour support, and life partner support. The second main theme emerged from this study was religious practices and two subthemes namely singing gospel songs and using prayer to cope. The third main theme identified includes the use of social support services, and subthemes were government support, support from local schools, and stokvels and social clubs. The identified coping mechanisms in this study improved caregiving skills of caregivers to better care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

Evaluation of Energy Balance Estimated From Total Energy Expenditure and Body Composition Changes in Junior Sumo Wrestlers: An Observational Study Over Six Months.

Background Sumo is a sport that requires wrestlers to develop their physique from childhood for athletic advantage. However, the energy expenditure and energy balance required for the growth of junior Sumo wrestlers remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the energy balance of junior Sumo wrestlers over six months usingdoubly labeled water (DLW) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Methodology A total of 12 male Sumo wrestlers were affiliated with a local Sumo club (average age = 15 ± 1 years). The total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured using DLW, whereas body composition was evaluated using BIA. Daily physical activity was quantified using a tri-accelerometer (Active style Pro HJA-750C). Results The TEE was 4,194 ± 734 kcal/day, while daily physical activity without training was 786 ± 50 minutes. Within six months, the body weight increased by 2.0 ± 3.2 kg, fat-free mass (FFM) was augmented by 2.1 kg, while fat mass did not change significantly. The surplus energy accumulated was 5.6 ± 213 kcal/day. Conclusions The excess energy of junior Sumo wrestlers predominantly increases their FFM. To increase their physical prowess, wrestlers adhere to a lifestyle characterized by high-intensity training and attenuated daily physical activity.