Local Clubs Research Articles

Effects of a 9-weeks arch support intervention on foot morphology in young soccer players: a crossover study

BackgroundA flat foot is a common cause of chronic sports injuries and therefore many opportunities for arch support interventions exist. However, young athletes change their foot morphology due to developmental influences even without intervention. Therefore, developmental influences need to be considered when examining the effects of arch support, but there have not been sufficient longitudinal studies to date. This study aimed to determine the effect of the arch support intervention by performing a 9-weeks arch support intervention on the foot morphology and cross-sectional area of the foot muscles in flat-footed young athletes. Thirty-one elementary school boys (Age 11.4 ± 0.5 years, Height 145.2 ± 7.4 cm, Weight 38.8 ± 8.3 kg, BMI 18.2 ± 2.2 kg/m2) with a decreased medial longitudinal arch in the foot posture index were selected as participants from a local soccer club and randomly divided into two groups.MethodsIn one group, in the intervention period, an existing arch supporter was used to provide arch support, while in the other group, no special intervention was provided in the observation period. To account for developmental effects, the intervention study was conducted as an 18-weeks crossover study in which the intervention and observational phases were switched at 9 weeks after the intervention. Foot morphology was assessed using a three-dimensional foot measuring machine, and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the internal and external muscles of the foot was assessed using an ultrasound imaging device. We examined the effect of the intervention by comparing the amount of change in the measurement results between the intervention and observation periods using corresponding t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test, analysis of covariance methods.ResultsAfter adapting the exclusion criteria, 14 patients (28 feet) were included in the final analysis. The CSA of the abductor hallucis muscle (ABH) increased 9.7% during the intervention period and 3.0% during the observation period (p = 0.01). The CSA of the flexor digitorum longus muscle (FDL) increased 7.7% during the intervention period and 4.2% during the observation period (p = 0.02).ConclusionA 9-weeks arch supporter intervention may promote the development of the ABH and FDL CSA in young flat-footed soccer players.

Discord : An all in one messaging application (Case Study)

Discord was started to solve a big problem: how to communicate with friends around the world while playing games online.it’s a home for communities of any size,but it’s most widely used by small and active groups of people who talk regularly. Discord is used by everyone from local hiking clubs, to art communities, to study groups. Discord has millions of people creating places for their friends and communities, talking for upwards of 4 hours per day on the platform. Discord is now where the world talks, hangs out, and builds relationships. Discord lets anyone create a space to find belonging—just like it did for Jason and Stan.People love discord because it’s a home for all their communities and groups of friends.it’s a place where they can be themselves and spend time with other people who share their interests and hobbies.In this Case study we are trying to resolve the following cases such as Why discord keeps on the widely acceptable chance of global and local communication and How discord manages the large crowd and their activities.

Exercise habits and cortisol level among women at a local Zumba club

Introduction and Aim: Cortisol has a vital role in helping the body deal with stress. It is known as the primary stress hormone. Cortisol modulates many changes in the body in response to stress, including blood glucose metabolism, fat, protein, carbohydrate metabolism into energy (gluconeogenesis), immune and anti-inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of Zumba exercise on cortisol levels in Zumba club participants in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: The design of the research is observational using a cross-sectional analytic study method. The samples in this study were 25 women of productive age in the I'M Z crew Zumba club in Indonesia with a purposive amplification technique. Results: The results showed that the subjects who routinely did Zumba exercise (? 3x a week) or who did not excercie routinely (1-2x a week) to have cortisol levels within normal limits (3.09-16.66 ug/dL). The results of this study also showed that subjects who routinely did Zumba exercise (? 3x a week) have higher cortisol mean (7.82 ± 3.50) than subjects who did not regularly exercise (1-2x a week; 6.47 ± 3.46). Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between exercise habits and cortisol levels in the research subjects.

Role of local club in developing value chain of high performance national tennis athlete

This paper discusses the role of local clubs in developing high performance junior athletes as a critical part of the national value chain to produce national athletes. Local clubs serve as entry points for kids and their parents into the world of tennis. Local club is a hub that connects three main actors involved in the development of kids into tennis players: (i) Coach, (ii) Athlete, and (iii) Parents, regarded as grass root athlete development. This paper identifies the typical tennis player pathway in Indonesia. Value chain of local club and its relation with other regional, national, and global stakeholders’ value chain in developing national athletes are presented. Benchmark of journey from grassroots player to high performance/elite players and structure of value chain in established countries are discussed. It is concluded that local clubs are playing a significant role in creating a massive pool of talent and developing grass-roots players into high performance/elite national tennis athletes. Strong collaboration between stakeholders and completing structure the value chain are important to develop country performance in sustainable way.

The Northwest Gardens of Lord & Schryver by Valencia Libby

Reviewed by: The Northwest Gardens of Lord & Schryver by Valencia Libby David Porter THE NORTHWEST GARDENS OF LORD & SCHRYVER by Valencia Libby Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, 2021. Illustrations, photographs, notes, bibliography, index. 256 pages. $29.95 paper Valencia Libby exhaustively recaps the lives and work of Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver, life partners who founded the first women-owned landscape architecture firm in the Pacific Northwest. The two women met by chance in the dining salon of an ocean liner in 1927. The voyage was the first leg on a tour of Europe’s great gardens and monuments. Their chance meeting and felicitous first encounter made them traveling companions. After docking in Edinburgh, Scotland, the tour took them across the Continent. It is easy to imagine their journey had a flavor of romantic adventure worthy of the cinema. On side trips, for example, they flew to Spain and Morocco; the Moorish gardens inspired some of their later designs. They discovered shared perceptions and tastes as they traveled. Ultimately, they believed that they would find opportunity in their profession if they started out in Oregon where Lord’s family connections could help them succeed. Schryver, daughter of an industrious entrepreneur from New York, and Lord, child of a leading family in Salem, Oregon, found much in common. Both were passionate about gardens, design, and landscape architecture. Schryver at age twenty-six was already employed in a New York firm, while Lord, age thirty-nine, was studying at Lowthorpe, a landscape program in Massachusetts that trained women professionals who could be economically independent. Gardening with her mother had sparked Lord’s horticultural interest. In 1922, her work improving the grounds of a local country club won praise, which led her to Lowthorpe and eventually Schryver. After the two women launched their firm, they cultivated clients eager to own knowledgeably conceived and constructed gardens. The firm’s early years were challenging as the Great Depression unfolded. Libby describes their fortitude facing challenges, their willingness to do the necessary work themselves, and the steady growth of their reputation for designing gardens that not only pleased the eye but also “stir the imagination” in the words of their friend Alice Brown Powell (p. 72). The book recounts the development and construction of ten private gardens in the Pacific Northwest. Undoubtedly, Lord’s social connections helped the firm succeed. During those years, they also took on public projects, such as an extensive design for Breitenbush Hot Springs in the Willamette National Forest. Also notable was their work in 1938 developing a landscape plan at historic McLoughlin House in Oregon City. Closest to their heart was the design and construction of their Salem home, Gaiety Hollow, and its gardens. Lord and Schryver’s reputation later prompted the Portland Garden Club to hire them to design its headquarters in Portland. Lord and Schryver had a notable effect on regional landscape architecture. They helped the profession build its credibility with architects, horticulturists, and contractors, making clear that women were capable practitioners in all of these areas. They brought new perspectives on garden design, incorporating novel elements they had seen in their far-ranging travels. They broadened the plant palette employed in Northwest gardens with knowledge of plants from the East Coast and other areas where they had made connections. This book will satisfy readers who are deeply interested in these women and in landscape design’s evolution through the twentieth century. [End Page 315] David Porter Gresham, Oregon Copyright © 2022 Oregon Historical Society

Determining the feasibility of exercise therapy and activity modification for treating adolescents with heel pain: a study protocol

Calcaneal apophysitis and Achilles tendinopathy are common overuse injuries characterised by insidious posterior heel pain with activity. Calcaneal apophysitis is commonly diagnosed in adolescents, although Achilles tendinopathy is understudied in...

ACL Research Retreat IX March 17–19, 2022 High Point, NC

ACL Research Retreat IX March 17–19, 2022 High Point, NC

P02-05 Our healthy community - development of a new model for health promotion and disease prevention in Danish municipalities

BackgroundThe Danish health care system is facing major challenges as the prevalence of chronic diseases increases. There is a need for new approaches and strategies to prevent chronic disease and promote health and well-being among citizens. The aim is to describe the development of a new model for coordinated, integrated and evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention in Danish municipalities. The model builds on the supersetting approach, intersectoral collaboration and community engagement and applies a broad bio-psychosocial concept of health.MethodsTwo Danish municipalities were included in the initial development and testing of the model from 2019 to 2021. This involved the following steps in each municipality: 1) Analyzing the health status, lifestyles and socio-economy at municipality level. 2) Mobilizing lead municipal administrators and politicians for intersectoral action including jointly defining thematic focus areas and target populations. 3) Mapping community-based stakeholders, physical environments and existing evidence to qualify relevant action 4) Mobilizing professional stakeholders from the public, private and civic sectors for co-creation of intervention ideas and joint action. 5) Co-creating and implementing interventions together with professional stakeholders and citizens.ResultsThe strategic model and results from the development process will be presented from one of the involved municipalities: The municipal administration chose physical activity and well-being among children and young people as their key focus area. Community-based stakeholders from non-profit organizations and public institutions, including sports clubs, leisure clubs, primary schools, and public departments jointly developed and implemented specific interventions. One specific intervention aimed to engage more children in local clubs. Coaches from three local sport clubs introduced 1st and 4th grade students at two schools to their sport (a course of eight times) during students' time in their local after-school club. Overall, the process fostered broad engagement of stakeholders from the public sector, the private sector, and civil society.ConclusionThe model developed in Our Healthy Community builds on contextual analyses, dialogues, workshops, and co-creation processes with a wide range of stakeholders to promote local relevance, integration and sustainability of developed actions and interventions. The model will be pilot tested in two other Danish municipalities (2022-2025)

S07-2 Variability in physical activity levels in adolescent Gaelic football players across a competitive season

Abstract Background Gaelic football is the most popular team-based sport among Irish adolescents, yet research examining the physical activity (PA) levels attained during this sport is limited. Moreover, no research has examined the PA levels of participants across a competitive season, limiting the data collection to one, often undisclosed time point. Therefore, the aim of this study was to objectively measure changes in PA levels attained by adolescents during Gaelic football participation across two time points in a season and determine if these changes had an effect on the overall daily PA levels. Methods A total of 131 adolescents (67 male, 64 female; mean age 14.5 yrs.) were recruited from a convenience sample of three local clubs. Participants wore an activPAL3M accelerometer to determine total sitting/lying time, standing time, light intensity physical activity (LIPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during a seven-day measurement period, including Gaelic football participation. Physical activity measurement was completed at two separate time points, in line with the ?preseason? (round 1) and ?in-season? (round 2) periods of the Gaelic football calendar. Results Males accumulated significantly less time in MVPA during games in round 2 when compared to round 1 (round 1 = 36%; round 2 = 30%; p > 0.05). In contrast, females accumulated significantly more time in MVPA during both practices (round 1 = 19%; round 2 = 26%; p > 0.05) and games (round 1 = 27%; round 2=35%; p > 0.05) during round 2. The average daily minutes spent in MVPA by males significantly decreased between the two time points (round 1 = 36.5±12.9min; round 2 = 30.8±13.5min; p > 0.05), while daily MVPA in females significantly increased (round 1 = 26.3±8.9min; round 2 = 30.6±11.6min; p > 0.05). No significant differences in daily MVPA levels were observed between the genders during round 2 (p > 0.05). Conclusion The results demonstrate that the PA levels attained during Gaelic football participation change significantly across a competitive season. These changes may be a direct result of different coaching strategies implemented as the season progresses. The overall daily PA levels of the participants also changed significantly across the time points, resulting in males and females accumulating equal amounts of MVPA daily. This change in daily PA levels may be a consequence of the changes in PA levels attained during Gaelic football participation.

S07-4 Sporting programs aimed at inactive population groups in the Netherlands: factors influencing their long-term sustainability in the organized sports setting

BackgroundThe organized sports sector has received increased interest as a setting to stimulate physical activity among inactive target groups. To include many inactive people and to obtain population health benefits, it is important that effective sporting programs are sustained (i.e. continuation of program activities) over a long period of time. This study identified the factors influencing the long-term sustainability of these kind of sporting programs located within local sports clubs in the Netherlands.MethodsFourteen Dutch sporting programs aimed at increasing physical activity levels of inactive population groups and funded within the National Action Plan for Sport and Exercise (NAPSE) were the focus of this study. The programs were developed by ten Dutch National Sports Federations (NSFs) and implemented by different sports clubs in the Netherlands within a three-year funded implementation period (2008-2011). This research consisted of semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the program coordinators of the NSFs (n = 14) and semi-structured telephone interviews with representatives of sports clubs that provided the programs (n = 17 continued the program, n = 11 discontinued the program) six and a half years after the funding period ended (November 2017-March 2018). A sustainability framework with five pre-specified main themes (i.e. program design, implementation, trainer/coach, organizational setting, broader community environment) guided data collection and (deductive) thematic analysis.ResultsTen of the fourteen NAPSE funded sporting programs were sustained at the level of the NSFs. Most factors facilitating (+) and impeding (-) the long-term sustainability of the programs were common to both NSFs and sports clubs, like program adaptation (+) and a lack of program financing (-). Program evaluation (+) and high program costs (-) were specific factors mentioned by NSFs, while factors related to human resources (e.g. lack of volunteers (-)) or the sports club nature (e.g. social aspect in program design (+)) applied to sports clubs. The factors were summarized in the form of a checklist.ConclusionsKey factors influencing the long-term sustainability of the sporting programs were identified. The results can be used to develop strategies to promote long-term sustainability of these kind of programs and inform funding guidelines in countries with a similar organized sports infrastructure.

P03-18 A Review of Sporting Role Model Led Interventions Promoting Physical Activity in Youth

BackgroundAmong adolescents there is a notable decline in physical activity (PA) levels from childhood, more notable among females than males. Visibility is regularly a cornerstone of strategy to promote engagement with women's sport particularly around stimulating and sustaining female participation in sport and PA. This includes leveraging sporting role models (SRM) to develop participation in sport and PA. The purpose of this research is to locate and describe the features and impact of SRM led interventions on female participation in sport and PA.MethodsAPA PsychInfo, PudMed, and Sport Discus databases was used to identify SRM led interventions. In sum, 7,169 papers were identified with 360 duplicates. A further 5,122 were removed from title screen, 1,666 from abstract screening, 21 from full text review with two studies included in the final review.ResultsTwo SRM led interventions were included in the final review and were deemed as ‘fair' quality using Black and Downs Checklist. The first study1 aimed to improve attendance in PE, behaviour and attitude towards PA through a 12-week school based intervention. Schools were funded to complete a novel sport rolled out by teachers (group 1), with a second group having an additional visit from an elite ‘athlete mentor' (group 2). The study found 98% of students enjoyed the athlete visits and found them beneficial however there was no additional impact on PE attendance and attitudes to PA linked to athlete visits. The second study2 involved school students visiting a local professional football club and meeting professional football players through video messages and letters over a four-month school period. The intervention group showed a significant increase in self-efficacy towards PA compared to the control group.ConclusionThere is limited, if any, evidence to support SRM led interventions to promote participation in sport or PA. Studies considered in this review are poorly designed and evaluated and lack theoretical frameworks. There is scope to undertake a broader review of grey literature due to the scarcity of published evidence despite anecdotal support and implementation of SRM interventions throughout the sport sector.

S05-2 Tenth anniversary of ‘moment! - motor learning and mental training for people with a beginning dementia'

Currently 1.7 million people in Germany are living with dementia and two out of three such persons are nursed at home. Considering this challenging situation, we started in 2010 the project “moment! - motor learning and mental training for people with an incipient dementia”. Our aim was to develop a special qualification for people who are interested in conducting physical exercise groups for persons suffering from dementia. It has been scientifically proven that physical exercises show a positive impact on people with dementia: Training in groups is motivating and influences the emotional state in a positive way. Furthermore, social contacts are supported and maintained and prevent from social isolation. Therefore, a higher life fulfillment can be increased temporarily, and self-confidence is growing as well. Socio political goals are the integration of affected persons into existing social structures like sports associations, the raise of public awareness for dementia, and to strengthen the possibilities of integrating people suffering from dementia into regular social life. All scientific analysis proves that motion has a positive impact on the process of dementia and is a successful prophylactic and therapeutic support of the common medical treatment.The project includes a qualification for multipliers such as care assistants, trainers in local sport associations, nursing staff and volunteers in care organisations in order to support people suffering from dementia. This training consists of five days (and a total of 40 learning units) and is offered as an attendance seminar. During the course the participants will be trained in basic knowledge and clinical pictures of dementia, above all they receive many ideas for practical motor and mental exercises. Additionally, all participants receive a workbook and a music CD for the rhythm and dance lessons. Within the last 10 years we have qualified about 440 people in 27 trainings. Many “moment!” training-groups have been built - most of them in nursing homes and a few in cooperation with a local sports club.

The 21st Century Globetrotters’ Fans: The Case of Israeli Transnational Football Supporters’ Communities Before and During the Pandemic

In the modern era of commercialized, mediated, and global football, there is a decline in the importance of the local aspect of sports fandom. Nowadays, through television broadcasts, the Internet, and especially social networks, a fan continuously follows elite football clubs from around the world, which provide an alternative to local clubs. This has created a growing trend of football fan communities known as “transnational fans”—fans of sports clubs from other countries. Contrary to traditional definitions of fandom, the transnational fans are not close to the home stadium and therefore do not take part in the ceremonial ritual of actively supporting the club from the stands. Because of this, they are not seen as part of the club’s traditional fans. This means that transnational fans are forced to redefine the image of the football fan and to place special emphasis on an active community and loyalty to the team as markers of devotion. Contributing to the study of the psychology of fandom, this article discusses the characteristics of those fans’ communities in Israel and seeks to present an analysis of the construction of their members’ social and personal identity. To this end, an anthropological approach was adopted, which involved attending community gatherings throughout an entire gaming season and also included a series of in-depth interviews with community members. The findings of the study illustrate two main premises: the use of personal and community resources for self-determination, and the community and its place in the modern fan typology. Each theme attempts to redefine the individual’s role in the social setting and present a dynamic image of football fandom as it will take shape in coming decades.

The Influence of Maturity Status on Dynamic Balance Following 6 Weeks of Eccentric Hamstring Training in Youth Male Handball Players.

Information about when to apply an appropriate eccentric hamstring strength training stimulus during long-term athlete development is essential for effective programming and improving balance performance. This study examined the effects of six-week eccentric hamstring training on dynamic balance performance in youth handball players of different maturity statuses (pre- or post-peak height velocity (PHV)). A randomized controlled design with 45 young male handball players (14.6 ± 0.3 years) from a local national handball club were randomly allocated to a 6 week, twice weekly eccentric hamstring training in two experimental groups: a pre-PHV (maturation offset: −2.13 ± 0.63, n = 10) and post-PHV (maturation offset: 0.79 ± 0.34, n = 12) group and two control groups: maturation offset: −2.09 ± 0.61, n = 10 and maturation offset: 0.55 ± 0.67, n = 13. Dynamic balance performance was evaluated by using the composite score during the lower quarter Y-balance test from pre- and post-intervention. A significant effect on balance scores was found from pre to post (F = 11.4; p = 0.002; η2p = 0.22), intervention (F = 5.4; p = 0.025; η2p = 0.12), and maturation (F = 369; p < 0.001; η2p = 0.9), but no significant interaction effects were found (F ≥ 3.3; p ≥ 0.077; η2p ≤ 0.07). Post hoc analysis revealed that the post-PHV group had a higher score than the pre-PHV group. Furthermore, that dynamic balance increased in the post-PHV group after intervention much more in the control post-PHV group. It was concluded that somatic maturation influences dynamic balance performance and that eccentric hamstring training results in greater improvement in balance performance in young male handball players for the post-pubertal group.

Scapular force: Couple ratios in healthy shoulders – An observational study reflecting typical values

BackgroundScapular stability is primarily maintained through the action of the scapular stabilisers and not through bony stability. The values of the force couple ratios of the scapular stabilisers remain largely unknown.ObjectivesTo determine typical scapular force couple strength ratios in the pain-free shoulders of healthy female and male participants.MethodsThis was a quantitative cross-sectional study. The muscle strength of the serratus anterior upper and lower fibres, the upper, middle and lower trapezius and the rhomboids (in both shoulders) were determined in kilogram force (kgf) using a handheld dynamometer. The ratios of the force couples of the scapulae of both shoulders of the participants were calculated. Participants (both female and male) with healthy shoulders were recruited from the general public (a local university, schools, church groups and sport clubs). We mainly utilised descriptive analysis. Statistical significance was set at 5%.ResultsForce couple ratios were as follows (means, with SD). Dominant arm in women: upper trapezius:lower trapezius 3.63 (0.97); serratus anterior lower fibres:lower trapezius = 1.97 (0.27); middle trapezius:serratus anterior upper fibres = 0.40 (0.10); serratus anterior lower fibres:rhomboids = 1.41 (0.21); lower trapezius:rhomboids = 0.74 (0.17). Dominant arm in men: upper trapezius:lower trapezius = 2.70 (0.72); serratus anterior lower fibres:lower trapezius = 2.15 (0.45); middle trapezius:serratus anterior upper fibres = 0.47 (0.12); serratus anterior lower fibres:rhomboids = 1.40 (0.31) and lower trapezius:rhomboids = 0.17 (0.6).ConclusionSpecific force couple strength ratios were determined, between and within the nondominant and the dominant arms of the shoulders of healthy women and men.Clinical implicationsScapular stability is mainly maintained through the optimal force couple balance of the scapular stabilisers.

Basketball training frequency is associated with executive functions in boys aged 6 to 8 years.

This study investigates the relationship between the frequency of basketball training and executive functions (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) in boys aged 6 to 8. A total of 40 boys recruited from a local after-school basketball training club were divided into a low-frequency group (once a week) and a high-frequency group (at least twice a week). An additional 20 age-matched boys recruited from a local elementary school were considered as the control group (no training experience). All subjects conducted the Stop-signal task, the N-back task, and the switching task at rest. The mean reaction time and accuracy data obtained from each task were used in statistical analysis. There was no significant group difference in either the accuracy or reaction time of inhibitory control. Meanwhile, no significant difference was found in the reaction time of working memory across groups. However, the high-frequency group exhibited significantly higher accuracy (93.00 ± 4.31%) with regard to working memory than the low-frequency group (85.4 ± 6.04%, P < 0.001) and the control group (83.73 ± 7.70%, P < 0.001), respectively. A positive correlation was also found between the accuracy of working memory and groups. Furthermore, in comparison with the control group, the high-frequency group exhibited significantly higher cognitive flexibility accuracy (91.93 ± 7.40% vs. 85.70 ± 9.75%, P = 0.004) and shorter reaction time (934.24 ± 213.02 ms vs. 1,122.06 ± 299.14 ms, P < 0.001). There was also a positive correlation between the accuracy of cognitive flexibility and groups. These findings suggest that regular basketball training, especially with higher frequency, is beneficial to working memory and cognitive flexibilityin boys aged 6 to 8.

Metal-Detecting Rallies

ABSTRACTHobby metal detectorists search for archaeological finds as individuals and within groups, the latter being the focus of this article. Such groups come together as “clubs” and “meetings,” but also as part of large, often commercially run events typically known as “rallies.” All these activities are attractive to detectorists because they provide them with access to land to search, along with the promise of making interesting (even valuable) discoveries, and they have a social dimension. They are common in England and also well established in several countries in northwest Europe, partly due to changing legislation. Although policies and mechanisms are often in place for collaboration with individual detectorists and even local metal-detecting clubs, larger events (not least, the large-scale commercial rallies increasingly occurring in England) present challenges for professional archaeologists, specifically in relation to the capacity to properly record finds and manage potential damage to the historic environment. To respond appropriately to these changes, a greater understanding of detectorists’ events is needed. For this reason, we explore and define the scale, nature, and diversity of group events, relating them to different legislative and cultural contexts in Flanders (Belgium), England (and Wales), and Finland. Subsequently, we outline challenges associated with group events and identify possible ways forward.

From Oblivion to Reappearance: A Multi-Faceted Evaluation of the Sustainability of Folk Music in Yunnan Province of China

The Southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan is the home to a plethora of traditional music, folk songs, and ethnic musical instruments with 24 local folk music items included in the national intangible cultural heritage list and extended list. In this article, the authors intend to delve into the issue of Yunnan folk music protection from the perspective of cultural sustainability theory. With an in-depth qualitative analysis of the data on the protection of 24 folk music items of Yunnan, the achievement, impact, and challenges of the current safeguarding efforts are revealed. The findings suggest that: 1. Government agencies at all levels have a dominant influence on the protection effort. 2. The local community, musicians, culture bearers, troupes, clubs, and social organizations form the “brick and mortar” of the folk music sustainability system. 3. The current reappearance or resurface of certain folk music items is a significant step toward truly reviving the folk music items in the future.

Britain's Olympic Women: A History

In recent years, scholars have considered many facets of British sports. They have gone beyond the simple narrative of great moments and characters from the worlds of football, cricket, and rugby to consider the ways in which the British military used sports in its training programs. Other studies have introduced readers to the way that noncombatant British men used sport to validate their masculinity during World War II and to examine the role of sport in the expansion of the British Empire and how men from Trinidad and Nigeria used proficiency in sport to assert their refusal to acquiesce to their colonial status. Occasionally, those studies alluded to women's role, but only in rare cases have the experiences of female British athletes been used to elucidate such urgent matters as the Cold War in sports. Happily, those interested in a broader study of British women's sport have a new narrative examining women's sport by studying the biographies of significant equestriennes, swimmers, fencers, and football players and how those women dealt with the obstacles in the way of their success.In Britain's Olympic Women, Jean Williams has accomplished a remarkable feat in delving into publicly accessible information, family archives, oral histories, and even a particular episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus to tell individual women's stories and draw larger lessons from those stories. In doing so, Williams provides insights into the work scholars do to understand their subject. Sometimes the archives do not exist, sometimes they are inaccessible, and sometimes they exist only because families maintained them, but Williams does what she can to tell the reader what she has discovered and to offer suggestions to others wishing to learn more about the sporting experience of British women. For student readers of this book who want to find topics for research, the suggestions are invaluable.As Williams explains, opportunities for female athletes were limited by a variety of factors. For equestriennes, access to good horses and time to train them made their development possible. For swimmers, access to local swimming clubs was invaluable. For working-class women, the occasional support offered by their employers proved to be crucial. But even where women had access to these opportunities, their ability to play was limited both locally and internationally by the men who controlled the Olympics and similar organizations. For the first half of the twentieth century, for example, female athletes were effectively barred from eventing and show jumping because those disciplines were limited to uniformed officers. Likewise, women whose best running events were in the longer distances were essentially barred from the Olympics because of decisions to limit competition between female athletes to shorter distances. In this book, Williams shows the diverse efforts of women to get around those constraints.As she explains, there was an effort by the French feminist Alice Milliat to establish a separate but equal athletic tournament for women during the 1920s. In Britain, other women created the Women's Amateur Athletic Association, which endeavored to ensure female athletes received appropriate coaching and greater opportunities to compete. But it was only after World War II and the Soviet Union entered into world athletics that British women received the chance to show their patriotism (and commitment to their nonathletic housewife lives) on the field. British media endorsed those ideas, making the tale of encounters between British and Soviet women into the broader postwar narrative of plucky little Britain holding its own against the state-supported athletes of the Eastern Bloc. As the century progressed, British universities, most notably Loughborough, continued studies on the effect of sport on women's bodies, which also helped increase sporting opportunities, as it was established, incontrovertibly, that there were no ill health results from intense exercise.By the end of the Second Millennium, the British government stepped up to support athletes by providing money for coaching, travel, and equipment after the poor results achieved at the Olympics of 1992 and 1996. This support grew quickly after London was awarded the 2012 Games, as the men and women of “Team GB” grew into a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, professional leagues modeled on men's leagues began to open up more opportunities, especially for female footballers. And, of course, any narrative such as this has to include the role of the British royal family, especially the Princess Royal, who cemented British enthusiasm for equestrian events.This is a fine book that should be of interest to both the general reader and specialist. It is organized by chapters with notes at the end of each and affords anyone interested in a particular time period excellent places to begin following their own threads to learn more.

The new hope of Chinese football? Youth football reforms and policy conflicts in the implementation process

ABSTRACT Research question This research focuses on the implementation of youth football policies in China following the 2015 national football reform. It asks the question ‘To what extent have contextual and organisational factors facilitated and/or constrained the effective implementation of Chinese youth football policies?’ Research methods Guided by a critical realist ontology, we conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders involved in the implementation process of the youth football policy including members of the national and local football associations, schools, and professional football clubs. Results and findings The findings reveal a number of policy conflicts that restricted an effective implementation of the youth football policies. The main conflict lay in the ambiguous intertwinement of two dominant policy coalitions (i.e. sport and education), which consequently led to confusion and conflicts among key implementers in the three pathways. Other factors such as the continuous mismatch of traditional values and beliefs held by actors towards youth football participation, as well as the emphasis on excellence over participation by some actors are also identified as having potentially inhibited effective implementation. Implications This paper contributes to the debate of the positioning of youth sport in an increasingly elite-driven sporting context. It argues that policymakers, implementers, and the overall society, even if they are willing to foster a positive youth sport development, can also generate an adverse effect if they do not work together.