Perspective Of Athletes Research Articles

RUNNING, HEALTHY AGING, AND SOCIOCULTURAL CHANGE OVER 50 YEARS: PERSPECTIVES FROM OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Running is a relatively easily accessible and perceived low barrier to entry sport for any age. This project goal was to understand how running is conceptualized as part of healthy aging over the past 50 years, given sociocultural and demographic changes that have occurred. Through recruitment on social media, with running groups, and at marathon events, participants completed survey and interview data on their life course experiences with running. Out of 37 survey participants, 5 were aged 61 or older with an average age 71 years old; of 21 interview participants, 5 were aged 61 or older. Survey results indicated that running was perceived as contributing to: a) positive increases in physical health attributes such as bone, cardiovascular, and immune health, muscle strength, and metabolism; and b) slightly or significantly more positive mood; conversely, all participants indicated their mood worsened when taking time off from running. Interview data supported the survey data and revealed positive perspectives of older athletes through phrases such as “motivating, strong, badass, happy, healthy, cool, active;” conversely, the majority of respondents felt “angry, upset, or frustrated” at the phrase “You play/run like an old person.” Slightly more than 50% of participants desired improvement for older adult community athletic opportunities, particularly those related to running. Yet, most older adult participants agreed that they “feel comfortable in my community to achieve my full athletic potential.” Community leaders, health, and aging services should consider opportunities to promote running groups for older adults that support both new and experienced runners.

“Change needs to start at home”: A reflexive thematic analysis of girl athletes' and coaches’ experiences of body image in New Delhi, India

Despite the physical, psychological, and social health benefits of sport participation, multiple barriers keep girls and women on the margins of sport in India. Further, body image concerns are implicated globally as a hindrance to sports engagement among adolescents but are rarely acknowledged in India. Due to a lack of research, the unique restrictions to sport participation faced by girls in India are yet to be understood. Drawing on the Sociocultural Theory of Body Image, this study explored the intersection of body image and sports from the perspectives of Indian athletes and coaches. Twelve athletes (girls aged 11-17 years; football n=6, netball n=6) and six coaches (football n=3, netball n=3) from New Delhi, India, participated in semi-structured focus groups. Reflexive thematic analysis was used and we formulated three themes: 1) "To Do What We Love, We Must Struggle"; 2) "What Will People Say?"; and 3) "Hold On To Your Power, Be You". The themes provide a nuanced understanding of the experiences of athletes and coaches on and off the playing field. The findings shed light on several individual and systemic factors, such as harassment, societal norms, feelings of empowerment, and internalising appearance ideals, that impact girls' engagement with sport in New Delhi, India. Methods to improve sports engagement, discrepancies between athlete and coach perspectives, and recommendations for sports organisations to combat body image concerns and improve sports uptake among girls in an Indian setting are discussed.

Parasport medicine and its challenges

Introduction: The field of Paralympic medicine examines the healthcare issues that are specific to athletes with disabilities. This article presents a historical phenomenon in which the introduction of further activities for patients with neurological conditions led to the hosting of the Paralympic Games. The article describes the complexity of inclusivity in disability health research and outlines the historical context of the emergence of this field of sports medicine. It also presents the main challenges posed by the developing parasport. One of the most significant issues is to guarantee that competition is conducted with the greatest degree of equity possible. This entails ensuring the precision of classification, preventing the over-medicalisation of athletes. It is also imperative that athletes with special requirements are provided with the appropriate support and equipment. The creation of adequate care pathways requires a challenging process, largely due to the inconclusive nature of research findings over the years. Further investigation is necessary to gain a more nuanced understanding of this relatively new area of study. Purpose of work: The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the broader challenges that paramedicine is facing in relation to the rapid development of this branch of sports medicine. Materials and methods: This article is based on the literature found in Pubmed database and other scientific databases. References were researched using following keywords: paralympic games, persons with disabilities, paramedicine, para-athletes, Conclusions: The advancement of Paralympic medicine is markedly expedited by a synthesis of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The integration of these two approaches yields invaluable insights into the personal perspectives of athletes on their health, while also facilitating statistically significant, evidence-based results on the analysis of large groups of athletes.

Athlete Perspectives on Concussion Recognition and Management in Gaelic Games: A Qualitative Analysis.

Background: The focus of this qualitative research was to interview current and retired Gaelic games athletes to ascertain how athletes viewed concussion recognition and management. Methods: A grounded theory methodology design was utilised to investigate concussion recognition and management experiences of a cohort of Gaelic games athletes (n = 22). Data for the study were collected using a semi-structured interview format. Results: Two major themes were identified: (1) an inconsistent identification of concussion as an injury and the absence of standardised procedures for removal from play, and (2) the impact of athlete-driven decision making on concussion management. Concussions were experienced by all the participants on multiple occasions while playing Gaelic games. However, concussion recognition and removal rarely occurred, as many athletes chose not to disclose their injuries or self-managed their concussions. Conclusions: The recognition and management of concussions in Gaelic games are currently inadequate, and they may be posing significant risks to athletes' long-term health. This research highlights the need for more stringent protocols for concussion recognition and removal at pitch side. In addition, Gaelic games require a more objective injury management plan during acute and chronic concussion recovery.

An Athlete-Centered Career Assistance Intervention Program for the Chinese Sport System: Reflections Into Polyphonics

The aim through this manuscript is to share our career intervention situated in individual, group, and meta-reflective practice, to help elite athletes manage changes in their careers and support their autonomy and development within the Chinese Whole Nation System (CWNS). Translating findings from a science to practice project, we provide an athlete-centered reflective intervention integrating the perspectives of sport psychology practitioners (SPPs), coaches, athletes, and parents from a Chinese collective vantage. First, we introduce how athlete career transition scholarship and theoretical frameworks guided this intervention. Second, we explain how different levels of reflective practice can be used as a part of a career intervention. Third, we provide a brief summary of recent research project from which the intervention was derived, and fourth, we describe a six-step intervention to inform future implementations.

Negative sentiments toward anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention outweigh positive awareness discussions on social media

The aim of this study is to understand the current public discussion surrounding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention on social media and determine factors that influence levels of public engagement. We performed a qualitative and quantitative cross-sectional analysis of ACL injury prevention techniques discussed on social media via the Twitter application programming interface (API). The Twitter API was queried from inception to May 2023 using keywords related to ACL injury and prevention. We conducted a thematic analysis of the posts and performed a sentiment analysis using natural language processing. A multivariable regression model was used to identify metadata that predicted higher engagement (media, links, tagging, hashtags). A subset of 1823 unique posts was analyzed from 1701 unique accounts. Most posts were raising awareness about ACL injury prevention (n​=​733, 40.2%), followed by opinions on the topic (n​=​390, 21.4%), specific prevention techniques (n​=​289, 15.9%), personal experiences (n​=​272, 14.9%), and research (n​=​139, 7.6%). The majority consisted of posts from patients or caregivers (n​=​948, 55.7%), whereas healthcare providers accounted for 14.7% of posts. Posts containing media increased Tweet engagement count by an average of 6.1 (95% CI 2.8 to 9.4, p​=​0.00033) and posts discussing personal opinions increased engagement by 6.7 (95% CI 3.5 to 9.8, p​=​0.00004). On sentiment analysis of all included Tweets, 822 (45.1%) posts were positive, 309 (17.0%) were negative, and 692 (38.0%) were neutral. Sentiments expressed in posts related to ACL prevention were 2.8 times more negative compared to those discussing raising awareness. There is active discussion about ACL injury prevention on Twitter. The use of visual media increased public engagement. We identified a potential knowledge gap between the available prevention techniques and the perspectives of athletes, highlighting the need for healthcare professionals to enhance their engagement with ACL injury prevention on social media. III.

Gender equality policy of the Olympic Movement in Chinese sport governing bodies: the case of elite volleyball

Abstract Objectives This research based on the theoretical framework of globalisation focuses on the development of gender equality policy in the Olympic Movement and the implementation of IOC’s gender equality policy in the context of Chinese elite volleyball. Methods In addition to documentary analysis, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key insiders within Chinese elite volleyball system to provide a comprehensive understanding of the IOC’s gender equality policy implementation. The analysis involved perspectives of athletes’ participation, coaching positions, and leadership roles according to three main elements of the IOC’s gender equality policy. Results The findings demonstrated that the responses of Chinese elite volleyball to IOC’s gender equality policy are participative, conflictual, and passive in terms of the gender balance of athletes’ participation, coaches’ positions, and the representation of leadership roles respectively. Conclusions IOC recommended subordinated stakeholders including NOCs to implement gender equality policy. The attitude of Chinese elite volleyball governing body towards gender equality is generally positive. However, IOC’s gender equality policy is not consistently transferred at national level. Policy might be implemented with symbolic measure in China without monitoring system. Referees should be included in policy contents in addition to athletes, coaches and leaders. In addition, since IOC’s gender equality policy and statistics have been keeping updated, further results with respect to the case of volleyball should be demonstrated in future research.

Coach’s Leadership Styles of Soccer School (SSB): Based on Athlete's Perspective

Coach’s Leadership Styles of Soccer School (SSB): Based on Athlete's Perspective

“Are you here for performance or are you here for well-being?” Using participatory research to promote thriving in a British Olympic sport organization

To support the growing calls to safeguard athlete health and well-being in the pursuit of sporting success, empirical research into thriving may offer practitioners potential mechanisms to promote both outcomes simultaneously. Yet, given that elite sport environments are increasingly characterized as complex and volatile, applying theoretical knowledge is often not straightforward. In this novel study we aimed to bridge the gap between theory and practice by partnering with a sport psychologist to explore their experiences of promoting thriving within an Olympic sport organization. Using a participatory research approach in a typically inaccessible context, we sought to support the specific needs of the practitioner through a form of collaborative inquiry. Together, over a 9-month period, we navigated the complexities of translating knowledge into practice and present novel insights into the realities of effectively creating systems-level change. Namely, the need for practitioners to deftly negotiate complex interpersonal relationships and organizational cultures, and to democratize responsibility for psychological change to wider stakeholders. Regarding thriving, we demonstrate that the promotion of thriving requires an in-depth understanding of the athletic environment and organizational systems. Further, an array of athlete perspectives is needed when determining what contributes to and constitutes a thriving experience. Through our collaboration with an applied practitioner, this study makes a significant contribution toward bridging the gap between theory and practice. In doing so, we draw attention to the complex and challenging scenarios practitioners face when promoting change at an environmental level within elite sport organizations. Lay summary: Using a participatory research approach, we explored the experiences of a sport psychologist attempting to promote athlete thriving within a British Olympic sport organization. Our findings highlight the challenges and opportunities of practitioners working in these settings.

Sports legacies of Rio 2016 Paralympic Games: a study from the perspective of Brazilian athletes

ABSTRACT Purpose This study investigated the sports legacies of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (PG) from the perspective of Brazilian Paralympic athletes. Methodology We conducted semi-structured interviews with twenty athletes, examining the following categories of sports legacies: sports facilities, material resources and equipment, sponsorships, encouragement of sports participation, and athletes’ motivation/experiences. Findings According to the interviewees, the main legacies were the establishment of the Brazilian Paralympic Training Centre, located in São Paulo, coupled with the experience, personal pride, and motivation gained from participating in the PG. They believe that inadequate management by the public authorities and sports entity leaders hindered the realization of positive legacies in the other investigated categories. Implications This study recommends the need for advance planning to maximize the legacies of the PG for the sports community. In addition to the usual involvement of politicians and sports leaders, we suggest the inclusion of athlete representation in this process. Research contributions This study emphasizes the importance of proactive management in sports entities and highlights how it can enhance or impede potential positive sports legacies. Originality While other studies have evaluated PG legacies from various perspectives, such as social or infrastructural, few have specifically assessed sports legacies.

The role of physiological testing for athlete development in sport: The elite athlete perspective

One common practice in talent development environments during the investment years (age 16+) and elite sport, in general, is the use of physiological testing of the athletes’ physical determinants of performance. In this article, the regime of controlling and monitoring athletes’ bodies for elite sport production through physiological testing will be examined. To this end, we explored athletes’ experiences of what has been done and why physiological tests are carried out the way they are to understand the practice of physiological testing in relation to athlete development. The material in this study is based on interviews with adult elite sport athletes (four group interviews with eight individual athletes in three different sports, four male and four female, and individual interviews with twelve female and five male football players). Schatzki's and Reckwitz's theorizing on social practices, together with Dewey's theorizing on learning from experience, are used to explore and illuminate the practice of physiological testing and what learning is enabled and constrained within that practice. The findings show that the meaning and significance of physiological testing for athletic development relates to how the tests are followed up and talked through with the athletes. The analysis shows that there exists a form of sport-wide commonality where the same understandings, rules or ends—irrespective of which sport is concerned—govern coaches’ and athletes’ behavior regarding physiological tests. The physiological testing practice articulates action intelligibility through rules and structures which emphasizes tests as isolated quantified indicators of physical status. The use of physiological tests as a part of learning or as a means for athlete development can therefore be questioned.

Assessing Refereeing Proficiency in Chinese University Basketball Leagues

This research examines the perspectives of athletes and coaches on the competence of basketball referees, with a specific emphasis on important aspects such as understanding the rules, making decisions, communicating, managing the game, maintaining consistency, and resolving conflicts. By conducting an extensive survey that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data-gathering methods, this study aims to provide a thorough understanding of the existing difficulties encountered by those involved in the field of basketball officiating. The results indicate that there is a general discontent with the level of officiating, as both players and coaches evaluated officials' performance low across all measured categories. In addition, the research reveals recurring obstacles that substantially influence the integrity and fairness of basketball tournaments. These issues encompass uneven officiating, communication hurdles, difficulty in game management, concerns over transparency and accountability, and subjective judgment calls. The research highlights the pressing necessity for focused development programs that aim to enhance the abilities of referees and tackle the highlighted obstacles in order to enhance the overall quality of basketball officiating.

The effects of mobile phone dependence on athletic performance and its mechanisms.

Mobile phone dependence (also known as internet dependence, MPD), defined as a problematic behavior characterized by excessive use or intermittent craving to use a mobile phone, results in various social, behavioral, and affective problems in daily life. In sports, MPD is directly related to the physical and mental health and sports performance of athletes. The individual and environmental factors, neurobiological mechanisms and theoretical models of MPD affecting athletic performance were analyzed by reviewing previous studies, aiming to construct effective training and development protocols to prevent and control the occurrence of MPD in athletes. At present, athletic performance can be affected by MPD through individual factors and environmental factors. The neurobiological mechanisms between the two are based on the brain reward system and microwave radiation from mobile phones, with athletic performance being restricted by alterations in the corresponding brain regions. Relevant theoretical models mainly include the social cognitive model of self-regulation and the integrative model of self-control, which explain the interrelationship between MPD and athletic performance from the perspectives of athletes' self-regulation and self-control, respectively. As an emerging phenomenon, the influence pathways and mechanisms by which MPD affects athletic performance need to be further investigated. A longitudinal perspective should be adopted to trace the dynamic impact relationship between the two, and developing relevant theoretical frameworks from an interdisciplinary research perspective should be valuable for providing theoretical support for coaches and sports administrators to formulate scientific training protocols and thus improve the mental health of athletes.

Characteristics of successful performance support team members at the Olympic games

Objectives Athletes and coaches rely on their performance support team to optimise training and competition. The specific characteristics of performance support teams that contribute to success in competition from the perspective of athletes and coaches have not been examined. Olympic gold medal winning athletes and coaches were asked about the characteristics they valued in the performance support team members who were with them at the Olympic Games. The insights shared provide important context to the role of the performance support team member, beyond technical skills, in the high-stress environment of elite sporting competition. Methods Concept mapping was completed online to collect, analyse, and visually represent insights from 30 Olympic gold medal winning athletes and coaches. The concept mapping focus prompt used to generate insights from participants was ‘When I reflect on my gold medal winning performance, a characteristic that I really valued within my support team was….’. Athletes then brainstormed, sorted, and rated relevant statements. Results Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis produced an 8-cluster map – Way of Working, Communication Style, Emotional Management in Competition, Teamwork, Commitment to Athlete Preparation, Professionalism, Embracing the Experience, and Equality – as the best visual representation of the way participants sorted the 49 unique brainstormed statements. Conclusions Olympic gold medal winning athletes and coaches prioritised ways of working, communication style, emotional management, and teamwork as the characteristics they valued most in their performance support team. These constructs, when further examined by item, encourage performance support staff to develop emotional management skills to (a) strengthen interpersonal relationships within the team, (b) enhance the working alliance with athletes and coaches, and (c) contribute to team performance overall. Concept mapping provided a structured way of collecting lived experience insights that may compliment other qualitative approaches such as structured interviews.

An athlete's perspective: Comparing talent development environments for boys and girls in Western Australia youth soccer

This study aimed to compare the perceptions of boys and girls regarding their gender-specific talent development environments (TDEs) in state-level youth soccer. Seventy-one players (girls, n = 35; boys, n = 36) aged 11–18 years completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ-5), Sports Motivation Scale (SMS-6), Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q), and Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancies (SEOE) of strength training questionnaire. Mann–Whitney U tests and Hedges’s g effect sizes were used to identify group differences. Boys scored higher for TDEQ-5 subdimensions: long-term development focus, alignment of expectations, and holistic quality preparation. For the CART-Q, boys perceived greater coach commitment, whilst girls perceived greater coach complementarity. The SMS-6 results suggested higher amotivation among girls and higher external regulation and introjected regulation among boys. Finally, boys reported greater self-efficacy and outcome expectancies related to strength training. Overall, the findings reveal significant disparities in boys’ and girls’ perceptions of their TDEs. Whilst these findings provide a more nuanced understanding of youth soccer TDEs, further research is necessary to identify the critical factors for effective athlete development regardless of gender, or with more informed considerations of gender. Stakeholders should consider the unique constraints and resources specific to their TDE to determine which strategies may best impact their functionality.

Self-regulating recovery: Athlete perspectives on implementing recovery from elite endurance training

Recovery is the process of restoring performance capabilities between training sessions. Recovery strategies must be implemented to meet contextual demands, yet this process is not well-understood from an athlete perspective. Drawing on previous descriptions of self-regulation in learning, this study aimed to describe the process of implementing recovery from the perspective of endurance athletes. Twelve elite Canadian endurance athletes (6 women, 6 men; 25–31 years-old; each had competed in multiple Olympics or World Championships) participated in two semi-structured interviews, separated by 1 week of recording their thoughts, feelings, and activities of recovery in an activity journal. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we found that recovery was athlete-led; they used self-regulatory processes pertaining to self-knowledge and planning (the theme of “Knowing my body”), self-awareness and interpretation (“Listening to my body”), and self-control and adjustment (“Respecting my body”). The athletes’ described their recovery as integrated with their environment; various people and places supplemented, facilitated, and provided aspects for their recovery. Our results suggest that recovery can be effectively understood as a series of athlete-led skills, supported and enhanced through specific environmental interactions, which we summarize in a novel heuristic called the Athlete Recovery Regulation Cycle. These findings advance a new perspective on recovery as a product of skills that athletes can develop to hone the effectiveness of their recovery from training. Keywords: self-regulated learning; sport performance; sport practice; mental performance. Lay summary: We asked elite endurance athletes to describe their process of implementing recovery around training. This process was primarily athlete-led, involving a set of self-regulatory skills, integrated with the support of people and places in their environment. Recovery should be considered in terms of skills that athletes can develop and for which they can take ownership.

Gender equity in sport from the perspective of European women athletes and sport managers, physical education teachers and sport coaches.

For years, gender inequality has conditioned women's participation in sport, exposing them to difficult situations and numerous barriers to face. However, no previous research has analyzed the situation of women in sport from the perspective of the athletes themselves, or from the perspective of the coaches, teachers or managers who work with them. This study examines the perspectives of European women athletes, sports managers, physical education teachers, and sports coaches, on gender equity in sports across six European countries: Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The research design was consistent with a critical realist epistemology, and the sampling method was non-probabilistic by convenience. A total of 42 female athletes (mean age: 24.37 ± 8.27 years old; mean sport experience: 6.67 ± 7.76 years) and 45 sports managers, physical education teachers or coaches (mean age: 47.00 ± 11.99 years old; mean sport experience: 9.62 ± 10.60 years), participated in six focus groups in the same countries, in groups of 6 to 10 participants per focus group. Focus groups were conducted to stimulate collective discussions, build upon and question ideas, and reach a consensus on questions drawn up by a group of experts, following previous methodologies. The data analysis involved transcribing, translating, and contextualizing the focus group recordings into English. Inductive thematic analysis, reflexive thematic analysis, and codes and themes within the data were created using NVivo 12 Pro. The main topics discussed by the female athletes were "gender inequality in general and in sport," "barriers to gender equity," "reasons for abandonment," "needs," "environment role models" and "tools for the gender equity in sport." The main topics discussed by the sports managers, physical education teachers, and coaches were "gender inequality in general," "gender inequality in sports," "tools" and "reasons, motives, drivers." The results of the study revealed that gender inequality in sports is influenced by a broader social context, where stereotypes, biases, and discrimination persist. The participants also highlighted the challenges, barriers, and needs that women athletes face in their careers, such as a lack of resources, support, visibility, and recognition. Moreover, the participants suggested some strategies to promote gender equity in sports, such as increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership and role modeling, and developing mixed and inclusive sports projects. According to athletes and sports managers/teachers/coaches, gender inequality is still present in sport. There are barriers and challenges that need to be addressed such as lack of resources, visibility, and recognition for female athletes. Among the strategies that can be used to reverse this situation are increasing investment, awareness, and education, creating policies and legislation, fostering women's leadership, and developing mixed and inclusive sport projects.

Concussion management and concussion recovery in Gaelic games: a qualitative analysis.

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to interview current and retired Gaelic games athletes to understand the current landscape of concussion recovery in Gaelic sports from the athlete perspective. A grounded theory methodology was employed to explore the experiences of a cohort of Gaelic games athletes (n = 22) regarding recovery from concussion, the levels of concussion awareness in Gaelic sports and their opinions on current concussion identification protocols. The study's data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. Two major themes were identified, (1) Male and female athletes experience a range of acute and chronic symptoms post-SRC and (2) Gaelic sports athletes are expected to demonstrate constant allegiance and commitment to the GAA. These themes were further divided into categories and subcategories. Based on the experiences of the cohort of Gaelic sports athletes, there exists a wide variation of SRC symptomology in the acute, and chronic (post-concussion syndrome) phases. In many cases, there are reports of long-term side effects associated with the perceived mismanagement or misdiagnosis of SRC in Gaelic sports. Gaelic sports athletes require a more robust SRC management system to support and manage SRC in the acute, chronic and long-term phases.

Before hitting the slopes: athlete and staff perspectives on warm-up and activation in high-performance snowsports

To explore warm-up and activation (W&A) practices in high-performance snowsports to describe their importance, application and potential improvements based on the perspectives of elite-level athletes and staff members. Qualitative study...

Australian adolescents’ views about healthy eating and the effects of food advertising on dietary behaviour: Perspectives of athletes and non-athletes

Background: Food-related advertisements have been identified as influential factors affecting Australian adolescents’ food preferences and dietary habits. Objective: This study aimed to investigate adolescents’ (athletes and non-athletes) views about healthy eating, the advertising of discretionary foods and beverages, and the effects of food advertising on dietary behaviours. Method: Qualitative study involving the analysis of data from seven focus group discussions with young people aged 12–17 years ( N = 27; 10 males and 17 females; 14 elite athletes, 13 non-athletes) from three different socioeconomic status secondary schools. Results: Both athlete and non-athlete participants discussed the importance of how social media is used for food advertisements. Many adolescents exhibited scepticism about the intent of advertising discretionary foods and beverages targeted toward adolescents. Three themes were identified from the data analysis: (1) physical and cognitive benefits of healthy eating; (2) scepticism, mistrust and ethical concerns about food and beverage advertisements targeted toward adolescents; and (3) portrayal of thin and fit ideals in social media. Conclusion: Health educators and policymakers addressing adolescent healthy eating behaviours should focus more fully on the influence of social media food advertising. Greater promotion of the importance of good nutrition during adolescence may optimise training performance and improve young people’s nutritional knowledge and healthy eating habits.