Perspective Of Athletes Research Articles

Importance of Anthropometric Characteristics in Athletic Performance from the Perspective of Bangladeshi National Level Athletes' Performance and Body Type

The significant role of anthropometric characteristics in sport performance besides other factors is well known. Requirement of specific physique for good performance in specific sports has been established in different studies. The athletic performance of Bangladesh is not that much well and that might be due to different physiological or psychological or skill level aspects. A physical and physiological study was conducted to find out the reason for poor performance of the Track and Field athletes as athletic performance was more dependent on physiological demands besides skill and techniques. Body composition, somatotype and VO2max of twenty-eight national level athletes (15 male and 13 female) were studied at Bangladesh Institute of Sports (BKSP). Average height and weight of the female athletes of the present study were 157.6 cm ( 5.4) and 50.6 kg ( 4.5) respectively with an average age of 17.8 yr ( 1.6). The stature ranged between 149.0 cm and 166.2 cm whereas that of body weight was between 44.0 kg and 60.3 kg. Similarly their male counterparts possessed an average height of 171.2 cm (SD 7.5, range 157.4.cm - 181.4 cm) with an average body mass of 62.7 kg (SD 8.2, range 47.2 kg– 73.5 kg). A slightly high body fat% of 18.4 (SD 2.3, range 14.1% - 22.0%) was observed for the female athletes whereas that of their male counterparts was 7.9% (SD 1.5, range 5.7% - 11.3%). Average balanced mesomorph with less mesomorph component was observed for the female athletes (2.70.53.40.92.70.9) while that of their male counterparts was ectomorphic mesomorph with less mesomorph component (1.50.44.01.13.01.1). Normal range of body fat% was observed both in male and female athletes with slightly higher in females. An average VO2max of 45.3 ml.kg-1.min-1 (SD 6.6, range 34.1-56.1) was observed for female athletes whereas that of their male counterparts was 59.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 (SD 5.3, range 50.3- 68.4). Anthropometric characteristics in terms of Somatotype of the Bangladeshi athletes were poor compare to Olympians and other international athletes though the physiological aspects in terms of VO2max were more considerable compare to international athletes. Hence, poor performance of Bangladeshi athletics might be due to poor anthropometric characteristics which support the importance of Anthropometric characteristics in athletic performances.

The Evaluation of Factors affected the Success of Iranian Wrestling Team in the 2012 London Olympic Games (Perspectives of Professionals and Athletes)

This study aimed to investigate the factors affected the success of Iranian wrestling team in the 2012 London Olympic Games from the perspective of professionals and athletes. The population consisted of 131 experts and athletes. This study was an applied -descriptive survey; data were collected by field method and library. A researcher made questionnaire was used to collect data; after confirming its validity and reliability, it was distributed among the subjects. The questionnaire examined many factors such as physical factors, facility factors, psychological factors, and management factors. The descriptive statistics was used for analyzing data. The U Mann-Whitney was used for determining the opinion frequency of athletes and experts; the Friedman test was used to rank them. The U Mann-Whitney evaluated the role of psychological factors, facility factors, psychological factors, and management factors in the success of Iranian wrestling team from the perspective of professionals and athletes; the results showed that the mean of two groups was not significant at the level of 0.05%. According to Friedman test, the facility factors, physiological factors, psychological factors, and management factors were ranked from first to fourth, respectively.

Doping control, providing whereabouts and the importance of privacy for elite athletes

BackgroundTo improve anti-doping efforts in sports, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) introduced the World Anti-Doping Program, in which (among others) regulations for providing athletes’ whereabouts are described. Because the effectiveness and efficiency of this system depends on the co-operation and compliance of athletes, the perspective of elite athletes is important. This paper answers the following research questions: What is the perspective of Dutch elite athletes on the current whereabouts system in general and how important is their privacy in providing whereabouts in particular? In addition, this study explores how far the whereabouts system can be developed in the future. Are athletes willing to accept greater invasions of their privacy in order to reduce administrative effort and whereabouts failures? MethodA structured questionnaire was completed by 129 Dutch elite athletes registered in the national and/or international testing pool. ResultsThe results of this study indicate widespread dissatisfaction with the whereabouts system. Most respondents support anti-doping testing in general, but many athletes feel that WADA's whereabouts system is unacceptable in several respects. In terms of physical privacy, there was a great dissatisfaction. Nearly half of the athletes felt that the ‘1-hour time slot’ limits their freedom, but on the other hand, most athletes disagreed with the statement that the distinction between their sport and private life is disturbed. For almost one in three respondents, the whereabouts system has a negative influence on the pleasure they experience in being an elite athlete. In terms of informational privacy, almost all athletes had confidence in the confidential treatment of their whereabouts information.Almost all athletes would accept giving their phone number to Doping Control Officials, but only half of the athletes would accept sharing their location on their mobile phone. Furthermore, almost two in ten of the athletes would accept wearing a permanent wrist or ankle bracelet or accept being implanted with a GPS chip in order to facilitate future anti-doping testing. ConclusionThe current whereabouts system needs to be improved in order to increase athletes’ satisfaction with the anti-doping rules. The athletes themselves need to be engaged in this process. The results of this study indicate that a majority of the athletes are not likely to accept a greater violation of their privacy than the current whereabouts regulations already entail.

Performance Enhancement: A Young Athlete's Perspective

Performance Enhancement: A Young Athlete's Perspective

Influence of sport type and skill level on visual imagery perspectives of young athletes

Influence of sport type and skill level on visual imagery perspectives of young athletes

Sport psychology consulting effectiveness: The athlete's perspective

The purpose of this study was to investigate what athletes perceived to be essential for effective sport psychology consulting and to examine athletes' perceptions of the key components of an effective sport psychology consulting relationship. Nine elite athletes participated in individual semi-structured interviews (6 males and 3 females, mean age = 32.7 years, SD = 11.05, mean competitive experience = 17.9 years, SD = 9.0) from a variety of sports (e.g. cricket, rugby, swimming, triathlon, dressage, and wheelchair rugby). Inductive content analysis indicated that three categories were essential for sport psychology consulting effectiveness; (a) sport psychology consultants (SPCs) were friendly but not a friend; (b) SPC consulting experience; and (c) athlete-centered consulting. Four categories emerged regarding effective consulting relationships: (a) flexibility; (b) open, honest, and respectful; (c) contributions from both the athlete and SPC; and (d) athlete as an active participant in the consulting relationship.

Comparative Characteristics of Time Perspective of Professional Athletes and Drug Addicted People

The present article analyses the comparative characteristics of time perspective of professional athletes and drug addicted people. Participants who are addicted to drugs and professional athletes pose significant difference in time perspective: in their perception of “Future”, “Negative Past” and Positive Past”. Characteristics of time perspective are dynamic and change in the context of meaning-life orientations and stressful events. Excessive concentration of participants on the past or on the future could be a predictor that contributes to dependent behavior. The necessity of individual profile consideration in psychological work with athletes and drug-addicted people was shown.

Reexamining Rationales of “Fairness”: An Athlete and Insider's Perspective on the New Policies on Hyperandrogenism in Elite Female Athletes

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the International Olympics Committee (IOC) propose that their new policies for women with high levels of testosterone, known as hype...

High School Sport Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Coaches’ Ability to Facilitate Positive Youth Development

Coaching for positive youth development (PYD) in the context of high school sport is a complex process given that many factors influence this environment. The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of high school coaches to facilitate PYD from the perspective of administrators, coaches, and athletes. Although stakeholders in general perceive coaches as having the ability to facilitate PYD, scores for coaches were higher than athletes and administrators and scores for athletes were higher than administrators. Furthermore, coaches who participated in coach education perceived themselves as having a greater ability to facilitate PYD compared to coaches with no coach education.

Poor teaching by the coach: a phenomenological description from athletes' experience of poor coaching

Background: Winning and losing have consistently been used as one criterion upon which to evaluate coaches. Since winning coaches have long been thought of as knowledgeable and effective at providing instruction, researchers have often studied coaches who have obtained a high winning percentage. While researchers know some about the behaviors and thought processes of winning and losing coaches, this research has often failed to account for how the coach's behavior affects athletes. That is, how do athletes perceive their coach and their coach's instruction? The sole criterion of winning may not sufficiently differentiate which behaviors are instructionally effective versus those that are ineffective, especially from the athlete's perspective. Furthermore, existing research tends to focus solely on winning coaches and coaches in general. In order to better understand coaching effectiveness from the perspective of athletes, research has examined the coaching behaviors athletes prefer and their satisfaction with the coach. While this research consistently suggests athletes prefer coaches to exhibit behaviors related to training and instruction, it is unknown as to when and how coaches should provide instruction, as well as how athletes perceive this instruction. Purpose: In order to further understanding of effective coaching from the athlete's perspective, a study was conducted to determine athletes' lived experiences of poor coaching. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings related to athletes' experiences of poor teaching by the coach. Method: Participants in this study were limited to a convenience sample of 16 current or former athletes who played team sports (e.g. baseball, basketball, football, softball, soccer) at the collegiate, professional, or semi-professional level. Existential phenomenology was the research design chosen for the conduct of the study because it allowed athletes to describe, in detail, what it meant for them to have been poorly coached. Findings: Athletes identified a total of 33 poor coaches, but some of the athletes described the same coach; therefore, only 26 different coaches were actually identified. Of the 26 poor coaches, 17 were head coaches, nine were assistant coaches, and these coaches were employed at a variety of competitive levels (e.g. youth to professional). Athletes reported that poor coaches were poor at teaching by not providing useful instruction, not individualizing their teaching to fit the unique needs of each athlete, and being unknowledgeable about the skills and qualities to teach effectively. Conclusions: The theme of the poor teaching by the coach represented the multiple ways athletes' perceived the coach to be poor at providing useful instruction, individualizing that instruction, managing game tactics, and being unknowledgeable about the skills and qualities to teach effectively. This failure to teach was directly associated with what the athletes talked about and described as not learning from their coaches. In general, the findings of this study were consistent with the findings of research on winning and expert coaches, albeit diametrically opposite. Athletes in this study perceived that they failed to receive instruction in many cases, and what they received was unhelpful, insubstantial, and was detrimental to successful athletic performance.

Athletes' Experience of an Individualised, Supervised Strength-Training Programme

The aim of the present study was to explore and describe volleyball players' experience of an individualised, supervised strength-training programme aimed at physical performance and injury prevention. The purpose was also to use the players' observations to obtain an understanding of the role of a physical coach. The study comprised nine participants (age 19) who had been involved as an experimental group in a strength-training intervention study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted by one independent interviewer. The transcribed interviews were analysed using qualitative conventional content analysis. From the analysis, three overarching themes describing the content of the text emerged: being in an enjoyable, relaxed situation, interaction between coach and athlete, mental and physical achievements. In conclusion, strength training could be used to improve self-esteem among young females. When designing strength-training intervention studies, it also seems to be important to be aware of the fear and feeling of uncertainty that could exist among the participants. From the athlete's perspective, the performance in strength training is dependent on many factors, such as team spirit, individual goal-setting and bonding with the coach, where bonding and communication seems to be the fundamentals of coaching.

English- and Spanish-Speaking Minor League Baseball Players' Perspectives on Community Service and the Psychosocial Benefit of Helping Children

Community service is a common activity for many athletes and teams. Often it involves raising money for a cause, or promoting healthy, safe, or prosocial behavior; other times, it simply brings athletes together with members of community. Many of latter types of events bring community members to stadium or send athletes to schools, camps, malls, or hospitals. These events can offer public relations benefits to teams, but what do these activities mean to individual athletes who participate in them? In many studies of athletes' involvement in community service, cause promotion, and even sponsored events, athletes' own perspectives have only infrequently been addressed. Researchers have examined effects on fans, organizations, communities, and even society. (1) When special issues of Journal of Sport Management and Journal of Organization & Management recently focused on sport and social responsibility, researchers looked at these same stakeholders, but did not examine effects on or perspectives of athletes involved. (2) Relatively few studies have explored athletes' perspectives on community service. (3) A potentially related study of a baseball team in New York-Penn League (NYPL), for example, examined effects on organization, not players. (4) The current study attempts to fill a gap in literature by examining athletes' perspectives on participating in community service. During 2009 and 2010 seasons, authors interviewed eighty baseball players from ten of fourteen affiliated teams playing in NYPL (Class A--Short Season). All of players interviewed indicated that they are required or strongly encouraged to perform community service. Correspondence with general managers of eleven of fourteen NYPL teams confirmed that some parent organizations require a minimum number of hours or events per player, while others do not require a set amount but do reward participation, either through an appearance fee or with end-of-season awards. Even when community service is voluntary, general managers estimated that 75 to 100 percent of their players participate in community service, with exception of one general manager, who estimated that of his players participate. One general manager estimated that of his team's community service involves children, but overall general managers estimated that than half or the majority of community service involves local children; numerical estimates ranged from 6o to 95 percent. Clearly participation in community service is norm among NYPL players, making community service potentially an important element of off-field socialization and a bridge between players and community. The NYPL was chosen for this study for several reasons. First, from a methodological perspective, players at this organizational level tend to be more accessible and open. (5) One executive explained that more experienced players tend to be much more guarded. Second, from a social and developmental perspective, community service affords opportunities for direct interaction with fans. Players interviewed in present study emphasized that, for most of them, NYPL is their first time playing as professionals in front of fans. At this level, players often depend on fans for housing, rides, and other forms of social and material support. Players also indicated that good relations with fans can favorably impress organization. Thus, serving these important stakeholders has both professional and social implications for NYPL players. Third, from a managerial perspective, community service might affect players more at this level than at other levels. Some players believed that community service has more meaning and impact early in their professional careers. They said that major-league players, for example, may have more opportunities overall and more resources for helping others, but NYPL offers more access to and interaction with fans, and more opportunities for players to give--and to see results of their giving--directly. …

Impacts of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on National Identity: Perspectives of Collegiate Athletes in Taiwan

This article examines the impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on national identity in Taiwan with respect to the boosting of Chinese nationalism that developed around the Games. A survey was conducted on 2,176 collegiate athletes who participated in the 2007 National Intercollegiate Athletic Games in May 2007, and 1,929 responses were considered valid. Furthermore, 50 of the 1929 athletes agreed to attend individual interviews after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games terminated. The key research results are as follows: The contending national identities in Olympic movement between China and Taiwan still continues. Though Taiwan/ROC can participate in the international sporting arena in the name of ”Chinese Taipei,” participants referred the name of Taiwan occupied first position. Chinese nationalism has been successfully boosted by Beijing's hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, which aided to achieve the Chinese government's political goals domestically. However, relevant effects on Taiwanese collegiate athletes were not evident. The paper concludes that the development of Taiwanese collegiate athletes' political identity is difficult to be influenced by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Nevertheless, the Games to some extent has strengthened Chinese cultural identity among some Taiwanese collegiate athletes who acknowledge and honor their Chinese heritage.

The Best Kept Secret in Sports

The International Olympic Committee seeks to reignite interest in Olympic sports in a generation of adolescents that are becoming increasingly overweight and inactive. International Olympic Committee president, Jacques Rogge, helped develop a plan for an Olympic Games for teenagers in 2010; the IOC general assembly approved the idea. But since its declaration on 6 July 2007 this new proposal has provoked loyal advocates and equally committed critics. This study examines the level of awareness of this event in the sporting community in the United States. This newly passed initiative will be examined for academic scrutiny from its very infancy, tracing and predicting impact and outcome from the perspective of athletes, coaches, parents and local and national sport officials in the United States.

Professional Athlete Perspective on Return to Play

Professional Athlete Perspective on Return to Play

Elite Athletes’ Perspectives on Providing Whereabouts Information: A Survey of Athletes in the Norwegian Registered Testing Pool / Das Meldesystem und die Anti-Doping-Bestimmungen aus der Sicht der Athleten: Eine Befragung norwegischer Athleten

Summary This paper reports on the perspectives of elite athletes on anti-doping work in general and on the whereabouts system in particular, and uses a figurational perspective to explore the unintended consequences of the planned introduction of the whereabouts system. A cross-sectional survey of all the athletes in the Norwegian registered testing pool (n = 236, response rate = 80.8%) was carried out in 2006, using a structured questionnaire. Overall, 70.6% of the athletes agreed that doping was a problem in elite sport in general, but paradoxically only 17.5% agreed that doping was a problem in their own sport. However, more than four in ten (43%) of the athletes agreed that the whereabouts information system made a contribution to a “cleaner” sport. Some athletes thought the system was unfair. The whereabouts information system had, despite all good intentions, outcomes other than those planned and intended by the WADA. Thus, athletes’ views might fruitfully be integrated with other perspectives when anti-doping work is developed further.

Sport injury rehabilitation adherence: Perspectives of recreational athletes

The purpose of this study was to investigate recreational participants’ experiences of adhering to a sport injury rehabilitation program. Six participants undertaking a rehabilitation program for a tendonitis‐related injury as a result of sport involvement took part in this study. Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews and were thematically analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2003). Five themes emerging from the data set were motivation, confidence, coping, social support, and pain. Specifically, a lack of motivation and confidence were perceived to have a negative effect upon home‐based rehabilitation adherence while ineffective coping strategies, over support and pain, appeared to have an adverse influence on rehabilitation adherence in a clinic setting. The use of effective coping strategies and varied types of social support aided rehabilitation adherence. Applied implications and future research directions are discussed

Drugs in sport: a scientist-athlete's perspective: from ambition to neurochemistry.

This article, by the United Kingdom's last Olympic Marathon Medal winner, Charlie Spedding, and his brother, the pharmacologist, Michael Spedding, covers the difficulties posed by the availability of powerful drugs to ameliorate athletic performance, from an athlete's perspective, particularly in view of the fact that performances are becoming highly optimised with less margin for further physiological improvement. The authors have had long athletic careers and argue that doping not only devalues performance but sport, and exercise, as a whole. Furthermore, the neurotrophic and metabolic changes involved in exercise and training, which can be modified by drugs, are central to health and reflect a part of the epidemic in obesity.

An Olympic Athlete's Perspective

An Olympic Athlete's Perspective

Disordered Eating in Women's Gymnastics: Perspectives of Athletes, Coaches, Parents, and Judges

This study examined the knowledge base and perspectives of current and retired gymnasts, parents, coaches and judges with respect to disordered eating in gymnasts. Surveys were designed for this study and included open-ended questions, Likert scales, and checklists. The results indicated that various discrepancies existed between the groups' reports. For example, the retired gymnasts reported more eating disorders and negative views of their experiences than did the current gymnasts. The coaches attributed the use of unhealthy weight control practices to other coaches but not to themselves. Gymnasts who received disparaging comments about their bodies or instructions to lose weight had significantly more disordered eating patterns than those who had not received such comments. The importance of one's social environment on eating and weight control practices is emphasized. Every group recommended further education about nutrition, adolescent development, body image, and psychological well-being. Limitations and future recommendations are addressed.