Sports Practice Research Articles

Dream incorporation of three different bodily stimuli

Introduction Lucid dreaming opens the possibility to rehearse sport skills within a dream while sleeping (Peters et al. 2023; Stumbrys et al. 2016). But so far, no induction techniques have been developed to induce reliable lucid dreams. One potential technique is to apply external stimulation while a person is sleeping in order to send a hint into the dream which might enhance lucidity in the ongoing dream. Several studies have tested dream incorporation rates (DIR) with different stimuli and different results (Schredl, 2018), but none with a larger sample size and a within-design. Furthermore, in this study we wanted to explore body related stimulations to evoke in future studies lucid dreams. Methods 10-Channel polysomnography and three different bodily stimulation methods were combined during three consecutive test nights with each night using one stimulation method (plus adaptation night). The three stimulation methods consisted of electrical forearm muscle stimulation (EMS), galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS), and haptic vibration stimulation (HS). During REM sleep, one of the three stimuli was presented or a sham condition was applied in a counterbalanced order. The stimuli were followed by REM awakenings, resulting in corresponding verbal dream reports. With the help of those reports, the translation from a physical arm movement, vestibular sensation and vibration into the dream environment was investigated using dream content analysis. Movement of the dream arm, balance related activity and tactile or somatosensory sensations targeted the dream incorporations of EMS, GVS and HS respectively. Results Movement of the arm was present in 23.2%, 8.1% and 23.5% of EMS, GVS and HS dreams respectively. Balance-related activity was present in 6.1%, 7.9% and 5.8% of EMS, GVS and HS dreams respectively. Finally, tactile and somatosensory sensations were present in 13.6%, 0% and 6.3% of the EMS, GVS and HS dreams respectively. After correcting for sham condition, tactile and somatosensory sensations on the EMS dreams seem to be the strongest incorporation effect upon stimulation. Discussion/Conclusion We tested dream incorporation of three different stimulation methods using a within-design on a larger sample size, a method that has never been attempted before. GVS appears unsuccessful in altering dream content, but this might be confounded due to challenges in methodology. EMS evokes the most dream incorporation in the scale of tactile and somatosensory dream content followed by HS. The investigation of the incorporation of external kinesthetic stimulation into dream content represents a fundamental contribution to various scientific fields and could foster future research on lucid dream induction, enabling the further exploration of sport practice in a sleep state.

What makes national sport federations consider environmental sustainability? A conceptual framework on the agenda setting process based on a multiple case study

Introduction
 In Europe, more than 60 million people practice sport in a club. Through the consumption behaviour of this large number of sport club members, organised sport not only has positive impacts, but can be deleterious to the environment, for example through travel behaviour or the destruction of natural habitats caused by sport activities and required infrastructure (McCullough et al., 2020). National sport federations, which represent sport clubs and engage in sport policy issues, could be crucial when it comes to taking measures concerning the environmental sustainability of and through organised sport. However, sport federations are traditionally committed to the interests of their members and sport as their core business (Thiel & Mayer, 2009). Therefore, this study addresses the extent to which environmental policies are set on agendas in national sport federations and which drivers are relevant for the agenda setting of such policies.
 Methods
 To gain a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of these questions, we conducted an explorative qualitative multiple case study with eight Swiss sport federations. To investigate the agenda-setting process in sport organisations, we employed the multiple streams approach by Kingdon (1984).
 Results
 The developed conceptual framework shows that whereas nature conservation policies were primarily driven by national regulations, climate protection policies were pushed by engaged functionaries of the federations. Functional issues (as opposed to normative arguments), sponsor and member interests, practices of other federations and societal developments could further facilitate or impede the agenda setting of all types of environmental policies.
 Discussion/Conclusion
 This study provides valuable insights into the drivers of the agenda setting of environmental policies in national sport federations. Furthermore, it outlines the fit and limitations of the multiple streams approach according to Kingdon (1984) to explain agenda setting processes in national sport federations and extends it by external factors to gain a more holistic perspective of the phenomenon. Understanding drivers in the agenda setting of environmental policies in national sport federations is especially important because it is a prerequisite for the subsequent decision making and implementation of such policies and can help to shape the response of the organised sport to environmental challenges.
 References
 Kingdon, J. W. (1984). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Little Brown and Co.
 McCullough, B. P., Orr, M., & Watanabe, N. M. (2020). Measuring externalities: The imperative next step to sustainability assessment in sport. Journal of Sport Management, 34(5), 393–402. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2019-0254
 Thiel, A., & Mayer, J. (2009). Characteristics of voluntary sports clubs management: A sociological perspective. European Sport Management Quarterly, 9(1), 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184740802461744

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.

Dark complexion in the nineteenth century baseball of remediano and cienfueguero

“Dark complexion in the nineteenth-century baseball of Remedio and Cienfuegos" is not a specific scientific article focused on raciality from history. Its content offers, from the analysis, description and interpretation of primary sources, the participation of blacks and mestizos in the baseball life of the declared Cuban historical regions during the 19th century. The aforementioned allows declaring that the content of the present research production is unpublished. In general terms, the methodology used is based on the resources offered by the Dialectical Materialist conception of History, without discarding certain essential elements that need to be handled from a synchronic perspective, without the expository discourse responding to a type of comparative analysis strictly speaking, but to a specific historical reconstruction. Among the methods used are theoretical, historical-logical and analysis-synthesis methods. As for empirical methods, bibliographic-documentary methods were used. Likewise, the procedures of external criticism and internal criticism were used to work with the different newspaper and documentary sources. This work allowed establishing the relationships between the facts and phenomena inherent to the sociocultural influence of baseball as a sports practice in Remedios and Cienfuegos in the blacks and mestizos during the stated period.

Associations between Sport Practice, Educational and Demographic Data in Sports Sciences Students in Salerno

The relationship between physical inactivity and students is a topic of growing interest, as lifestyle during academics can influence their general health and mental and physical well-being. The aim of the present study was to perform a survey on the sports habits of university students, to detect associations between physical practice, demographic and educational data. The sample consisted of 246 Sports Science students (age: 22.35±3.39 years) whom a survey, based on literature review and ISTAT survey, was administered via e-mail. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data, while Chi-Square was performed to test the relationship between demographic, educational and physical practice data. Significant associations emerged between leisure-time physical practice and gender, personal beliefs and the arithmetic mean of the exams (p<0.05). Women predominantly practised fitness and dance, while men fitness and soccer. Men participated more in extracurricular activities than women. Most of the students who practised physical activity x 4/5 times a week had a grade average between 26-28, while those who practise it for 2/3 times a week also obtained grades between 28-30. Finally, most of those who considered physical activity important for daily life, did it in their free time. This study highlighted the importance of considering environmental, cultural, social, and spatial variables, variation in which can significantly affect the sports practice.

Home Advantage in the top Czech Hockey League

Home advantage in sport has long been established as an important factor in determining the outcome of a match. According to this phenomenon, the home team should win more games and score more goals than the away team. Home advantage is a very complex phenomenon that is influenced by many different factors. One possible explanation is that the home crowd supports the home team's performance and also causes the referee to be under pressure and favor the home team. The aim of this paper is to quantify the home advantage in the Czech top hockey league. Using statistical analysis, the number of points scored, goals scored, shots taken, penalties awarded and penalty minutes in the 2019/20 season were compared. A total of 364 matches were analysed. The results showed the existence of a home advantage in the Czech top hockey league in the 2019/20 season. Implications for sport practice and possible directions for future research are discussed.

The influence of coaching behaviors, experience, and training on children's physical activity levels during youth sport practices

The purpose of this study was to examine how coaching behaviors, coaching experience, and coach training relate to physical activity (PA) levels of children during their participation in a youth sport program. Youth soccer teams (N = 27) serving children ages 6–11 years were directly observed during one practice using momentary time-sampling procedures consisting of 30-s intervals (10-s observation, 20-s recording). Team coaches reported prior coaching experience, training, and demographic characteristics. Multilevel logistic regression was conducted to describe associations between coaching behaviors and intensity of children's PA. Interaction terms were added to the models to determine if the associations differed across girls-only, boys-only, and coed teams. ANOVAs were used to describe associations between coaching experience, coach training, and team PA level. Children were more likely to engage in moderate or vigorous PA when coaches were watching without verbal feedback (Odds Ratio [OR], 3.2, 95% CI = 1.70–5.83) or watching with verbal feedback (OR, 2.1, 95% CI = 1.27–3.59), compared to when the coach was disengaged, regardless of team sex composition. The number of prior seasons coached was positively related to team PA levels. These findings can be used to inform coaching strategies for promoting increased PA during youth sport practices.

Changing Sleep Architecture through Motor Learning: Influences of a Trampoline Session on REM Sleep Parameters.

Previous research has shown that learning procedural tasks enhances REM sleep the following night. Here, we investigate whether complex motor learning affects sleep architecture. An experiment in which twenty-two subjects either learned a motor task (trampolining) or engaged in a control task (ergometer) was carried out in a balanced within-group design. After an initial laboratory adaptation night, two experimental nights were consecutive. The results indicate that learning a motor task had an effect on REM sleep parameters and, therefore, support the hypothesis that learning a procedural skill is related to an increase in REM sleep parameters. However, the statistical effect on REM sleep is smaller than found in previous studies. One might speculate that the motor learning was not intense enough compared to other studies. For sports practice, the results suggest that REM sleep, which is particularly rich in the morning, plays an important role in motor memory consolidation. Thus, this phase should not be interrupted after complex motor skill learning sessions. In future studies, other motor tasks should be applied.

Retracted: Data Collection and Analysis in Sports Practice Teaching Based on Internet of Things Technology

Retracted: Data Collection and Analysis in Sports Practice Teaching Based on Internet of Things Technology

Searching for memories: narratives about the initiation process of former athletes of the Brazilian futsal national team

Through the Development Model of Sport Participation framework and methodological perspective of oral history, this manuscript aims to narrate some fragments of the history of the sports initiation process of former elite athletes of the Brazilian Futsal Team. To this end, two interviews were conducted with athletes in the Brazilian Futsal Team during the 1980s and 1990s. From the oral history of two former futsal players, we identified evidence about the contribution of deliberate play in their initial stage of sport involvement. First, they highlighted the importance of the street and the family in their first contact with games played with feet, particularly futsal. Afterward, they emphasized the school, promoted diversified sports practices, and mentioned the role of the teacher in encouraging futsal practice in the scholar team. Finally, they evidenced the importance of social clubs and soccer practice during the transition to specialization years in futsal. It certainly contributed to their long-life athlete career. Key Words: Athlete development; School; Club; Family; Sport career

Sporting Mind: The Interplay of Physical Activity and Psychological Health.

The symbiotic relationship between sports practice and psychological well-being has, in recent times, surged to the forefront of academic and public attention. The aim of this narrative review is to comprehensively explore the intricate pathways linking physical engagement in sports to its subsequent impacts on mental health and synthesize the multifarious effects of sports on psychological health, offering insights for integrating physical and psychological strategies to enhance well-being. From neurobiological underpinnings to therapeutic applications, this comprehensive manuscript provides an in-depth dive into the multifaceted world of sports and psychology. Highlighting evidence-based interventions, this review aspires to offer actionable insights for practitioners, athletes, and individuals alike, advocating for a holistic approach to mental well-being. This manuscript highlights the profound impact of sports on mental health, emphasizing its role in emotional regulation, resilience, cognitive function, and treating psychological conditions. It details how sports induce neurochemical changes, enhance brain functions like memory and learning, and aid against cognitive decline. This review also notes the benefits of regular exercise in mood improvement, stress management, and social skill enhancement, particularly when combined with mindfulness practices. It underscores the importance of considering cultural and gender perspectives in sports psychology, advocating for an integrated physical-psychological approach to promote overall well-being.

The Governance of Sports Organizations in Morocco: the Case of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Judo and Related Martial Arts

Governance is crucial for effective sports organization management, particularly as sports organizations increasingly adopt business models. Research inquiries into suitable governance practices in sports have grown, reflecting the evolving landscape of sports management. This qualitative research examined the governance of the Moroccan Judo Federation through semi-structured interviews and analysis using Voyant Tools. Stakeholders, including the vice president, board members, coaches, athletes, referees, technical committee members, and financial manager, provided insights on key aspects of governance. The findings emphasized the importance of strong leadership, effective decision-making processes, transparent governance structures, stakeholder engagement, and ethical conduct. However, challenges were identified in decision-making, stakeholder engagement, conflict resolution, and financial management. Stakeholders highlighted the need for inclusive decision-making processes and transparent and accountable governance practices. By addressing these challenges, the federation can strengthen its governance, support judo's growth, and foster fairness and inclusivity.

Response to experimental cold-induced pain discloses a resistant category among endurance athletes, with a distinct profile of pain-related behavior and GABAergic EEG markers: a case-control preliminary study.

Pain is a major public health problem worldwide, with a high rate of treatment failure. Among promising non-pharmacological therapies, physical exercise is an attractive, cheap, accessible and innocuous method; beyond other health benefits. However, its highly variable therapeutic effect and incompletely understood underlying mechanisms (plausibly involving the GABAergic neurotransmission) require further research. This case-control study aimed to investigate the impact of long-lasting intensive endurance sport practice (≥7 h/week for the last 6 months at the time of the experiment) on the response to experimental cold-induced pain (as a suitable chronic pain model), assuming that highly trained individual would better resist to pain, develop advantageous pain-copying strategies and enhance their GABAergic signaling. For this purpose, clinical pain-related data, response to a cold-pressor test and high-density EEG high (Hβ) and low beta (Lβ) oscillations were documented. Among 27 athletes and 27 age-adjusted non-trained controls (right-handed males), a category of highly pain-resistant participants (mostly athletes, 48.1%) was identified, displaying lower fear of pain, compared to non-resistant non-athletes. Furthermore, they tolerated longer cold-water immersion and perceived lower maximal sensory pain. However, while having similar Hβ and Lβ powers at baseline, they exhibited a reduction between cold and pain perceptions and between pain threshold and tolerance (respectively -60% and - 6.6%; -179.5% and - 5.9%; normalized differences), in contrast to the increase noticed in non-resistant non-athletes (+21% and + 14%; +23.3% and + 13.6% respectively). Our results suggest a beneficial effect of long-lasting physical exercise on resistance to pain and pain-related behaviors, and a modification in brain GABAergic signaling. In light of the current knowledge, we propose that the GABAergic neurotransmission could display multifaceted changes to be differently interpreted, depending on the training profile and on the homeostatic setting (e.g., in pain-free versus chronic pain conditions). Despite limitations related to the sample size and to absence of direct observations under acute physical exercise, this precursory study brings into light the unique profile of resistant individuals (probably favored by training) allowing highly informative observation on physical exercise-induced analgesia and paving the way for future clinical translation. Further characterizing pain-resistant individuals would open avenues for a targeted and physiologically informed pain management.

Physical activity components associated with gait parameters in community-dwelling older adults

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between components of physical activity and spatiotemporal gait parameters in community-dwelling older adults. MethodsCross-sectional study with 134 independent community-dwelling older adults. A questionnaire was applied to obtain information related to the components of physical activity (frequency, duration, modality, and history of physical activity in the life course) and the GAITRite System was used to quantify gait parameters. Three MANOVA models adjusted for potential confounders were conducted to identify associations between components of physical activity (predictors) and gait performance (outcome). ResultsHigher weekly frequency but not daily hours of physical activity and sports practice (tennis, boxing, football, volleyball, and tai chi) were significantly associated with better gait performance, specifically gait speed and stride length. ConclusionUnderstanding the most effective components of physical activity to maintain functional capacity and independence in community-dwelling older adults, allowing for active aging, is essential for formulating more effective strategies.

Differences in the Levels of Physical Activity and Sport Habits between Men and Women in Cartagena (Spain).

Scientific evidence proves the importance of physical activity and sports in decreasing morbidity and mortality rates and health-related costs. Public and stakeholder involvement is vital in the sustainable promotion of physical activity and sports practice in local settings. The aim of this study was to identify the levels of physical activity and sports habits of the population of the city Cartagena (Spain). The short version of the International Questionnaire of Physical Activity was used (IQPA) and a virtual questionnaire on sports habits was sent to 1450 citizens. Responses from 248 people (162 men and 86 women), with ages ranging from 18 to 77 years old (average age = 41 ± 17 years old), were collected. The results showed low to moderate levels of physical activity with no considerable differences between men and women for the population of Cartagena. Women were shown to engage in higher intensity practice of physical activity, whereas men were shown to be more consistent and have a significantly higher participation rate in sports events, both those with free entry and those that require the acquisition of a ticket. Men were also shown to have a higher rate of media sport use. This information may assist in the development of effective political actions to promote physical activity and sports in local settings.

COVID-19 in Female and Male Athletes: Symptoms, Clinical Findings, Outcome, and Prolonged Exercise Intolerance—A Prospective, Observational, Multicenter Cohort Study (CoSmo-S)

BackgroundAn infection with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to a variety of symptoms and complications, which can impair athletic activity.ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the clinical symptom patterns, diagnostic findings, and the extent of impairment in sport practice in a large cohort of athletes infected with SARS-CoV-2, both initially after infection and at follow-up. Additionally, we investigated whether baseline factors that may contribute to reduced exercise tolerance at follow-up can be identified.MethodsIn this prospective, observational, multicenter study, we recruited German COVID elite-athletes (cEAs, n = 444) and COVID non-elite athletes (cNEAs, n = 481) who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR (polymerase chain reaction test). Athletes from the federal squad with no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection served as healthy controls (EAcon, n = 501). Questionnaires were used to assess load and duration of infectious symptoms, other complaints, exercise tolerance, and duration of training interruption at baseline and at follow-up 6 months after baseline. Diagnostic tests conducted at baseline included resting and exercise electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, spirometry, and blood analyses.ResultsMost acute and infection-related symptoms and other complaints were more prevalent in cNEA than in cEAs. Compared to cEAs, EAcon had a low symptom load. In cNEAs, female athletes had a higher prevalence of complaints such as palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, myalgia, sleeping disturbances, mood swings, and concentration problems compared to male athletes (p < 0.05). Until follow-up, leading symptoms were drop in performance, concentration problems, and dyspnea on exertion. Female athletes had significantly higher prevalence for symptoms until follow-up compared to male. Pathological findings in ECG, echocardiography, and spirometry, attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, were rare in infected athletes. Most athletes reported a training interruption between 2 and 4 weeks (cNEAs: 52.9%, cEAs: 52.4%), while more cNEAs (27.1%) compared to cEAs (5.1%) had a training interruption lasting more than 4 weeks (p < 0.001). At follow-up, 13.8% of cNEAs and 9.9% of cEAs (p = 0.24) reported their current exercise tolerance to be under 70% compared to pre-infection state. A persistent loss of exercise tolerance at follow-up was associated with persistent complaints at baseline, female sex, a longer break in training, and age > 38 years. Periodical dichotomization of the data set showed a higher prevalence of infectious symptoms such as cough, sore throat, and coryza in the second phase of the pandemic, while a number of neuropsychiatric symptoms as well as dyspnea on exertion were less frequent in this period.ConclusionsCompared to recreational athletes, elite athletes seem to be at lower risk of being or remaining symptomatic after SARS-CoV-2 infection. It remains to be determined whether persistent complaints after SARS-CoV-2 infection without evidence of accompanying organ damage may have a negative impact on further health and career in athletes. Identifying risk factors for an extended recovery period such as female sex and ongoing neuropsychological symptoms could help to identify athletes, who may require a more cautious approach to rebuilding their training regimen.Trial Registration NumberDRKS00023717; 06.15.2021—retrospectively registered.

The importance of the dentist in paralympic sports

Sports dentistry aims to promote health, improve performance and prevent injuries in athletes. It is necessary for the dental surgeon to participate in the routine of athletes from the youth categories, including athletes with intellectual, physical and visual disabilities, this group presents several changes in the oral cavity because of their limitations. The participation of the Brazilian team in the Paralympic Games since 1972, became essential to evaluate oral health problems in these athletes and rehabilitate them, providing better results in competitions. Methodology: 20 articles were selected between 2005 and 2021, indexed in the Pubmed, scholar and lilacs database, using the descriptors ‘’Dentistry”, “Oral health”, “Sports Medicine”, “Disabled Persons” and “Sports for Persons with Disabilities”. Oral injuries in Brazilian para-athletes, bruxism, mouth breathing and recurrent oral herpes lesions are the most frequent problems and can negatively affect the performance of these athletes. There is a high need dental care practices for patients with special needs at the University Dentistry. There was a significant need for attention and dental treatment for athletes with intellectual disabilities, and it is important to invest in strategies that promote self-care in order to improve daily hygiene. It is necessary for dental surgeons to work in Paralympic sports, meeting the individual needs of athletes with access to quality oral health and adequate monitoring, in order to improve performance and avoid complications that affect the quality of sports practice. The objective for this article is review the literature on the importance of dental surgeons in Paralympic sports.

Physical activity practiced at a young age is associated with a less severe subsequent clinical presentation in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

BackgroundIn facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), it is not known whether physical activity (PA) practiced at young age is associated with the clinical presentation of disease. To assess this issue, we performed a retrospective cohort study concerning the previous practice of sports and, among them, those with medium-high cardiovascular commitment in clinically categorized carriers of a D4Z4 reduced allele (DRA).MethodsPeople aged between 18 and 60 were recruited as being DRA carriers. Subcategory (classical phenotype, A; incomplete phenotype, B; asymptomatic carriers, C; complex phenotype, D) and FSHD score, which measures muscle functional impairment, were assessed for all participants. Information on PAs was retrieved by using an online survey dealing with the practice of sports at a young age.Results368 participants were included in the study, average age 36.6 years (SD = 9.4), 47.6% male. The FSHD subcategory A was observed in 157 (42.7%) participants with average (± SD) FSHD score of 5.8 ± 3.0; the incomplete phenotype (category B) in 46 (12.5%) participants (average score 2.2 ± 1.7) and the D phenotype in 61 (16.6%, average score 6.5 ± 3.8). Asymptomatic carriers were 104 (subcategory C, 28.3%, score 0.0 ± 0.2). Time from symptoms onset was higher for patients with A (15.8 ± 11.1 years) and D phenotype (13.3 ± 11.9) than for patients with B phenotype (7.3 ± 9.0). The practice of sports was associated with lower FSHD score (-17%) in participants with A phenotype (MR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.73–0.95, p = 0.007) and by 33% in participants with D phenotype (MR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.51–0.89, p = 0.006). Conversely, no improvement was observed in participants with incomplete phenotype with mild severity (B).ConclusionsPAs at a young age are associated with a lower clinical score in the adult A and D FSHD subcategories. These results corroborate the need to consider PAs at the young age as a fundamental indicator for the correct clinical stratification of the disease and its possible evolution.

Measuring Green Practices in Sport: Development and Validation of a Scale

Environmental sustainability has often been associated with increased organizational profitability, efficiency, and competitiveness. A related example is green practices which have become a central component of many companies’ marketing strategies and day-to-day management. The current study aims to develop and validate a scale for use in sport organizations and activities. An item bank derived from past literature was prepared, which was then assessed by a group of experts and pilot-tested. Two waves of data collection were then collected (N = 1165 and N = 567). An exploratory factor analysis was performed with the data from wave 1, and a one-dimensional solution was presented. Then, a confirmatory factor analysis followed by a multigroup analysis was performed with the data from wave 2. The results confirmed the six-item one-dimensional scale with high levels of reliability and validity and optimal fit indices. The scale is important to green practices adopted by sport organizations regarding the customer–organization relationship.

Bridging the gap: Connecting sport marketing theory and practice via an experiential sponsorship activation learning assignment

The integration of experiential learning in sport management classrooms has seen increased attention due to the need for practical experience in the sport industry (Barnes, 2014; DeLuca & Fornatora, 2020). Experiential learning in collegiate classrooms provides students with the opportunity to bridge the gap between theory-based knowledge and real-life experiences (DeLuca & Fornatora, 2020). Furthermore, this pedagogy has the potential to enhance students' resumes and boost job satisfaction in sport industry positions (Brown et al., 2018; Foster & Pierce, 2021; Wanless et al., 2016). Sponsorship activation has become a legitimate element of the marketing mix and encompasses a large portion of marketing budgets for companies (O'reilly & horning, 2013). With that being said, sport marketing graduate students at a Southwestern University engaged in a sponsorship activation project for one of the school's major athletic sponsors as part of their sport marketing class. The experiential learning opportunity provided students with real-world examples of sport marketing while providing them with a sponsorship activation experience. The project received positive feedback from students including their appreciation for the practical experience.