Competitive Sports Research Articles

Exploring gender-based disparities in emotional distress among university level athletes

Introduction: The mental health of university level athletes is a growing concern, with female athletes facing unique emotional challenges that remain underexplored. Objective: This study aims to examine gender-based disparities in depression, anxiety, and stress among university-level volleyball, basketball, and handball players to understand sport-specific and gender-specific emotional dynamics. Methodology: A cross-sectional comparative design was used, involving 60 university athletes (30 males, 30 females) aged 18-25 from LNIPE, Gwalior. Emotional symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-42). Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA were employed to analyze gender and sport differences, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Results revealed distinct gender-based patterns: male volleyball players reported significantly higher levels of stress (mean score 24.80) and depression (mean score 17.60) compared to their female counterparts, while female basketball players exhibited greater depression (mean score 17.10) than males. Among handball players, females experienced significantly higher stress levels (mean score 19.70) compared to males. Discussion: The findings suggest gender-specific emotional responses to competitive sports, possibly influenced by societal expectations, coping strategies, and sport-specific stressors. Volleyball's individual performance components may increase stress for male athletes, while basketball's physical demands might elevate depression levels among females. Handball's continuous play and physical contact likely contribute to elevated stress in female players. Conclusions: Developing psychological support systems for university athletes can mitigate emotional challenges and optimize performance. Future research should explore longitudinal changes in emotional symptoms and their relationship with competitive dynamics.

Comparing Competitive and Recreational Table Tennis Training: Impacts on Quality of life in Older Adults - A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Owing to its combination of speed, tactics, and accuracy, table tennis is becoming a sport exercise that is suitable for older adults. Casual play is fun and relaxing, and more serious table tennis might further develop skills through focused practice. Methods A randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to determine how the practice of competition compared to leisure playing affects the Quality of life (QoL) of people aged 40-70. Selecting subjects at random, one group of subjects undertook a structured competitive regimen, whereas the other group was given time to play recreationally without any structured competition. QoL was measured before and after the intervention using the WHOQOL-BREF, which measures physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-test. Results The group that received structured competition reported a marked improvement in their QoL indicators, especially in physical health (p < 0.001), psychological health (p < 0.001), and social relationships (p = 0.001), when compared to the control group, which showed few improvements. No significant differences were observed in the environmental domains in either group. Conclusions Regular competitive table tennis practice improves physical condition, emotions, and social relationships, which leads to a higher QoL in older adults. Thus, these results emphasize the utility of competitive sports in the maintenance of active and healthy aging. Registration Thai Clinical Trial Registry (TCTR) ID TCTR20250105001, registered on December 28, 2024

Is it possible to talk about violence climate in grassroots sport? A study on the psychosocial adaptations of young athletes

IntroductionThere is a need for greater scientific attention to research on violence (e.g., insults, intimidation, beatings) in contexts where such behaviors are prevalent. The agonizing win-lose vision that oftentimes is characteristic of sports competition is not understood in the same way in grassroots sports as in professional sports. Although increasingly frequent, the federative systems for young athletes replicate professional competitions, and the agonizing win-lose vision and psychosocial agents that characterize sports competitions do not impact grassroots sports in the same way as in professional sports. The present study aimed to establish a predictive model of the influence of exposure to violence in initiation sports on peer social relations under competitive situations in young athletes.MethodThrough a descriptive, non-randomized, and associative study, a sample of 503 young athletes (Mage = 14.76 1 ± 72 years; 54.80% girls) was recollected, belonging to different Spanish sports centres who completed instruments designed to identify their exposure to violence, prosocial and aggressive tendencies among peers, and competitiveness.ResultsThe results show that increased exposure to violence in sports amplifies those effects that excessive motivation for success and external influences, increases the likelihood of aggressive behaviors in young athletes (mainly in boys), while the emergence of prosocial skills in both boys and girls reduces aggressiveness and exposure to violent behaviors.DiscussionFor this reason, to offer a more than relevant background in reducing the effects of excessive competitiveness in grassroots sport, scientific contributions on the protective efficacy of prosocial tendencies against the emergence of aggressive behavior. In addition, contemplating the sociological analysis of the proliferation of insults, harassment, and violent behavior (e.g., observed behaviors or victimization) experienced in sports at very early ages will allow, in a more applied vision, the convenience of designing more psycho-educational sport practice strategies (e.g., social skills integrated into sports action, fair play) both for young athletes and for those adults who accompany them (e.g., parents, coaches, managers).ConclusionAddressing the effects of excessive competitiveness and violence in grassroots sports requires a comprehensive approach involving both sociological analysis and applied psycho-educational interventions.

Athletes’ Knowledge of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Their Knowledge of and Engagement with Pelvic Floor Muscle Training: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is prevalent among athletes. Investigating whether athletes are practicing pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) will assist in delineating the factors underlying the burden of PFD in this population. Additionally, investigating athletes’ knowledge of PFD and knowledge of and attitudes toward PFMT may inform interventions to improve the practice of PFMT. Aims: This scoping review aimed to collate the available evidence regarding athletes’ knowledge of PFD and their knowledge of and engagement with PFMT. Furthermore, this review aimed to determine the types of athletes (sports and competition levels) research had been conducted on and the definitions of PFD and PFMT most used. Methods: Six databases were searched up to January 2024. No study design or publication types were restricted; however, non-English articles were excluded due to resource constraints. Additional publications were identified through the reference lists of included articles. Data were synthesized and presented under subheadings relevant to the aims of this review. Results: Thirty-five publications were included for data extraction. Athletes had low practice of PFMT, poor knowledge of PFD and PFMT, but positive attitudes toward PFMT. One publication reported that higher levels of knowledge were associated with a lower prevalence of PFD. The athletic population was heterogeneous in sport type and competition level, and the definitions of PFD and PFMT were ill-defined. Conclusions: Athletes have a low practice of PFMT and poor knowledge of PFD and PFMT. The education of athletes may have a role in supporting pelvic floor health.

A new shortcut for competitive sports development? The purpose of and strategy for developing and introducing sepaktakraw in Taiwan.

A growing number of countries and regions have introduced emerging sports in recent years; however, few studies have been conducted to determine how and why they do so. This article focuses on why a new sport, sepaktakraw, was introduced in Taiwan and how strategies for achieving international sporting success were developed in a short period. The sports policy factors leading to the international sporting success model proposed by De Bosscher et al. were adopted as this study's analytical framework. Data were obtained from official government and sport federation documents, media reports, and semistructured interviews with 18 key stakeholders. This study revealed three main reasons for the introduction of sepaktakraw in Taiwan: (1) low introduction costs, (2) breakthroughs to win medals at the Asian Games, and (3) advantageous entry into international sports organization leadership. Seven aspects are prioritized in Taiwan's sepaktakraw development strategy: (1) obtaining government financial support; (2) institutionalizing organisational decision-making; (3) taking universities as a breakthrough point and then gradually shifting to promote popularization at the grassroots level; (4) selecting players on the basis of competition results; (5) using school badminton courts; (6) strengthening coach training; and (7) actively participating in and striving to host international tournaments. The findings could provide guidelines and examples for other countries or regions to follow when introducing new sports and moving towards the successful development of competitive sports.

Z-score evaluation and inferences for management of aortopathy patients.

Echocardiographic Z-score models play a crucial role in defining cardiac pathology in paediatric patients. There are multiple models that practitioners utilize in the United States without guiding principles to standardize their use. Discrepant interpretations can occur depending on the model chosen, even if standardized Z-score cutoffs are applied. In this study, a survey was developed to assess pediatric cardiologists' use of Z-score systems when evaluating and treating patients with isolated bicuspid aortic valve. The majority of respondents reported using Z-score cutoffs to evaluate the degree of aortic root and ascending aorta dilation. For the aortic root, mild, moderate, and severe dilation averaged at 2.13 (SD = 0.32), 3.59 (SD = 0.49), and 5.11 (SD = 0.84), respectively. Similar cutoffs were reported for determining ascending aorta dilation. A large proportion of respondents primarily used the Boston system (36%, 18/50) or Boston and Pediatric Heart Network systems together (36%, 18/50). There were also differences in management decisions, such as implementing competitive sports restrictions, based on Z-scores and the 2015 Task Force 7 Bethesda exercise guidelines. These survey results demonstrate variability that exists among paediatric cardiologists in their use of Z-scores for describing aortic root and ascending aorta dilation in patients with isolated bicuspid aortic valve and suggests the need for implementation of national guidelines for Z-score usage.

Critical application of TGfU in sports coaching

ABSTRACT Background The foundational nature of the ‘Teaching Games for Understanding’ (TGfU) approach [Thorpe, R., D. Bunker, and L. Almond. 1986. Rethinking games teaching. Loughborough: University of Technology.] has led to considerable interest from researchers and practitioners since its inception [Stolz, S., and S. Pill. 2014. “Teaching Games and Sport for Understanding.” European Physical Education Review 20 (1): 36–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X13496001]. Consequently, many variations of TGfU have come to the fore [Mitchell, S., J. Oslin, and L. Griffin. 2020. Teaching sport concepts and skills: A tactical games approach. 4th ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.]. Despite the considerable interest from physical education related researchers, those in sports coaching have been slower to embrace the TGfU approach, particularly in competitive adult settings [Kinnerk, S., S. Harvey, C. MacDonncha, and M. Lyons. 2018. “A Review of the Game-Based Approaches to Coaching Literature in Competitive Team Sport Settings.” Quest.]. Indeed, there is a lack of consensus about the TGfU’s efficiency and studies have shown that practitioners lack knowledge on how to implement it in their own context [Karagiannis, K., and S. Pill. 2017. “A Case Study Exploring Coaching Practice and Coaching Perspectives at One Soccer (Football) Club.” Scientific Journal of Education, Sports, and Health 18 (1): 140–150.]. Purpose Therefore, the aim of this study was to critically explore the utility of TGfU as a pedagogical approach within a competitive sports coaching setting, whilst considering its impact on the coach and players’ learning. Methodology An Action Research (AR) methodology involving progressive cycles of practice over the course of a full eight-month volleyball season. The participants of the study were the players (n = 13) and the first author as the coach. Data were drawn from focus groups and reflective field notes. Data collection proceeded in tandem with a combination of inductive and deductive analysis. Findings Results indicated the need to adapt the approach to the context critically rather than safely, which demands a well-developed knowledge of the field and engagement with reflection. This suggests a close consideration of the coaching context and the interpretation of TGfU as a flexible approach rather than a rigid model, which has been widely understood to evolve based on contextual needs [Casey, A., MacPhail, A., Larsson, H. & Quennerstedt, M. (2021). Between hope and happening: Problematizing the M and the P in models-based practice. Physical education and sport pedagogy, 26(2), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2020.1789576]. Findings suggest a reconceptualisation of the well-established notion of ‘player-centred’ [Metzler, M. 2011. Instructional Models for Physical Education. 3rd ed. Scottsdale, Arizona: Holcomb Hathaway, Publishers, Inc.] to that of ‘interaction-centred’ (between the coach and the players) as crucial to effective practice. Here, the use of questioning played a key role in mediating the interaction between the coach and the players. Finally, the current study demonstrated that, despite not being a linear process, the players’ game understanding and overall performance improved throughout the season. Such improvement was instigated by facilitating the players’ ability to reflect, progressing to being able to reflect on themselves, the team, and to some extent on the opposition.

Moral, competence, and status values in youth sports: predictors of attitude to moral decision-making

Introduction: Youth sports values play a critical role in shaping moral decision-making, particularly in sports competition. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the influence of moral, competence, and status values on moral decision-making among Indonesian adolescent athletes, focusing on acceptance of cheating, acceptance of gamesmanship, and maintaining proportionality in winning. Methodology: The research involved 173 school athletes aged 12 to 18 years. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the predictive power of these values on ethical attitudes. Results: Moral values significantly predicted reduced acceptance of cheating (b = -0.249, p = 0.008) and increased keeping winning in proportion (b = 0.323, p = 0.000), highlighting their critical role in fostering ethical decision-making. In contrast, status values were strong predictors of both acceptance of cheating (b = 0.351, p = 0.000) and acceptance of gamesmanship (b = 0.434, p = 0.000), while negatively influencing keeping winning in proportion (b = -0.216, p = 0.015). Competence values, however, showed no significant impact across all indicators (p > 0.05), suggesting a limited role in shaping moral attitudes Discussion: These findings underscore the predictive power of moral and status values in determining ethical attitudes among youth athletes, with status values emerging as a potential risk factor for unethical behavior. Conclusions: Moral values play a vital role in promoting fairness in youth sports, whereas status-driven motivations require careful management to mitigate unethical behavior. Educators and coaches should prioritize moral development to foster integrity.

Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Longitudinal Trajectories of Perceived Stress and Control Among Athletes in Sports Competitions.

The aim of the study was to identify distinct trajectories of perceived stress and control in athletes across a season of sports competitions and whether these trajectory memberships could be predicted by subdimensions of the emotional intelligence (EI). Latent class growth analyses were performed on a five-stage longitudinal measurement plan (to cover the entire sporting season). Four hundred fifteen athletes answered to the Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Mastery Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Attainment of Sport Achievement Goal Scale. The analyses revealed two trajectories of perceived stress (one trajectory adapted and one maladapted to performance) and two trajectories of perceived control (one trajectory adapted and one maladapted to performance). Moreover, athletes with higher emotional intelligence emotion regulation scores belong significantly more to performance-adaptive trajectories. The obtained results could contribute to the advancement of emotional intelligence intervention programs to optimize the dynamics of perceived stress and control within the sporting season.

Return to Sport After Treatment of Stable Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions of the Knee in Adolescents: A Systematic Review.

Treatment of stable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions of the knee in young patients poses the challenge of abstaining from competitive sports for months. Outcomes relevant to this patient population additionally include successful return to sport (RTS), return to the same level of sport, and the time needed to achieve both. To evaluate the adolescent population for RTS outcomes after treatment of stable OCD lesions of the knee and to compare RTS outcomes between patients treated nonoperatively and those who required surgery. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using the terms "knee,""return to play,""return to sport,""osteochondritis dissecans,""articular cartilage,""arthroscopic drilling,""open drilling," and "arthroscopic fixation" between inception and May 31, 2023 using PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Ovid MEDLINE databases. Articles reporting RTS outcomes with a minimum of 6 months' follow-up were included. Articles were excluded if they were abstracts, editorials, letters, or reviews; were in languages other than English; had <6 months of follow-up, on average; had no data specific to the knee; had no RTS outcomes; consisted of skeletally mature patients; or involved only unstable OCD lesions. Available data were collected from 13 articles, consisting of level 3 and 4 evidence, which met inclusion criteria with a total of 710 patients and 783 knees. Ages ranged from 8 to 18 years, and the mean follow-up time ranged from 9.5 to 48 months. Nonoperative treatment consisted of activity modification, bracing, casting, and physical therapy to allow for healing of the subchondral bone. All patients attempted at least 6 weeks of nonoperative treatment. Operative treatment consisted of surgical drilling or internal fixation. The rate of successful nonoperative management for adolescents with stable OCD of the knee ranged from 40.3% to 87.5%. Of those treated successfully with nonoperative treatment, RTS rates ranged from 84.7% to 100%. Patients treated operatively had RTS rates of 100% and rates of return to the same level of sport ranging from 77.8% to 100% at 6 months' follow-up. Rates of return to the same level of sport varied between operative techniques used. Patients who underwent operative management demonstrated improvements in Lysholm and Tegner scores, and most knees were rated excellent or good according to the Hughston rating scale. The current literature demonstrates favorable short-term RTS outcomes after the nonoperative and operative management of stable OCD lesions of the knee in young athletes. When successful, nonoperative management demonstrated high RTS rates, and further research should investigate prognostic factors for successful nonoperative management. The operative management of stable OCD lesions resulted in high rates of RTS and return to the same level of sport, improvements in patient-reported outcomes, and minimal complications, which raises the question of the appropriate duration of nonoperative management in this patient population.

Biomechanically-informed emotion recognition algorithm of sports athletes based on deep neural network

The environment of sports competition is changing rapidly, and there is a certain relationship between athletes’ decision-making and executive functions and athletes’ emotions. Positive emotions can enhance reaction inhibition, while negative emotions will damage the inhibition function. Therefore, identifying the emotions of athletes in sports competitions can help coaches quickly grasp the emotional state of athletes, so as to make targeted decisions. With the advent of the era of big data and the continuous in-depth development of deep neural networks, the emergence of various networks and network models has not only made rational use of a large amount of data, but also promoted the continuous development of emotion recognition. This paper takes the research on the emotion recognition algorithm of sports athletes as the object, uses the faster CNN network to recognize the facial emotion, modifies the backbone network model and loss function parameters in the network, selects the best performing network through comparative experiments, and applies it to the research field of emotion recognition algorithm of sports athletes. While understanding the emotional state of athletes in sports competitions, it lays a solid foundation for the follow-up study of athletes’ emotional recognition algorithm in sports competitions. The main research contents of this paper are as follows: firstly, this paper selects data sets with different characteristics, classifies them according to the status of athletes in sports competitions, and labels the data sets. Secondly, Fast Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (R-CNN) is used to train the labeled data set and obtain the model, and compare the accuracy in different model and loss function parameter conditions. Finally, according to the experimental comparison results, the network with the highest accuracy is selected and applied to the research of athletes’ emotion recognition algorithm in sports competitions.

The use of deep learning in intelligent athlete motion recognition: Integrating biological mechanisms

This work explores the effective application of deep learning for recognizing athletes’ movements, aiming to enhance precision in competitive sports. Traditional motion analysis methods primarily rely on manual observation, which can introduce subjective bias and limit accuracy. To address these limitations, we propose an automated method based on deep learning for recognizing and classifying athletes’ technical movements while evaluating their performance. A hybrid model, combining Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, is utilized to extract key frames from video data. The CNN is responsible for feature extraction, capturing the intricate details of movement, while the LSTM captures the temporal sequence characteristics, providing context to the actions. To further strengthen our approach, we delve into the biological mechanisms underlying athletic movements. Understanding the biomechanics of motion—such as joint angles, muscle activation patterns, and energy expenditure—can enhance the accuracy of deep learning models. By integrating these biological insights into our model, we improve the recognition process, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of how movements impact performance. Through experiments, we demonstrate that the model achieves high accuracy across multiple benchmark datasets (UCF-101, HMDB-51, Kinetics-400, and Sports-1M), with a particularly high accuracy of 93.5% on the UCF-101 dataset. These results indicate that the proposed method is both accurate and reliable, making it suitable for athlete training and competition analysis. The findings of this research have significant implications for sports science, training evaluation, and injury prevention. By providing coaches and athletes with precise feedback based on deep learning analysis, we can facilitate targeted training interventions that enhance performance while reducing injury risks. This work aims to offer a powerful tool for athletes, coaches, and researchers, contributing to the advancement of competitive sports through a deeper understanding of movement dynamics and their biological underpinnings.

Sports, team games, and physical skill competitions as an important source of symbolic material culture with low preservation probability.

Sports, team games, and physical skill competitions appear to be a human universal and may have been prevalent throughout the hominin lineage. These activities are cognitively complex and can be associated with a distinctive and symbolic material culture. Yet, many of the artifacts used by foraging groups for sports, team games, and athletic competitions often have a low preservation probability.

Application of entertainment interactive robots based on deep learning in referee assistance mode in sports competitions

Interactive robots are intelligent auxiliary tools that can monitor sports events in real-time and provide entertainment information services. This article studies the application of entertainment interactive robots based on deep learning in the referee assistance mode of sports competitions. The system first uses a camera to capture real-time images of volleyball matches, then preprocesses the images using image processing algorithms, and uses deep learning algorithms to recognize and track the balls and players in the images. By training the model, the system can accurately determine key information such as player actions. Deep learning technology is used to train interactive entertainment robots to identify and analyze key decision events in games. Through image recognition, action analysis and rule matching, the robot monitors the game process in real time and determines the referee's possible errors in the decision. The system generates the penalty results based on the penalty rules and competition rules, and displays them to the referee and audience through display screens or sound prompts. After experimental verification, the volleyball match referee judgment assistance system based on image processing and deep learning has performed excellently in terms of accuracy and speed. Compared to manual referees, the system can identify and track the ball and players more quickly, reduce the possibility of misjudgments, and improve the fairness of the game.

Enhancing Technical Performance in Junior I Dancers Through Optimized Physical Training Programs

ABSTRACT Background and Study Aim: The significance of physical training in dance sport is widely acknowledged by both practitioners and specialists. However, the practical experience indicates that physical training is often underemphasized in training plans for junior athletes. This observation prompted the development of a program aimed at optimizing the physical training of Junior II dancers. This study seeks to enhance motor and functional capacities and improve technical training through a structured physical conditioning program. Material and Methods: The study utilized a range of research methods including a comprehensive bibliographic review, pedagogical observation, experimental methodology, measurement and evaluation techniques, statistical-mathematical analysis, and graphical/tabular presentation of data. The sample consisted of 20 athletes (10 boys and 10 girls) from the ACS Top Dance Sports Club 2007, all participants in FRDS-organized competitions. To objectively assess the technical expression quality under specific physical demands, we employed an evaluation method characterized by arbitration, with grades awarded by five evaluators during both initial and final tests. The evaluators, all instructors at ACS Top Dance 2007, assessed performances in both standard and Latin sections using a 40-second musical collage for each section, with uninterrupted choreography execution. Results: The statistical analysis of the results from the initial and final tests revealed significant differences, indicating that the physical training strategy was effective. Improvements were observed in both motor and functional parameters, as well as in the technical expression of the dancers. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that a rigorously directed physical training program can significantly enhance both the physical and technical performance of junior dancers. The successful integration of structured physical conditioning into dance training programs is crucial for optimizing performance outcomes in competitive dance sport.

The Impact of Science and Technology Innovation on the Training Management of Athletes

With the rapid development of modern science and technology, innovative technical means are becoming more and more widely used in sports training. This article describes the current development trend of sports science and technology innovation at home and abroad, and systematically investigate the application of biomechanical testing, physiological and biochemical monitoring, artificial intelligence algorithms, virtual reality simulation and other cutting-edge technologies in the field of sports training. It analyzes the role of science and technology innovation in improving the scientific level of sports training, innovating training means and methods, preventing sports injuries, and assisting in training decision-making through the method of case study. The study concludes that scientific and technological innovation has become a key variable in promoting the leapfrog development of competitive sports, and a modernized training system of “scientific training, intelligent training, and data training” should be accelerated in the future, so as to help China's competitive sports achieve a qualitative leap with the advancement of science and technology.

The impact of transient air pollution exposure on worker performance in Chinese soccer players

Using a unique dataset on the performance of soccer players in China (retrieved from 632 matches involving 24 teams during the 2014 to 2016 seasons), we investigate the effect of air pollution on different performance indicators that rely on different mixtures of the physical and cognitive inputs of players. To ensure a causal interpretation, we implement an instrumental variable (IV) approach using thermal inversion as the instrument for air pollution. We found that players’ performance indicators, especially those more related to cognitive factors, are more strongly influenced by air pollution. One standard deviation (SD) increase in the Air Quality Index (AQI) leads to 2.5% decrease in the number of players’ passes and 5.1% increase in the number of fouls. However, for performance indicators that are more related to players’ physical condition, e.g., running distances, no such significant impact is identified. Overall, these findings suggest that the negative impact of short-term air pollution exposure on outdoor worker performance is mainly cognitive, which we believe could lead to important policy implications, not only for competitive sports but also across a much broader spectrum of business sectors.

Phraseological unit na zubakh (on the teeth) in the light of new contextual interpretations

Linguistic studies, related to the emergence and life of phraseological units, show the importance of a neological trend in their investigation, which allows you to see the fragments of the picture of the world relevant to speakers, and the variety of ways used to verbalize ideas about them. However, the meanings of neofraseologisms, recorded in dictionaries, do not always adequately reflect the real picture of their speech functions. The article considers a neological unit whose spectrum of semantic interpretations is far from being unambiguous. The contexts of the National Corps of the Russian language, illustrating the active usage of the phrase “na zubakh” (“on the teeth – gave it one’s all”), show that it has developed quite clear syntagmatic connections that speak in favor of at least two possibilities of its interpretation - with dictionaries fixating only one of the versions. A stable collocation with the verbs to pull out, to win, etc., on the one hand, and contextual supports, united by the meaning “to win, to achieve a goal," on the other, gradually form a different meaning of the idiom, very typical of sports discourse. It characterizes sport competition, excitement, manifestation of perseverance, stamina, etc. In the course of its functioning in speech, it is gradually “magnetized” by the semantics of “win”, “at any cost”, “by all means”. All this requires the need to seriously correct the modern semantics of the phraseological unit in the dictionary.

Rishi Sunak vs Keir Starmer: Cartoon Representation in the Context of the 2024 General Election

This research is devoted to the images of personalities in the modern world political arena from the point of view of linguistic analysis. The purpose of the article is to identify the specific representation features of the dramatic results of the parliamentary elections in Great Britain in the news Internet discourse at the non-verbal level of the text. The study is conducted through cognitive discourse analysis of images and metaphors based on creolized texts. The selected cartoons are attributed to two stretches of time as regards their release dates: the anticipation of the 2024 UK General election and on the date of election (July 4, 2024) or within a month afterwards. The caricatures were classified according to who was featured: Rishi Sunak alone, Keir Starmer alone, or both of them contrasted. The results of the research were obtained by means of a complex 7-step analysis. It is concluded that it is the combination of images / motifs incorporated within one cartoon that might make it especially powerful at leaving its imprint on the target reader. Regardless of the tactics applied by the cartoon authors to formulate the connotative vectors in the sample, one may see that each image / motif is supported by two prominent means. That is metaphorical transference that alters the cartoon space, action or appearance of the politicians so as to converge two differing phenomena of reality and characterise one through another. Allusions to events or previously made utterances are another basis for the sampled cartoons. The essential point that stems from the conducted research is that the English-language cartoons of Rishi Sunak are harsher than the ones of his opponent and concurrently the winner of the election. Although many of them appeal to negative connotations, some still represent Keir Starmer neutrally (e.g. a cleaner) or even positively (e.g. a winner of a sports competition). The inclusion of allusive elements is particularly characteristic of the cartoons representing Keir Starmer.

Developing Performance in Sports Teams Through a Collective Homeostasis Model Supports Regulation, Adaptation, and Evolution in Competition

The collective homeostasis model, grounded in ecological dynamics, has recently been proposed to explain the self-regulating individual-environment interactions that are necessary to conceptualizing sports teams as collective homeostatic systems. Based on these insights and given the capacity of humans to construct and adapt their ecological niches, this article explores the creation of enriching sporting contexts for the development of adaptive player-environment interactions in competitive team sports. This model of adaptation emphasizes the importance of creating a sports niche rich in shared affordances to enable team coordination through the development of individual and collective homeostasis in different sub-phases of competitive performance. In a homeostatic sports system, principles of play advocated by coaches allow players to intentionally coordinate and adapt their actions to shape the collective identity of the team. The team’s identity is shaped by the synergetic development of collective attractors (stable system states) emerging at specific scales of complexity. This is facilitated through the manipulation of constraints by the coaching and support staff. These ideas have important implications for implementing team sports training and performance preparation, helping to transform the self-regulating tendencies of players through adapting their behaviors to dynamic performance contexts.