Sport In Society Research Articles

FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SAMBO IN THE VOLUNTARY SPORTS SOCIETY “BUREVESTNIK” OF THE CHUVASH ASSR (1960–1980s)

The stages of sambo formation and development within the framework of the republican student voluntary sports society “Burevestnik” are examined. The need for this is justified by the desire to search for the most significant aspects in the development of modern student sports, which the authors understand as a condition for implementing national projects in the field of social policy and health.
 
 The article provides a brief historical reference on formation and development of the voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” in the Soviet Union and the Chuvash ASSR. Some statistical data on the participants of the All-Russian and republican championships and Cups of the voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” in the period of the 1960–1980s are presented. Distinctive features of organizing sambo competitions in the considered historical period are revealed.
 
 Based on the analysis and generalization of archival data, evolvement of sambo in the Chuvash Republican Voluntary Sports Society “Burevestnik” is associated with expansion of the competitive base of student sambo in Chuvashia and the first participation of sambo students in competitions outside the republic.
 
 It is noted that within the framework of the republican voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” student sambo is a specific social phenomenon and in its history it repeatedly changed its structural content, which, in fact, reflects the specifics of its development.
 
 At this, a number of aspects are updated, implementation of which, according to the authors, will contribute to further development of student sambo in the Chuvash Republic and, in general, will create conditions for a more complete implementation of national health projects.

STUDENT SAMBO IN CHUVASHIA: EVOLVEMENT AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

As part of implementing national development projects of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030, a special place is given to student sports as a factor ensuring formation of active participants in social interactions. At this, special emphasis is placed on popularization of domestic sports, especially sambo, as a national treasure of Russia. All this actualizes the question of finding promising ways to develop student sambo, both at the federal and regional levels. Taking into account the indicated relevance, the search for promising directions for the development of student sambo in the Chuvash Republic was considered as the purpose of the study. Based on a retrospective analysis of archival data and periodical publications, some aspects and stages in the development of student sambo in the Chuvash Republic were identified for the first time, and a promising direction in its development was scientifically substantiated. In the context of the stated purpose of the study, its main methods were the analysis and generalization of data from archival sources, publications in periodicals, information from scientific and methodological literature and Internet sources. Based on a systematic approach, the authors consider student sambo in Chuvashia as a structural component of the Russian student sports system, which is an important element of the international student sports system. A brief historical insight of the international student sports movement is presented. Some aspects of student sports formation in the Russian Empire and the USSR are considered. Formation in 1957 of the voluntary student sports society “Burevestnik” is noted to be a consequence of the state policy in the field of physical culture and sports movement in the period of the 1930s – 1950s. However, taking into account the changed socio-economic conditions, in 1993 it was reorganized into the Russian Student Sports Union, which served as an impetus for creating its republican branch. The contribution to popularization and development of sambo within the framework of the republican Russian Student Sports Union by its first head, the head of Physical Education and Sports Department at I.N. Ulianov Chuvash State University, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor O.A. Markiyanov is evaluated. Based on the retrospective analysis of research materials, the stages in student sambo formation and development in Chuvashia in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods are considered in the chronological order. Statistical data on participation of Chuvash sambo students in competitions at the republican, All-Russian and international levels are given. Attention is focused on the fact that creation of the All-Russian Student Sambo League had a significant importance in the development of student sambo in Russia in general and in Chuvashia in particular. Under its auspices, not only various sambo championships and championships among students were organized, but also mutual contacts between universities of the country cultivating the domestic type of wrestling were intensified. The results of the study supplement the regional history with information on evolvement and development of student sambo in Chuvashia in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. They can be used in training specialists in the field of physical culture and sports, as well as in advanced training courses. The results of the study can be taken into account when making some managerial decisions on the development of student sports at the regional level. Generalization of the source data based on a systematic approach gives grounds to state that student sambo of Chuvashia, having passed the stages of evolvement and development, has already acquired its own system organization. At this, it is a structural element of regional and Russian student sports. In this regard, it is concluded that further dynamic development of student sambo in Chuvashia, as a system-based construct, is possible provided its “openness” increases. In this vein, a practical recommendation is formulated.

Choreographed Fan Displays: The Case of Israeli Sports

Choreographed Fan Displays: The Case of Israeli Sports

МОВЛЕННЄВИЙ ІМІДЖ ТРЕНЕРА

The article highlights the essence of the image from the standpoint of linguistics based on an analytical review of relevant scientific works. It is noted that the image as an object of linguistic research attracts more and more attention of scientists who consider its various aspects. Image analysis cannot be thorough without the use of linguistic research methods, since the verbal component is represented in all types of image communication. Linguistic resources play an important role in the process of image formation. It was found that the image is a mental formation with a certain emotional coloring, which is formed with the help of purposeful communicative influence in order to establish in the mind of the addressee a complete system of ideas and evaluations related to the object, in order to achieve certain goals. It is proven that the main functions of the image are communicative, nominative, aesthetic and address. It is emphasized that the relevance of considering the image problem in sports today is determined by a number of factors. The image of a coach largely depends on his contribution to the training of outstanding athletes, teams, the development of the theory and methodology of sports, his qualifications and authority. It is noted that an important feature of the image in sports is verbalization, which is manifested through sports slang in various forms. Among modern sociolects, sports jargon is one of the most common, which can be explained by the mass and prevalence of various types of sports and sports activities among the population. It has been proven that the scale of verbalization in the formation of an athlete's image depends on the level of aggressiveness of a sport, which in turn significantly shapes the level of attractiveness of a particular sport in society. It is outlined that coaching activity is a process of continuous interaction between the coach and the athlete. They work together to achieve the set result. An important factor in their effective interaction is the coach's communication skills. Knowledge and ability to solve conflict situations that arise not only in the educational and training process, but also in other areas of the coach's activity are an actual problem today in the coach's professional activity.

First Trial of the Player Development Program by the Japan Rugby Football Playersʼ Association

There is growing academic and practical interest in mental health and wellbeing care systems for elite athletes, including rugby players. Concerns about career transition and its maladaptation are one of the athlete-related factors for mental health problems. The Player Development Program (PDP), which has been implemented mainly in New Zealand, Australia and Europe etc., is a system that supports elite athletes from multiple perspectives while they are active players. According to international practice reports and papers, PDP can also contribute to improving performance. We documented the practice and the feedback of the PDP conducted by the Japan Rugby Football Playersʼ Association (JRPA) as a “Research Note”. In the current practice, from December 2020 to October 2021, we matched 11 active Japanese rugby players and 11 Player Development managers (PDM) in a one-to-one setting to provide an opportunity to speak online once a month. During the period, 10 out of 11 pairs completed the trial. From the feedback after the 10-month practice, the satisfaction of the players was high, and the PDMs answered that it was necessary for active players. Future challenges for promoting the PDP in the Japanese sports society are the specification of PDP in Japan, securing financial resources for the operation, and securing PDM human resources.

The Effect of Coaching Types on Moral Disengagement in Taekwondo Athletes: The Mediating Role of Pride.

The purpose of this study was to examine how coaching styles affect athletes’ moral disengagement. To achieve our objectives, we examined the relationships among perceived coaching types, pride, and moral disengagement in the context of elite taekwondo athletes (N = 322). Direct and indirect effects among coaching types, pride, and moral disengagement were assessed through path analysis. The results indicated that the autonomy-support coaching type reduced moral disengagement by decreasing hubristic pride, while the controlled coaching type increased moral disengagement through hubristic pride. Our study found a chain of effects according to the controlled coaching type perceived by taekwondo athletes, hubristic pride, and moral disengagement; therefore, the controlled coaching type and hubristic pride should be closely managed in sport society, as they elicit greater moral disengagement. Managerial strategies to diminish hubristic pride through the autonomy-support coaching type are recommended.

UPAYA MENINGKATKAN KESEHATAN MASYARAKAT GANTAR MELALUI KEGIATAN SENAM PAGI DI PUSKESMAS GANTAR

Gymnastics is a body exercise that is chosen and created deliberately and planned, systematically arranged with the aim of forming and developing a harmonious whole. Gymnastics is one of the most popular sports in society. The results of the morning gymnastics activities in the public health field carried out by KKN Kelompok Garuda students which were carried out on Friday, August 05, 2022 in Gantar Village, Gantar District, Indramayu Regency. Maintaining physical health is very important for humans, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. By doing morning exercise activities, it can provide good benefits for the human body and is one way for us to keep our immune system strong and avoid various viruses including the covid- 19 virus. As has been done by the people in Gantar Village who take part in morning exercises and feel better after doing morning exercises.

Examination of physical education and sport teachers' expectations and motivations from the teaching profession

Teachers are undoubtedly one of the indispensable elements of education and training. Considering today's conditions, teachers make a significant contribution to education. The effectiveness and efficiency of the education-teaching process are possible by providing quality education. Obtaining the necessary efficiency from the education-teaching process is only directly related to the satisfaction of the teachers in their profession and their motivation to teach. This study intends to analyze the expectations and motivation of physical education and sports teachers in the teaching profession. In the research study group, an interview has been utilized with thirty PE and sports instructors performing in schools affiliated with the Iğdır Provincial Directorate of National Education voluntarily. In this current study, with the use of the interview approach, the data acquired have been scrutinized with the aid of the content analysis measure. The results demonstrate that the teaching occupation is respected and sacred, a occupation that must be regarded and guides the society. In addition, the research group expects it is necessary to popularize the culture of physical education and sports in society, raise individuals who love sports, and eliminate the prejudice against physical education and sports lessons.

Rapid weight loss among elite-level judo athletes: methods and nutrition in relation to competition performance.

ABSTRACTBackgroundRapid weight loss (RWL) followed by rapid weight gain (RWG) is a regular pre-competition routine in combat sports and weightlifting. With the prevalence of these sports exceeding 20% at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there are limited data on RWL and RWG practices and their impact on well-being and competitive success in elite-level athletes.MethodsA total of 138 elite-level female and male judokas, 7.7% of the athletes ranked as top 150 on the International Judo Federation Senior World Ranking List (WRL), completed a survey on RWL, RWG, and the consequences of these practices.ResultsOur findings showed that 96% of the respondents practice RWL. The average reduced body mass percentage was 5.8 ± 2.3%. Respondents who used either of the dehydration methods – fluid restriction, sauna suit, and/or sauna/hot bath – to reduce weight were 88%, 85%, and 76%, respectively. Furthermore, 91% of the respondents reported reduced energy as a negative consequence of RWL and 21% experienced a collapse episode during the RWL period. Respondents ranked 1–20 on the WRL experienced fewer negative consequences of RWL and RWG (p = 0.002) and had more dietitian and/or medical doctor support (p = 0.040) than lower-ranked respondents. Those who started with RWL practices before the age of 16 (38%) were ranked lower on the WRL (p = 0.004) and reported more negative consequences of RWL and RWG (p = 0.014).ConclusionsThis study is the first to provide insight into the RWL practices of worldwide elite-level judokas and provides valuable information for the combat sports society, especially coaches. Proper weight management and optimal timed initiation of RWL practices in a judoka’s career may contribute to success at the elite level.

The Association Between Sports Participation and Physical Fitness

Context: The increasing extent of physical inactivity among children, adolescents, and adults is one of the greatest public health concerns. Sport is a type of leisure-time physical activity. With improved knowledge regarding the health advantages of physical activity, the role of sports in society has become increasingly important for the promotion of public health. Recognizing the significance of the effects of sports participation on physical fitness, this study presents a review of the association between sports participation and physical fitness. Evidence Acquisition: A search for literature was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar using the terms “sports participation and physical fitness” to find the association between the key terms. A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Sports participation was found to be positively associated with physical fitness. Participation in sports was associated with more physical activity, less sedentary behavior, and improved physical fitness. Participation in club sports led to improved physical fitness, especially endurance and strength. Sports participation resulted in improved cardiorespiratory fitness, improved anaerobic performance, and higher levels of muscular strength. Conclusions: Sports participation is associated with many health benefits, including improved physical fitness. As sports participation is a well-liked physical activity, making it easily accessible and spreading awareness about its benefits can lead to more healthy people and communities.

THE SYSTEM OF TRAINING AND ADVANCED TRAINING OF PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORTS PERSONNEL OF PENZA REGION IN THE 1960s

The article examines the practice of professional training and professional development of physical culture and sports personnel in the USSR at the regional level – in Penza region in the 1960s.
 
 The issue of organizing training and improving the training level of employees in the field of physical culture and sports in Penza region has not been studied sufficiently and requires in-depth research.
 
 During the study period, Penza region lacked competent and experienced managers of physical culture and sports work, coaches, instructors and judges for the mass development of physical culture and sports.
 
 The All-Russian Council of Sports Societies and Organizations Union and Penza Regional Council of the Sports Union repeatedly considered this issue, recommended to intensify the work in this field and proposed a set of measures to normalize the staff composition of the physical culture and sports movement in the region.
 
 The main problem was the lack of higher and secondary vocational education; the number of full-time physical education workers with specialized training in the designated chronological framework did not exceed 63%.
 
 The Faculty of Physical Education of Penza State Pedagogical Institute named after V.G. Belinsky was the “source of manpower” of personnel for the physical culture and sports movement in the region. The administrators of the Pedagogical Institute sought to enroll local youth to the faculty, preferably athletes, by recommendations of educational institutions, regional sports unions, Komsomol organizations.
 
 Penza Union of Sports Societies and Organizations, together with the party and Komsomol bodies, carried out systematic activities in this direction, using various forms of work – seminars, courses, meetings, etc. The regional Council practiced visits of its employees to the towns and districts of the region to assist in organizing training of instructors, judges, etc. Former athletes worked as coaches for free.
 
 For the heads of physical culture and sports structures, refresher courses were constantly held at the Republican training and sports base and seminars of the Sports Union in Moscow. The regional sports union believed that the quality of the coaches’ work was negatively affected by their employment in several places.

The Effect of Circuit and Interval Training on Maximum Oxygen Volume (VO2max) in Professional Futsal Athletes

Futsal is one of the most popular sports in society and has attracted more and more fans all over the world. There are more than 12 million people spread over 100 countries who have played futsal. Futsal is played by one goalkeeper and four field players with a duration of two rounds of 2 × 20 minutes. Therefore, every player must have a good physical condition to play optimally. Maximum oxygen volume (VO2max) is an indicator that can be used to determine the status of a person's physical condition. This study aims to compare the effect of circuit and interval training on VO2max in professional futsal athletes. The method used in this research is quantitative with a two-group pretest-posttest design. A total of 24 teenage boys, aged 16-21 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 19 kg/m2 – 23 kg/m2 participated in this study. Interval training and circuit training are carried out with an intensity of 80% – 90% HRmax, a frequency of 3 times/week for 8 weeks. VO2max was measured using the 20-M Shuttle Run Test with two measurements, namely pre-training and post-training. The results showed the average pre-training VO2max between interval training group (ITG) vs. circuit training group (CTG) (37.82±2.39 vs. 38.56±2.79 mL/kg/min (p ? 0.05)), post-training ITG vs. CTG (39.69±2.51 vs. 42.88±2.71 mL/kg/min (p ? 0.001)), delta ITG vs. CTG (1.88±0.99 vs. 4.32±1.09 mL/kg/min (p ? 0.001)). Based on our results, we show that interval training and circuit training increase VO2max. However, circuit training is more effective in increasing VO2max compared to interval training on professional futsal athletes.

The Impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on China and the Olympic Movement: The Legacy

This paper aims to explore the impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Chinese sport and Chinese society as well as the international Olympic Movement and Games. It asks three questions: What have been the purported impacts of the Beijing Games on China’s sport culture and practice? Did the 2008 Beijing Games contribute to the development of the Olympic movement? What, if any, social progress has been achieved through the Beijing Games? In answer to the first question, the paper explores how the Games sought to bring Olympic ideals and spirit to China and the Chinese sports authority used the Games to popularize Olympic ideals within the country. Olympic education programmes played an important role in spreading and popularizing Olympic knowledge and culture during the Beijing Games as well as during the post-Beijing Olympics era. The Games also provided a platform for the development of a volunteer programme which gave direct support to the hosting of the Beijing Games, but also developed a voluntary workforce which has continued to serve China’s social and cultural development. In answer to the second question, China used the opportunity to help the world to understand China, its history, its people, its cultures, and its ambition, and future direction. China’s promotion of an Olympic slogan and the three themes: One World and One Dream, the Green Olympics, and the Technological Olympics and Humanistic Olympics took the Olympic Movement and the Games to foster an intercultural Olympism, of ‘One World’ a twenty-first century phenomenon. Thirdly, the Games reflected economic and cultural changes since the 1980s when China opened its door to the outside world. However, the Games did not bring changes to the political system or to social structures in Chinese society. Nevertheless, it did give China the confidence to join the international sports community and gain rich experience to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. Beijing, therefore, will become the first city to have hosted Summer and Winter Games in Olympic history, but the hosting of the 2022 Games will take place with China having grown in confidence and strength since the 2008 Games. The country is sufficiently confident to stage a successful Games despite the context of dealing with the Covid pandemic, the diplomatic boycott instigated by the USA, the objections of the sporting world to the treatment of the Chinese tennis star, Peng Shuai, and the environmental problems resulting from having to manufacture artificial snow.

Phraseological translation of specialized speech: contrastive analysis of sports press in Russian and Spanish

This article discusses one of the most relevant topics from the point of view of translation: collocations in the sports press. The reason why this field was chosen is due to the great interest of linguists to include new words in dictionaries due to the influence of other areas of the language and the spread of sports in society. The result of the observed processes is that even native speakers of the Russian language find it difficult to read and understand sports news, and for foreigners interested in sports, these features of the sports press may present insurmountable difficulties, since the actual sports vocabulary is present in textbooks and dictionaries is limited. The analyzed corpus does not have the representative power inherent in large national and parallel corpora, however, this study has revealed several interesting phenomena and outlined ways to further study sports discourse: further study of collocations and productive models based on the material of large Russian and Spanish language corpora, Yandex search engines, blogs and other lexicographic online tools is of undoubted interest. In the process of assimilation of collocations, difficulties arise, since stable phrases are always difficult and impossible to predict. During the study, we saw that usually the components of combinations in one language do not coincide with other languages, since there is an influence on the language of the culture in which their own use of metaphors manifests itself. The compilation of multilingual educational dictionaries and the identification of productive collocation models can significantly expand the field of mastering the Russian language by foreigners and develop skills in predicting the meanings of unfamiliar words and collocations when getting acquainted with different types of discourse.

Оборонно-массовая подготовка дальневосточников к защите Отечества в годы Великой Отечественной войны (1941–1945)

With the use of sources introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, she analyzed the mass defense training of the Far East for the defense of the socialist Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. The qualitative composition of the leaders of military training and the quantitative parameters of the training of military specialists are revealed. It is substantiated that the created centralized system of general military training solved the problem of preparing a mobilization reserve at enterprises and institutions, on collective farms and state farms, in educational institutions of the Far East according to the territorial production principle in the scope of training a single fighter and a specialist – a tank destroyer, sniper, rifleman, machine gunner, signalman, medical officer, nurse. Indicators of mastering a military specialty reflect not only the need, but also the possibility of training in the region. Training in sports organizations and socie-ties, at enterprises, in institutions and educational institutions was considered not only from the point of view of raising the cultural level of the Far East, but also the socio-ideological education, especially of young people. Interrelated tasks were solved: those liable for military service ac-quired knowledge, which, on the one hand, was used in labor activity and for the development of military equipment, on the other hand, military-trained reserves were prepared, optimal parameters for recruiting the Armed Forces were worked out, taking into account the availability of mobilization resources.

«“SOKIL-BATKO” REALLY HAS ENOUGH OF VARIOUS WORRIES ALREADY». FROM THE UNKNOWN CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN IVAN BOBERSKYI AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SOKIL-BATKO SOCIETY IN LVIV

The huge epistolary heritage of a socio-cultural and military-political figure Prof. Ivan Boberskyi has not become the subject of a separate study in Ukrainian science. The author presents 12 letters, which are stored in fund 312 «Ukrainian sports society “Sokil-Batko”, Lviv» of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Lviv. Dated back to 1937, they highlight I. Boberskyi's relationship with the leadership of the «Sokil-Batko» Ukrainian society in Lviv. Based on them, it was revealed, what kind of efforts I. Boberskyi was made in the diaspora and Halychyna for raising funds for the Sokil movement activities, in particular, for the arrangement of a «Sokil-Batko» square for exercising «Ukrainian City» («Ukrainskyi Horod») in Lviv. The letters also provide information on the professor's editorial work, for instance, regarding the second edition of Edvard Zharskyi's «Osnovy Sokilstva». Investigated that the letters contain information about the plans of the Ukrainian society in Halychyna, in particular, about preparing the 4th Regional Movement, which was to take place in Lviv in 1938, including new types of sports, etc. In I. Boberskyi's letter to Sokil-Batko from September 10, 1937, the author found his analytical article entitled «Hartovana Stal» published with insignificant changes in the Sokil calendar for 1938. As stated, the presented epistolary heritage of the 1930s is part of an interesting and unique correspondence that sheds light on the life path of I. Boberskyi and on many events of the Ukrainian history of an interwar period. Keywords Ivan Boberskyi, Canada, United States of America, Switzerland, Slovenia, Trzych, Halychyna, Lviv, Ukrainian gymnastic society «Sokil-Batko», «Sokil-Batko» Square («Ukrainian City»), Sokil periodicals, sports.

Activities of sports organizations in Podillia in the 1920–1930s

The purpose of the article: to analyze the activities of sports clubs and the development of physical culture movement in Podillia during the period between the two world wars, to trace the evolution of Soviet policy on sports industry in Kamianets-Podilskyi and Podillia, to reveal the participation of athletes from Podillia in all-Ukrainian and regional competitions. Research methods: comparative-historical, problem-historiographic, systemic. Main results: for organization of sports and physical culture movement in the USSR the first sports society “Dynamo” was created. It consisted of police officers, the GPU and administrative bodies. “Dynamo” branches began to operate in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Proskuriv, Volochysk, Sataniv, Stara Ushytsia, and other settlements. In the second half of the 1920s, sports clubs for Soviet employees, food workers, educators, and railway workers were created in Kamianets-Podilskyi. Physical education classes started at city labor schools, technical schools, and institutes under the program of the People’s Commissariat for Education of the Ukrainian SSR. Communist functionaries attached great political importance to sports work, opposing it, in their opinion. For this purpose, the “backward” Ukrainian peasant culture in rural areas began to work district (and later – regional) training courses for instructors of physical culture collectives in collective farms. After the formation of Kamianets-Podilskyi region, regional collective farm sports days began to be held annually. Several stages can be distinguished in the history of physical culture and sports in Podillia during the period under study: the beginning of the 1920s – at this time the local authorities took control of all the sports centers of the region, the activities of non-communist organizations and clubs were prohibited; the second half of the 1920s – the first half of the 1930s. Sports training was considered an important part of preparing young people for military service. “Dynamo” and “Spartak” societies did a lot to popularize sports among the residents of Kamianets-Podilskyi and the entire Podillia. Their athletes were successful in All-Ukrainian competitions. The second half of the 1930s was characterized by the creation of a children’s sports school in the city, the organization of a wide network of clubs and physical education centers in the countryside. Similar tendencies are characteristic of totalitarian societies, which often contrasted sports and spiritual life. Therefore, it is no coincidence that, along with the growth of sports schools, circles, and clubs, churches were closed, and many famous Ukrainian writers, poets, ethnographers, representatives of the humanitarian sphere were repressed. Sports competitions were constantly covered in the media, and famous athletes become idols of young people. They begin to create the image of real representatives of the “working people” from them, those who had to be looked up to. Practical significance: the materials of the article can be used for studying the history of sports life in Ukraine in general and Podillya in particular, for writing monographs, articles, special courses on the history of Soviet everyday life. In addition, the work can be useful for researchers studying the history of certain sports. The originality of the study is due to the unbiased consideration and analysis of the sources used (archival documents, scientific papers and journalism). Type of article: research.

Predicting Seasonal Performance in Professional Sport: A 30-Year Analysis of Sports Illustrated Predictions.

In 2017, Sports Illustrated (SI) made headlines when their remarkable prediction from 2014 that the Houston Astros (a team in one of the lowest Major League Baseball divisional rankings) would win the World Series, came true. The less-publicised story was that in 2017, SI predicted the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the Major League Baseball (MLB) title. Assessing the forecasting accuracy of experts is critical as it explores the difficulty and limitations of forecasts and can help illuminate how predictions may shape sociocultural notions of sport in society. To thoroughly investigate SI’s forecasting record, predictions were collected from the four major North American sporting leagues (the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and National Hockey League) over the last 30 years (1988–2018). Kruskal–Wallis H Tests and Mann–Whitney U Tests were used to evaluate the absolute and relative accuracy of predictions. Results indicated that SI had the greatest predictive accuracy in the National Basketball Association and was significantly more likely to predict divisional winners compared to conference and league champions. Future work in this area may seek to examine multiple media outlets to gain a more comprehensive perspective on forecasting accuracy in sport.

Validating a Japanese Version of the Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire

BackgroundThere is increasing international interest in clinical practice and research related to mental health in the international sports society. The athlete-specific psychological distress assessment tool that addresses potential mental health needs can help promote early detection and recovery of mental illness, as well as physical illnesses. Currently, little is known about the applicability of the useful assessment tool for Japanese elite athletes. The Athlete Psychological Strain Questionnaire (APSQ) is a brief, effective and reliable screening tool to identify early signs of athlete-specific distress and potential mental health symptoms. We examined the applicability and reliability of a Japanese version of the APSQ (APSQ-J) in a Japanese elite athlete context. Further, we examined the construct validity of the APSQ-J.MethodsWe collected web-based anonymous self-report data from 219 currently competing Japanese professional male rugby players. A two-stage process was conducted to validate the factor structure of the APSQ-J using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in a randomly partitioned calibration sample and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a separate validation sample. Cronbach’s alpha is used to assess internal consistency. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated to determine if the APSQ-J was significantly associated with measures of psychological distress and well-being using Kessler-6 (K6) and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, respectively.ResultsWe identified a one-factor structure for the APSQ-J. Confirmatory factor analysis supports this one-factor model, revealing good model fit indices. The standardized path coefficients for each of the items were β = 0.41–0.83 (p < 0.001). A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.84 was obtained for the APSQ-J. The APSQ-J demonstrated significant correlations with the K-6 (r = 0.80, p < 0.001) and WHO-5 (r = −0.58, p < 0.001).ConclusionThe APSQ-J can be an appropriate and psychometrically robust measure for identifying athlete-specific distress in elite athletes in Japan. Widely disseminating and utilizing this scale in Japanese sports society may support athletes' mental health via early detection of symptoms of psychological distress.

The transfer of state functions in the field of physical culture and sports to public organizations in the 1960s

The article examines public organizations that functioned and performed state functions in the field of physical culture and sports. Special attention is paid to previously little-studied issues of interaction of the Union of Sports Societies and Organizations of the USSR with state bodies. The source base of the article is the normative legal acts regulating the activities of this organization, as well as documents of the Kaliningrad regional Union of Sports Societies and Organizations that were not previously introduced into scientific circulation. The liberalization of public life during the Thaw period had a significant impact on the position of public organizations in the Soviet political system. The scientific literature of that time actively discussed the issues of involving citizens and public organizations in solving the problems facing the country. One form of such involvement was the transfer of state functions to public organizations. As a result, public organizations were able to make important decisions in a certain segment of the public sphere. The Union of Sports Societies and Organizations of the USSR became a unique organization that completely replaced the state body in the field of physical culture and sports. Based on the material studied, the author comes to the conclusion that the liquidation of the Union of Sports Societies and Organizations of the USSR in 1968 coincided with other processes aimed at curtailing liberal principles in the USSR. Almost 10 years of activity of this organization have shown that the transfer of state functions into the hands of the public is indeed possible.