Sport-specific Knowledge Research Articles

What makes community sports programs successful? A group concept mapping study to identify effective elements

Adults in socially vulnerable positions can benefit from participation in community sports programs. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the effective elements of these programs. To identify these elements, we consulted three groups of stakeholders: social sports coaches, program coordinators, and social workers. The effective elements were systematically arranged by means of group concept mapping (GCM), a mixed-methods approach for organizing thoughts. The social sports coaches (n = 14) mentioned 152 effective elements, the program coordinators (n = 5) mentioned 81 effective elements and the social workers (n = 8) mentioned 115 effective elements. Overlapping effective elements were mentioned by all three stakeholder groups, such as the role of the social sports coach, a safe sports climate, and structure of sports programs. However, the sport-specific knowledge and skills of coaches were mentioned only by program coordinators. Moreover, only the social workers provided elements that were protective in nature, such as not overburdening the participants. Average importance scores differed for these elements within groups and between groups. In conclusion, various effective elements were deemed necessary for community sports programs to be successful. Moreover, GCM appeared a successful tool to systematically identify effective elements of an intervention from the perspective of relevant stakeholders.

The Effects of App-Based Feedback on Students’ Sport Knowledge in Sport Education Badminton Season

Introduction Sport education is a curriculum model that helps students to be a competent, literate, and enthusiastic sportsperson (Siedentop et al., 2020). The effectiveness of the model on badminton skill development has been demonstrated by previous literature (Hastie et al., 2011). Along with the skill development, cognitive outcomes (e.g., sport-specific knowledge) are considered to be important parts of one’s performance in sports. Cognition of ‘how to play’ in a sport is associated with improved performances (Thomas & Thomas, 1994). Therefore, teaching sport knowledge is important to enhance the effectiveness of practice and gameplay. Thomas and Thomas (1994) described the three concepts of sport knowledge in performance: (a) declarative (factual information, such as rules), (b) procedural (techniques and tactics), and (c) strategic knowledge (knowing how to learn). Given that the nature of sport knowledge has great potential to be developed for all levels of players (Dexter, 1999), it is important to dive into diverse ways to boost students’ cognitive learning while playing sports in physical education. Using advanced video technology, such as motion analysis mobile applications (Apps) with a feature of live capture for instant feedback, may enhance cognitive learning outcomes in physical education. Video technology has grown rapidly to support learning in physical education over the past decades (Palao et al., 2015; Rikli & Smith, 1980; van Wieringen et al., 1989). However, little is known about the effectiveness of a motion analysis App on students’ sport knowledge enhancement in sport education. Therefore, the App-based feedback was examined to identify its effectiveness on students’ sport knowledge enhancement during sport education badminton season. Introduction Sport education is a curriculum model that helps students to be a competent, literate, and enthusiastic sportsperson (Siedentop et al., 2020). The effectiveness of the model on badminton skill development has been demonstrated by previous literature (Hastie et al., 2011). Along with the skill development, cognitive outcomes (e.g., sport-specific knowledge) are considered to be important parts of one’s performance in sports. Cognition of ‘how to play’ in a sport is associated with improved performances (Thomas & Thomas, 1994). Therefore, teaching sport knowledge is important to enhance the effectiveness of practice and gameplay. Thomas and Thomas (1994) described the three concepts of sport knowledge in performance: (a) declarative (factual information, such as rules), (b) procedural (techniques and tactics), and (c) strategic knowledge (knowing how to learn). Given that the nature of sport knowledge has great potential to be developed for all levels of players (Dexter, 1999), it is important to dive into diverse ways to boost students’ cognitive learning while playing sports in physical education. Using advanced video technology, such as motion analysis mobile applications (Apps) with a feature of live capture for instant feedback, may enhance cognitive learning outcomes in physical education. Video technology has grown rapidly to support learning in physical education over the past decades (Palao et al., 2015; Rikli & Smith, 1980; van Wieringen et al., 1989). However, little is known about the effectiveness of a motion analysis App on students’ sport knowledge enhancement in sport education. Therefore, the App-based feedback was examined to identify its effectiveness on students’ sport knowledge enhancement during sport education badminton season.

The Effect of Virtual Training on Speed and Accuracy of Decision Making in Sport.

The concept of expertise is an appealing topic in numerous domains, including sport. Research suggests that the path leading to expertise in sport is significantly influenced by the development of specific components, such as knowledge, skill, and game-performance (Thomas and Thomas, 1994). A relatively new technique in the field of teaching and coaching is the use of video games as a mode of instruction (Swing and Anderson, 2008). The purpose of this study was to address the question of whether video games can improve declarative and procedural sport knowledge. Twenty-seven volunteers were recruited through flyers and word of mouth at a university in a Midwest community. Measurements included an American football knowledge (pre- and post) test, survey of experience, and six football practice sessions using a Microsoft X-box. The project was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Human Subjects Review Committee. Knowledge test scores increased significantly from pre- to post-test [t (26) =-4.997, p = 0.0001]; the improvements were moderate (effect size = 0.66). From practice one to practice six (time) the average speed of decisions improved significantly, but accuracy did not. Knowledge increased regardless of the experience level, but the largest improvements in decision accuracy took place at the lowest experience level. This research supports the idea that video games could be an effective tool to increase sport specific knowledge, particularly in novices.

Coaches as boundary spanners? Conceptualising the role of the coach in sport and social policy programmes

ABSTRACT Sport has become an important component of programmes seeking to address major challenges or ‘wicked problems’ within the UK, particularly those affecting young people. This article draws on a single case study analysis to examine the role of a coach within a sport and social policy programme. It draws on the policy concept of ‘boundary spanners’ to conceptualise and highlight the important work the coach undertook in connecting different agencies to provide a support system for young people taking part in the programme. In doing this, the coach’s role moved beyond face-to-face engagement with participants and instead saw him positioned as a critical actor who supported multi-sectoral working. Drawing on concepts identified within boundary spanning literature, the article identifies the key skills the case study coach required to perform this role and discusses the value of considering coaches as boundary spanners more broadly. The article concludes by discussing some of the implications of conceptualising coaching in this way. These include acknowledging the importance of the coach in achieving social policy objectives, re-conceptualising what is ‘good’ coaching in this setting and the need for coaches working in social policy contexts to have access to education that moves beyond sport-specific knowledge.

Flipped Classrooms: An Introduction for Coaching Candidates in Higher Education

Former UCLA Bruins head basketball coach and 10-time national champion John Wooden is arguably the most revered coach in any sport and in any time. Yet, in his own words, he suggested “I’m no wizard, I am a teacher” (Gallimore, 2006, np), and that he learned to coach by applying what he learned as a high school English teacher (Gallimore, 2006). Similarly, Côté and Gilbert’s (2009) conceptual model of coaching identifies categories of knowledge coaches need, including professional knowledge as “declarative knowledge in the sport sciences, sport-specific knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge with accompanying procedural knowledge” (p. 310). Thus, inspired by Coach Wooden, and following Côté and Gilbert (2009), the purpose of this workshop is to enhance coaches’ pedagogical knowledge by introducing coaching candidates at post-secondary institutions to the flipped classroom (FC) approach. In higher education, FCs have been shown to improve student engagement, motivation, satisfaction, and creativity (Al-Zahrani, 2015; Chen, Lui, & Martinelli, 2017; Herreid & Schiller, 2013; Rotellar & Cain, 2016) – outcomes that may be especially important to coaches. Participants in this workshop will learn about FCs in an interactive 90-minute session, collaborating with peers to address issues that are relevant to their teams, and incorporating FC principles to improve their teaching and enhance student-athlete satisfaction.

A Phenomenological and Physiological Approach to Embodied Rilkean Sport-Specific Perception

ABSTRACTIn a recent paper, I developed and introduced embodied Rilkean sport-specific knowledge into the current sports knowledge philosophical debate. The existence of embodied Rilkean sport-specific knowledge was proven using neuroscience. Specifically, I used plasticity, or the body’s precise and individualized neuromuscular adaptations to sport-specific movements, to show that the Rilkean embodiment process takes place. In this paper, I will draw on the recent work, using the plasticity concept to prove the existence of embodied Rilkean sport-specific perception. I use the phenomenological tradition to provide a description of how some of an athlete’s mental processes are embodied (brain and peripheral neuromuscular structures) and extended to what she does in and to her environment. Finally, this paper addresses the current perceptual learning philosophical debate. It shows that embodied Rilkean sport-specific perception plays a generative and preservative epistemic role and that it supports cognitive penetrability, or the idea that knowledge affects how we see the world.

Embodied Rilkean sport-specific knowledge

This paper develops and introduces the embodied Rilkean sport-specific knowledge into the current sports knowledge philosophical debate. This idea is based on my interpretation of Mark Rowlands’ Rilkean memory theory. Broadly speaking, Rowlands proposed that an embodied Rilkean memory is memory content that is then ‘woven into the body and its neural infrastructure’ resulting in new bodily or behavioral dispositions. I propose that elite-level sports knowledge may become contentless bodily and/or behavioral dispositions and take the form of embodied Rilkean sport-specific knowledge. This version of sports knowledge enriches the current philosophy of sports debate that has centered on the analytical distinction between procedural knowledge (knowing how) and declarative knowledge (knowing that). After presenting the embodied Rilkean sport-specific knowledge concept and providing empirical evidence that supports its existence, I argue that the current distinction between ‘knowing how’ and ‘knowing that’ may not be exhaustive.

Learning in action and adventure sports

ABSTRACTThe exponential growth in action and adventure sport (e.g. snowboarding, bicycle motorcross (BMX), surfing, parkour) participation over the past two decades has been showcased in world championship events and the inclusion in Olympic programs. Yet, by virtue of their alternative, escapist and/or adventure-based origins, these sports do not fully conform to the characteristics by which traditional sports are known (e.g. structured training). An area of great interest across all sports is how athletes learn to perform. In action and adventure sports, the lack of well-established, sport-specific knowledge bases mean that athletes potentially learn in different ways. This research seeks to make an initial contribution to our understanding by examining the learning trajectory of an international-level Trials athlete. She was found to take a strong role in her own learning while leveraging her coach and peers for learning opportunities at different stages of her career to date. Suggestions for future research in this area are subsequently offered.

Developing decision-making in rugby

The development of player decision-making involving an empowering approach to coaching has been advocated for “Small Blacks” through to All Blacks over the past decade (Kidman, 2001, 2005; Kidman & Hanrahan, 2004). This paper examines how rugby players, through facilitated structured self- reflection, perceive their ability to make decisions in game situations, after participating in a seven-week decision-based training intervention designed and facilitated by a coach of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union in New Zealand. The aim is for teachers and coaches to better understand how the players learn to make better decisions in game-based situations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted pre, during and post the intervention with six 15-year-old rugby players from an independent private boys’ high school in Christchurch, New Zealand. Content analysis of the descriptive data involved coding, categorising and then identifying common themes using NVivo (N6), a qualitative software program. The findings showed that all six players perceived improved perception and motor skills and tactical sport-specific knowledge, and that better intra-communication (within the team) was critical in their ability to make informed decisions. The implications for sports teachers and coaches’ education suggest that purposeful decision-based training, involving facilitated structured self-reflection, better equips players to improve decision-making on the rugby field. However, further research is needed to track and monitor individual players and their ability to make effective decisions in game situations.

How Youth-Sport Coaches Learn to Coach

Researchers have investigated how elite or expert coaches learn to coach, but very few have investigated this process with coaches at the recreational or developmental-performance levels. Thirty-six youth-sport coaches (ice hockey, soccer, and baseball) were each interviewed twice to document their learning situations. Results indicate that (a) formal programs are only one of the many opportunities to learn how to coach; (b) coaches’ prior experiences as players, assistant coaches, or instructors provide them with some sport-specific knowledge and allow them to initiate socialization within the subculture of their respective sports; (c) coaches rarely interact with rival coaches; and (d) there are differences in coaches’ learning situations between sports. Reflections on who could help coaches get the most out of their learning situations are provided.

Safety of rivastigmine in Alzheimer's disease: Pooled results from phase III studies

In an interconnected world, and with cultural diversity ever present, there is growing recognition in sport management for the need to understand such diversity alongside the desire for more inclusive organisations and processes. Research which informs these understandings is thus fundamental. Planning and doing research in an environment where the culture is different can, however, add a level of complexity to the research. No matter the project phase - conception, design, data collection or analysis - cultural consideration must be given (Johnston, 2014). Those undertaking research in differing cultural settings often look to find a research approach which marries with the cultural context. In the Pacific region, or for those working with Pacific people, a popular choice is talanoa. Drawing on empirical work with Pacific rugby athletes, the authors outline the talanoa process – an “embodied expression of the vanua concept” (Farrelly & Nabobo Baba, 2012, p. 1). Ethical issues, challenges, and opportunities in using this approach are reflected on, and the value of talanoa to sport management research and in particular the sub-field of sport-for-development is considered. The authors argue the importance of talanoa as a culturally-appropriate contemporary qualitative research approach when working with Pasifika people or Pasifika issues. Approaches such as talanoa are valuable for challenging sport management researchers to further examine their own roles in the process of producing sport-specific knowledge; for decentring current approaches to sport management research and for shifting the discipline towards politicization; as well as contributing to broader conversations regarding decolonising indigenous research (Shaw & Hoeber, 2016; Skinner & Edwards, 2010; Skinner et al., 2014).

Social Support Mechanisms among Athletes with Disabilities

The purpose of this investigation was to describe social support mechanisms of swimmers with disabilities and examine relationships among social support, self-efficacy, and athletic satisfaction. Results indicated that athletes felt satisfied with the social support they received. Mothers and friends provided primary support in a variety of areas requiring non-sport-related knowledge. Additionally, there were important secondary sources of support in areas requiring sport-specific knowledge. Coaches were primary sources of support in areas that required sport expertise. Fathers were also important sources of secondary support in areas that required both sport expertise and nonsport expertise. Correlational results suggested that athletes who were supported by being listened to and by being challenged to become better athletes and people also reported strong self-efficacy.

The Relation off Knowledge Development to Children's Basketball Performance

This study examined the relationship of sport-specific knowledge to the development of children's skills in basketball. Two experiments were conducted. The first compared child expert and novice basketball players in two age leagues, 8-10 years and 11-12 years, on the individual components of basketball performance (control of the basketball, cognitive decisions, and motor execution) and on measures of basketball knowledge, dribbling skill, and shooting skill. Child expert players of both age groups possessed more shooting skill and more basketball knowledge. A canonical correlation analysis indicated that basketball knowledge was related to decision-making skill, whereas dribbling and shooting skill were related to the motor components of control and execution. Experiment 2 examined the changes in the individual components of performance, basketball knowledge, dribbling skill, and shooting skill from the beginning to the end of the season. Subjects improved in the cognitive decision-making and control components of performance across the course of the season, and basketball knowledge increased from the beginning to the end of the season. Only basketball knowledge was a significant predictor of the decision-making component at the end of the season. The overall results of Experiments 1 and 2 indicate that the development of the sport knowledge base plays a salient role in skilled sport performance of children.

An Investigation of Future Market Opportunities for Sport Psychologists

For this study, questionnaires were distributed to 607 elite athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, and sport psychologists in Canada. Variables were examined to predict the development of the sport psychology profession. It was hypothesized that elite athletes had sport-specific psychological needs requiring the services of sport psychologists. This proposition was supported by the athlete population; however, the sport psychologists themselves felt that the sport-specific knowledge was a secondary issue. The perception of sport psychology services was found to be more positive the more the services were employed. Although awareness of these services was high, the access to sport psychologists was low, a finding which was attributed to a lack of adequate funding. All subgroups tested felt that the role of the sport psychologist is growing in importance and is becoming essential to the elite sporting environment.