Team Sports Research Articles

Image design for kazakhstan children’s sports uniform

The relevance of the research topic lies in the popularization of Kazakhstani children's sports team’s image in the world as a significant part of human capital by means of uniform design. The purpose of the study is theoretical and methodological substantiation of Kazakhstani children's sports uniform design identity. The scientific novelty of the research lies in conducting an interdisciplinary theoretical analysis of the structural components of children's sports team’s image in Kazakhstan. The research methodology is based on Kazakh and foreign scientists' works in the field of pedagogy, psychology, analytical psychology, personal development, motivation, acmeology, epistemology, brand building, semantics, cultural studies, cultural anthropology, ethnography and costume studies. The study’s results made it possible to identify the mechanisms to form the value bases of the image for young athletes’ uniforms in Kazakhstan. An interdisciplinary, theoretical, and methodological analysis of children's sports uniform design made in this research will contribute to the popularization of Kazakhstan's young athletes’ image in the world. The practical significance of the research is based on the studying Mimioriki brand’s contribution to creating the image of Kazakhstan uniforms for the children's sports team.

The burdens of sitting on the bench – comparison of absolute and relative match physical load between handball players with high and low court time and implications for compensatory training

ABSTRACT Wearables quantify the activity in team sports and indicate that players experience peak physical loads during competitions. Accordingly, players with limited court time in competitions will miss important training stimuli. The present study aimed to quantify these gaps in physical load in professional handball players. Activity of all players competing in the 2021/2022 Bundesliga (Germany) was tracked using Kinexon LPS sensors. Gaps in physical load were quantified comparing the 25% of appearances with the highest (HIGH; 51.8 ± 5.2 mins) and lowest court times (LOW; 10.1 ± 4.3 mins). Distances, accumulated acceleration, jumps, sprints, impacts, accelerations, and decelerations were analysed as absolute and relative (per minute) outcomes. Players were grouped into wings, backcourts, and pivots. Unpaired t-tests between HIGH and LOW were performed (p < .05), and effect sizes were calculated (Cohen´s d). Analyses revealed significant effects of court time on activity. While absolute activity increased for HIGH, relative activity increased for LOW (p < .05). In addition, effect sizes revealed position-specific gaps in physical load, particularly for acyclic activities (jumps, accelerations). Gaps in physical load resulting from limited court time are highly position-specific. Our observations may provide benchmarks for the position-specific calibration of compensatory training.

Attentive hands: The coexistence of digital and analog attentions in children's sports

AbstractThrough an extended ethnography of a sports team of boys growing from 7 to 11 years old, I explore Norwegian parents' anxieties about the digital world encroaching on their children's lives. I compare parents' monitoring of their children's (non)digital leisure activities with how kids interact (non)digitally. On the surface, as parents observe how their children's bodies move from screens to sports, they see their kids' attentive hands shifting focus from electronic gaming and screen swiping to a more welcomed ballplaying and high‐fiving with nonelectronic teammates. However, close inspection reveals that my interlocutors never completely enter or leave the digital, but dwell within both worlds simultaneously. The result shows the meaning of children sports as changed by the digital, how the digital appears in the foreground or the background of our interactions, and how an emphasis on attentive hands can help unearth how the digital passes through us to constitute our lifeworlds.

The Acute Effects of Cold Water Immersion and Percussive Massage Therapy on Neuromuscular Properties and Muscle Soreness after Exercise in Young Male Soccer Players.

Cold water immersion (CWI) and percussive massage therapy (PMT) are commonly used recovery techniques in team sports. In particular, despite its wide use, PMT has been scarcely investigated in the literature, especially regarding neuromuscular measures and in comparison with other techniques. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the acute and short-term effects (24 h) of CWI and PMT on muscle strength, contractile properties, and soreness after exercise. A randomized crossover study was performed on sixteen male soccer players (22 years, 20-27) who participated in three experimental sessions involving a fatiguing protocol consisting of a Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance Test followed by 3 × 10 squat jumps and a wall sit for 30 s, and 12 min of recovery including CWI (10 °C water), bilateral PMT on the anterior and posterior thigh, or passive resting. Outcomes were assessed immediately after the exercise protocol, after the recovery intervention, and at 24 h. Isometric knee extension (IKE) and flexion (IKF) and tensiomyography (TMG) were assessed. Muscle soreness and fatigue were scored from 0 to 10. PMT increased strength after the treatment (p = 0.004) and at 24 h (p = 0.007), whereas no significant differences were found for the other two recovery modalities. At post-recovery, compared to CON, CWI resulted in a longer TMG contraction time (p = 0.027). No significant differences were found at 24 h. Finally, PMT and CWI enhanced muscle soreness recovery compared to passive rest (F4,60 = 3.095, p = 0.022, pη2 = 0.171). Preliminary results from this study suggest that PMT might improve isometric strength after strenuous exercise, and both PMT and CWI reduce muscle soreness perception, while the effects on TMG parameters remain controversial.

Coaching Transition and Nature of Change: An Examination of NCAA DI Team Sports

NCAA Division I team sport head coaches typically end their coaching roles by taking a more prestigious and lucrative position, or by being fired. These differences in the nature of the leadership change suggest differences in programmatic conditions at the time of change. How a leader leaves the program undoubtedly reverberates through the program resulting in coaches, players, administrators, and fans with varying levels of satisfaction. While literature is replete with the impact of leadership changes, there is little evidence to distinguish among nature of change, and strong evidence that a negative head coaching change precedes athletic and academic decline. Thus, this study investigated 414 NCAA Division I team–sport head coaching changes using a variety of athletic and academic variables to determine what best predicts specific types of coaching changes. Results indicated athletic success has the strongest relationship and is most predictive, as expected, particularly in revenue sports. Other noteworthy findings, however, revealed female coaches have less negative coaching changes than males, and that hiring an alum or having a high Academic Progress Rate predicted a negative change. These findings reveal there are variables beyond winning that influence the nature of change and establish patterns that could assist administrators in times of transition.

Athletes’ Fan Meeting as a Marketing Vehicle: The Influence of Strategic Alignment Between Athlete and Team Brand Images

The current study examined how branded encounters, in which an athlete’s image is aligned with a team’s brand positioning, may positively affect fans’ evaluations of the team. Particularly, this study investigated the effect of strategically aligning athlete and team brand images on team-related fan responses. The empirical evaluation was undertaken using data collected from athlete-fan meeting events. The authors demonstrated that athlete-team brand image alignment positively affected overall team evaluation, with more pronounced result for unfamiliar (vs. familiar) teams and when the quality of the athlete-fan interaction was high (vs. low). This study is one of the first to demonstrate how teams can leverage player image as a brand-building advantage. Moreover, the results fill gaps in the literature and extend the body of knowledge in sport team branding studies.

Examining switching intention in professional sport: a push-pull-mooring perspective

PurposeDrawing upon a push-pull-mooring model and the literature on behavioral loyalty, this research aims to examine the underlying factors and mechanisms that influence switching intention in the context of professional sport in Japan.Design/methodology/approachUsing a two-wave survey design (pregame and postgame surveys), we collected data from 367 fans of a professional soccer team in Japan. Our data included three push factors (quality, satisfaction, and perceived value of the current favorite team), a pull factor (alternative team attractiveness), a mooring factor (team identification), and behavioral loyalty and switching intention to the alternative team. We used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses.FindingsA mediation analysis revealed that perceived value of an individual’s current favorite team was negatively associated with behavioral loyalty to an alternative team, whereas attractiveness of the alternative team was positively associated with behavioral loyalty, which, in turn, resulted in fans’ switching intention. Latent moderated structural equation modeling further revealed the negative moderating effect of team identification with the current team on the relationship between behavioral loyalty and switching intention.Originality/valueThe findings provide new evidence about the role of behavioral loyalty in understanding sport consumers’ switching intention and highlight the importance of team identification that can foster a sustainable and long-term relationship between fans and their favorite sport teams.

Injury and illness surveillance monitoring in team sports: a framework for all

BackgroundSport-related injuries and illnesses can negatively impact athlete welfare at all standards of participation in team sports. Injury and illness surveillance (IIS), and the development of monitoring systems, initiates the sequence of injury and illness prevention. Operational IIS monitoring systems help to appraise epidemiological estimates of injury and illness incidence and burden in various athlete populations. However, the methodological underpinnings of various monitoring systems are not harmonized or widely documented, with the presence of efficient and successful programmes rarely showcased at non-elite levels. The aim is to provide a framework that guides the development of IIS, which will enhance overall surveillance, to indirectly inform injury prevention strategies.MethodsThe process involved all members of the research group initially discussing the research gaps, scope of the project, and the aims of the article. Unique experiences were shared, and specific and global challenges and barriers to IIS at all standards of team sport participation were identified. A tiered system of data collection with corresponding content were produced, with experiences and guidance provided throughout the article.ResultsThe literature has been reviewed and using first-hand experience in conducting IIS programmes in complex and diverse sport settings, the authors have identified key enablers and barriers for best practise as time, technological and human resources, reporter/practitioner training, and medical expertise. Areas of greatest importance regarding the conducting of IIS have been outlined, providing guidance and recommendations across all levels of team sport participation. These areas include definitions, data context, collection procedures, handling, security, ethics, storage, dissemination, quality, compliance, and analysis. Given the barriers to IIS, 3-tiered levels of data collection and content have been proposed. The levels indicate data collection variables, with a focus on sufficiency and achievability, aiming to support the successful conducting of IIS in team sports across all standards of participation. Future opportunities in IIS have been discussed, with several predictive measures and analytical techniques expanded upon.ConclusionsThe framework provides universal guidance for implementing IIS monitoring systems, facilitating athletes, coaches, parents/guardians, governing bodies and practitioners to implement IIS processes, identify challenges, complete analysis, and interpret outcomes at all standards of participation.

COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERMITTENT PNEUMATIC COMPRESSION, COLD WATER IMMERSION, AND A PASSIVE PROTOCOL IN THE RECOVERY OF MUSCLE DAMAGE INDUCED BY PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE

Introduction: Muscle fatigue is recognized as one of the causes of injury in sports. Recovery methods are frequently used by sports teams. However, research into the effectiveness of such methods remains limited. Methods: Eleven recreational athletes participated. The study lasted four weeks; the first was dedicated to familiarization, and the last three weeks were to follow-up. Volunteers performed bout of 100 drop jumps, followed by intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), cold water immersion (CWI), or passive recovery; each method performed in a different week. Variables included were triple horizontal jump (THJ), serum creatine kinase (CK), and muscle soreness; and were registered before, 24, 48, and 72 hours after exercise. Results: Although muscle soreness normalized after 48 hours with the IPC (p = 0.18), it remained altered after 72 hours with the CWI and passive recovery (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively). With regards to the CK, normalization was observed within 48 hours of CWI (p = 0.31), while the IPC and passive resulted in normalization after 72 hours (p = 0.14 and p = 0.22, respectively). In relation to the THJ, normalization was observed within 48 hours of CWI (p = 0.25), 72 hours after the passive method (p = 0.21), and showed late reduction with IPC, after 72 hours (p = 0.01). Conclusion: objective variables demonstrated better results with the use of CWI.

Systematic review: pain, cognition, and cardioprotection-unpacking oxytocin's contributions in a sport context.

This systematic review investigates the interplay between oxytocin and exercise; in terms of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, pro-regenerative, and cardioprotective effects. Furthermore, by analyzing measurement methods, we aim to improve measurement validity and reliability. Utilizing PRISMA, GRADE, and MECIR protocols, we examined five databases with a modified SPIDER search. Including studies on healthy participants, published within the last 20years, based on keywords "oxytocin," "exercise" and "measurement," 690 studies were retrieved initially (455 unique records). After excluding studies of clinically identifiable diseases, and unpublished and reproduction-focused studies, 175 studies qualified for the narrative cross-thematic and structural analysis. The analysis resulted in five categories showing the reciprocal impact of oxytocin and exercise: Exercise (50), Physiology (63), Environment (27), Social Context (65), and Stress (49). Exercise-induced oxytocin could promote tissue regeneration, with 32 studies showing its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, while 14 studies discussed memory and cognition. Furthermore, empathy-associated OXTR rs53576 polymorphism might influence team sports performance. Since dietary habits and substance abuse can impact oxytocin secretion too, combining self-report tests and repeated salivary measurements may help achieve precision. Oxytocin's effect on fear extinction and social cognition might generate strategies for mental training, and technical, and tactical development in sports. Exercise-induced oxytocin can affect the amount of stress experienced by athletes, and their response to it. However, oxytocin levels could depend on the type of sport in means of contact level, exercise intensity, and duration. The influence of oxytocin on athletes' performance and recovery could have been exploited due to its short half-life. Examining oxytocin's complex interactions with exercise paves the way for future research and application in sports science, psychology, and medical disciplines. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=512184, identifier CRD42024512184.

Personal risk factors and types of sport associated with drive for thinness and drive for muscularity in NextGen athletes.

Professional and student-athletes are at risk of developing symptoms of eating disorders (ED), including drive for thinness and muscularity due to personal risk factors (e.g., low self-esteem) and sport-specific characteristics (e.g., sport requirements). However, limited studies have focused on ED symptoms among NextGen athletes (identified in Canada as élite or relève) who compete at the provincial, national, and international levels but are not yet part of national teams. As such, they have access to fewer financial resources and support from their sport federations, which can create additional stress for these athletes. The present study aimed to identify personal risk factors and types of sports associated with (a) drive for thinness and (b) drive for muscularity in NextGen athletes. These athletes (n = 254) aged between 14 and 25 years old completed an online questionnaire. Perfectionism, self-esteem in sport, drive for thinness, and drive for muscularity were, respectively, assessed by the Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sport, the Sport State Self-Esteem Scale, the Eating Attitude Test-26, and the Drive for Muscularity Scale. Other personal risk factor (e.g., athletic status) were measured using in-house questions. Each personal risk factor was included in two multiple linear regressions, respectively, to determine which factors were most associated with drive for thinness and drive for muscularity. Analyses revealed that perfectionist aspirations during training were linked to a stronger desire for thinness. In addition, not being in school or not having a job were also linked to a stronger desire for thinness. Several variables were found to be associated with a greater desire for muscularity: being a male athlete, playing team sport, weight category sport or endurance sport (as opposed to esthetic sport), having elite status, being less satisfied with one's current sporting performance and having higher perfectionist aspirations during training. This study offers initial insights into the factors influencing EDs among NextGen athletes, which provides a foundation for deeper exploration and the creation or modification of targeted interventions. These findings can guide sport organizations in creating guidelines and programs to better support the next generation of national athletes (e.g., create programs to help athletes maintain investments outside).

When does perceived coach autonomy support enhances change in athletes’ subjective vitality? The multilevel moderating role of grateful climate

ABSTRACT Grounded in self-determination theory, this study explores the positive impact of perceived coach autonomy support on athletes’ subjective vitality. Additionally, we posit that a grateful climate, functioning as a socio-cultural structure, plays a crucial cross-level moderator. A total of 203 athletes from 32 sports teams were included in the analysis. Employing a time-lagged design, our results reveal a significant predictive relationship between perceived coach autonomy support and changes in subjective vitality. Moreover, a noteworthy cross-level moderating effect of the grateful climate emerged. In teams characterized by a high grateful climate, the relationship between perceived coach autonomy support and athletes’ subjective vitality is strengthened, and such an effect is not validated in teams with a low grateful climate. These findings are consistent with our expectations, affirming not only the replication of previous research but also emphasizing the importance of a grateful climate as a cultural structural factor in this context.

Use of physical activity as a coping strategy mediates the association between adolescent team sports participation and emerging adult mental health

PurposeWe explored how team sport participation during adolescence may have prepared emerging adults to use physical activity (PA) as a coping strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore protect their mental health. MethodsMATCH study participants reported their involvement in team sports from age 11 to 18. At age 20, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, they reported their level of positive mental health, strategies to cope with stress, and perception of how helpful these are. Mediation analyses were used to estimate the natural direct effect of number of years of team sport participation during adolescence on emerging adults’ mental health, and the natural indirect effect through using PA as a coping strategy. ResultsData from 454 participants were available. PA was the most prevalent coping strategy reported (51.5%) and 74% of those using this strategy reported it helped a lot. More years of team sport participation during adolescence was associated with higher odds of reporting PA as a coping strategy (OR [95% CI] = 1.012 [1.007; 1.017]) and with higher level of mental health during emerging adulthood (β [95% CI] = 0.059 [0.024; 0.095]). The natural indirect effect suggests that the use of PA as a coping strategy partially explained the association between team sport participation in adolescence and mental health in emerging adulthood (NIE [95% CI] = 0.038 [0.002;0.074]). DiscussionMore team sports participation during adolescence is associated with better mental health during emerging adulthood. This association may operate through using PA to cope with stress.

Exploring British student-athletes' receptivity to sport psychology consultation

Student-athlete's receptivity to sport psychology (SP) is a significant contributor to effective SP service delivery. Previous studies among American student-athletes suggests that stigma and negative beliefs, which affect receptivity, remain significant barriers to seeking SP support. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on the British student-athlete population. The aim of this study was to explore how demographic factors affect British student-athletes' receptivity to SP consultation. Following institutional ethics approval, student-athletes (n = 96, 48 males and 48 females) completed a series of demographic questions and the Sport Psychology Attitudes Revised Form (SPAR-R) (25 items answered on a seven-point Likert scale). The survey measured stigma tolerance (Cronbach’s alphas (α) = 0.821), confidence in SP consultation (α = 0.882), personal openness (α = 0.462) and cultural preference (α = 0.534). A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANCOVA) was used to examine the relationship between demographic constructs and the SPAR-R responses. Compared to females, males reported significantly higher scores in personal openness (P = 0.44, P &lt; 0.05, mean difference [MD]: 0.54), and cultural preference (P = 0.01, P &lt; 0.05, MD: 0.54). Compared to athletes who compete in a team sport, individual athletes reported significantly higher scores of confidence in SP consultation (P = 0.013, P &lt; 0.05, MD: 0.7). There were no influences of age and level of sporting competition on confidence in SP and cultural preference, respectively (P &gt; 0.05). The results suggest that males and athletes who compete in a team sport may be less receptive towards SP consultation than females and athletes who compete in an individual sport. These results are similar to those found within an American student-athlete population yet provide applied SP practitioners with novel insights into working with British student-athletes. Future research should focus on student-athletes from various ethnic backgrounds and further expand methodological approaches to understanding why demographic factors affect receptivity to SP consultation. In conclusion, these results could inform and encourage practitioners to adopt a tailored approach when providing SP consultation to persons possessing different demographic characteristics.

Chronobiological approaches and habitual routine: effect on morning physical performance in male team sport players

Achieving peak morning physical performance for team sport players is vital due to the vast degree of performances tend to take place in the morning. It has been well-documented that undertaking chronobiological approaches and having a habitual routine can have an impact on performance, however the combination of the two have not been clearly interpreted. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine how combined chronobiological approaches and habitual routine had an influence on morning physical performance. Using a double-blinded, randomized counterbalanced design, team sport male participants (n = 12) were recruited, with institutional ethics approval, and completed five sessions: (i) two familiarization sessions; (ii) one bright light (BL) morning exercise condition; (iii) two testing conditions either: habitual (the morning after BL), or No pill. The morning physical performance tests carried out were as followed: Intra-aural temperature and fingertip blood glucose and lactate, taken throughout: at rest, post warm-up and immediately after the RSP test, mood assessed using Perceived Onset Mood State (POMS) questionnaire, 3 right and 3 left hand grip strength measures, and a maximal repeated sprint performance (RSP) protocol (10 × 20 m, 30 s recovery period). Heart rate (HR), thermal comfort (TC), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were all recorded after each sprint. Data were analysed using a general-linear model.

Physiological, perceptual and neuromuscular responses to 15 vs. 30 s work durations during short high intensity interval training

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is an extremely potent stimulus for physiological adaptation offering a low volume training approach that can be easily accommodated into an individual’s training schedule. A key feature that drives physiological adaptation is the time the individual spends at or around their individual V̇O2max during HIIT. This can be influenced by several variables, including the work bout duration (Buchheit &amp; Laursen, 2013, Sports Med, 43, 318-338). The use of short duration HIIT intervals (i.e., &lt; 60 s) are popular due to their ability to facilitate a high oxygen uptake while minimising fatigue (Buchheit &amp; Laursen, 2013, Sports Med, 43, 318-338). However, the physiological response to different short duration HIIT formats has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to measure the physiological, perceptual and neuromuscular responses to two traditional short duration (i.e., 15 and 30 s) HIIT formats in trained athletes. With ethics approval, 10 well-trained male and female team sport players (mean + SD; age: 22 ± 1 years; body mass: 78 ± 6 kg; stature: 176 ± 4 cm) were recruited to the study and visited the laboratory on three separate occasions. After an incremental test to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer to establish V̇O2max (52.3 ± 5.7 ml·kg-1·min-1) and peak power output at V̇O2max (pV̇O2max; 313 ± 21 W), two HIIT sessions (15 s effort: 15 s passive recovery and 30 s effort: 30 s passive recovery) were completed in a randomised order. HIIT interventions comprised 15 s or 30 s at 120% pV̇O2max followed by 15 or 30 s passive recovery, repeated for 2 × 6 min with 5 min active recovery at 40% pV̇O2max. V̇O2, time &gt;90% V̇O2max, heart rate, and RPE were measured during the HIIT session and blood lactate concentration recorded 5 minutes afterwards. Measures of knee extensor maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) were measured immediately before and after each HIIT session.

Band Conditioning Contractions Result in Greater Acute Performance Enhancement When Utilising Contrast Training in Elite Same Day Concurrently Trained Team Sport Athletes

Band Conditioning Contractions Result in Greater Acute Performance Enhancement When Utilising Contrast Training in Elite Same Day Concurrently Trained Team Sport Athletes

Team trust as a predictor of collective efficacy in female rugby players

According to Bandura’s (1997) social cognitive theory, “the higher the sense of collective efficacy, the better the team performance”. Bandura also states that collective efficacy is greater than the sum of its individual self-efficacies due to it being influenced by other cognitive factors, including trust (1986, 1997, J Cog Psychother, 13, 158-166). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of team trust on the construct of collective efficacy within a sport context. It is proposed that team trust is an important cognitive factor that may precede the relationship between collective efficacy and group performance. With institute ethical approval (BREO:33249-A-Nov/2023-47988-1), 21 female college rugby players voluntarily completed the four factor Team Trust Scale (Costa &amp; Anderson, 2011. Eur J Work Org Psych, 20, 119-154) and the five factor Collective Efficacy Questionnaire for Sport (Short, Sullivan. &amp; Feltz, 2005, Meas Phys Ed Ex Sci, 9, 181-202) to measure the correlation between levels of team trust and collective efficacy and determine if team trust is indeed a valid predictor of collective efficacy. Linear regression analyses were conducted and correlation coefficients calculated using Pearson’s correlation. It was predicted that a positive correlation would be shown between the two constructs and that team trust is a significant predictor of collective efficacy. Assuming a positive hypothesis, the study recommends that rugby teams and interdependent sport teams, generally, should develop a high-quality environment of trust both on and off the pitch, given its relationship with collective efficacy and subsequent impact on performance. Relatively little research has been carried out into the effect of intrateam trust within sport and, therefore, this study serves to widen the exploration of this construct and its impact on other social constructs such as collective efficacy and their impact on team performance.

The integration of first-year women XV rugby scholars and the socialisation tactics used

Cohesion is an important element of team environments, as it provides the bedrock for trust and communication among team members to be established. This allows for a platform to be created where conflicts can be addressed, strategies are shared and collaboration is enhanced, ultimately leading to improved team performance. Research indicates that when a team allows time for the socialisation of newcomers, performance is directly facilitated (Schuth et al, 2023, J App Psych, 108, 1046–1059). Furthermore, transitioning into a university environment is a crucial phase in an individual’s life, which poses many challenges. Therefore, having support from teammates and a sense of community may ease this period of adjustment. There is a dearth of research that investigates the integration of new teams and the consequences or enhancements of the different tactics. The main purpose of this study was to assess the integration of first-year university rugby scholars into an existing team environment using the Sports Team Socialization Tactics Questionnaire (STSTQ; Benson &amp; Eys, 2017, J Sport Ex Psych, 39, 13–28.) It was hypothesised that there would not be a significant difference (P &lt; 0.05) in the perceived level of socialisation between the first-year rugby scholars and the other rugby scholars. Twenty female participants were recruited from the Brunel University London women’s rugby union 1XV team, using a convenience sampling method. With institutional ethics approval, the participants completed the STSTQ and demographics form. They were split into two groups; first-year rugby scholars and other rugby scholars. The participants completed the STSTQ. This measure evaluates three dimensions on a 9-point Likert scale: the serial tactics subscale (α = .85), the social inclusionary tactics subscale (α = .74), the coach-initiated role communication tactics subscale (α = .87). The multivariate tests revealed no effect of scholar status on the combined socialization tactics (F = 0.75, P = 0.539). The Univariate tests showed no differences for coach tactics (F = 1.67, p = 0.212, serial tactics (F = 0.03, P = 0.873), or social inclusionary tactics (F = 0.25, P = 0.625). In conclusion, there were no differences between the new and existing players' ratings of the effectiveness of the socialization tactics used. For practitioners and coaches, the results provide insights into players' perceptions of integration tactics that could inform adjustments for future seasons, especially as this top team aims for promotion where cohesion is critical. A limitation was collecting data mid-season after a break from games, rather than across multiple time points. Furthermore, additional testing is still needed to understand the specific processes that enabled this cohesive team environment despite integrating many new players.

The role of emotional intelligence and quality relationships in athletes’ and coaches’ levels of satisfaction: a multi-study analysis

ABSTRACT The purpose of the current research was to examine emotional intelligence (EI) within the context of the coach-athlete relationship. A series of studies were conducted to test (a) the associations between coaches’ and athletes’ EI and facets of performance satisfaction and (b) whether the coach-athlete relationship quality explains the association between individuals’ EI and performance satisfaction. The first two studies included data from British (study 1; n = 254) and Belgium athletes (study 2; n = 256) participating in team sports. The third study employed a sample of 109 British (n = 24) and Belgian (nn = 79) team sport coaches. Data were obtained using a multi-section questionnaire. Path analyses revealed that both athletes’ and coaches’ EI predicted performance satisfaction and that coach-athlete relationship quality explained the association between EI and performance satisfaction. The findings of this study add to the growing literature on EI in sport and highlight the important role of emotional abilities and interpersonal skills.