The performance environment of the England youth soccer teams

Abstract

In the present study, we examined the performance environment of the England youth soccer teams. Using a semi-structured protocol with a prospective sample, national coaches (n = 6), sport scientists (n = 3), and players (n = 4) were interviewed directly following international tournaments about the factors that positively and negatively influenced performance. Qualitative content analysis revealed the following factors as major positive influences on performance: adhering to a consistent tournament strategy, player understanding, strong team cohesion, organized entertainment activities, detailed knowledge of opposition, an effective physical rest/recovery strategy, and previous tournament experience. Major factors perceived to have negatively influenced performance included: over-coaching, player boredom, player anxiety, physical superiority of the opposition, physical fatigue over the tournament, problems sleeping, and lack of information on the opposition. Eight overall dimensions emerged to describe the performance environment: planning and organization, physical environment, tactical factors, development and performance philosophy, psychological factors, physical factors, social factors, and coaching. The findings support recent work that suggests the performance environment is multifaceted, with performance being contingent upon a broad range of interacting factors that go beyond the traditional psychosocial and physical domains.     

A Comparison of Two Methods of Teaching the Tennis Serve

Abstract

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of two methods of teaching the tennis serve. College women (N=123) in six tennis activity classes at Georgia Southern College participated. The experimental group of 60 students started serving from the service court line and were gradually moved back to the base line. The control group of 63 students began serving from the base line in the traditional manner. After five weeks of practice both groups were given the same tennis serving test for accuracy and speed. The study showed no significant differences in the two teaching methods.     

Bone mineral density in triathletes over a competitive season

There is evidence from previous cross-sectional studies that high volumes of certain sports, including running, swimming and cycling, may have a negative impact on bone mineral density. The aim of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the effects of high athletic training in individuals who engage in high volumes of all three of these activities (triathletes). Bone mineral density for the total body, arms and legs was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 21 competitive triathletes (9 men, 12 women) at the beginning of the training season and 24 weeks later. Age, body mass index, calcium intake and training volume were also recorded to examine potential mediators of bone mineral density change. Men had greater bone mineral density at all sites than women. No significant changes were observed over the 24 weeks for either total body or leg bone mineral density. Bone mineral density in both arms increased by approximately 2% in men ( P ? 0.03), but no change was observed for women. Change in bone mineral density at all sites was unrelated to age, body mass index, calcium intake and training volume. The results suggest that adverse changes in bone mineral density do not occur over the course of 6 months of training in competitive triathletes.     

The Criterion-Related Validity of the Sit and Reach Test: Replication and Extension of Previous Findings

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine the stability and consistency of the Caltrac accelerometer (Hemokinetics, Madison, WI) and an activity record to assess physical activity in children and adults (Experiment 1), and (b) to determine if there is a relationship between parents and their children in physical activity level (Experiment 2). Thirty 5–9-year-old children and their biological parents wore Caltrac accelerometers for three consecutive days (including one weekend day). At the same time, parents completed a Caltrac Activity Record (CAL REC) for themselves and their child. Dependent variables were counts per day for the Caltrac and minutes of light activity and activity for the CAL REC. Between-day correlations for the Caltrac ranged from r = .73 to .87 for the parents (p < .001) and from r = .38 (p < .04) to .79 (p < .001) for the children. An analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated no significant differences for the Caltrac between days for parents and children. Between-day correlations for CAL REC ranged from r = .67 to .91 (p < .05) for parents and r = .36 to .72 (p < .05) for children, and there were no significant differences between days. In Experiment 2, χ² analyses were used to examine familial resemblance in physical activity. Using the Caltrac, familial resemblance occurred in 67% (father and child) and 73% (mother and child) of the families. Using the CAL REC, familial aggregation was present in 70% (father and child) and 66% (mother and child) of the families. Thus, children of active and less active parents exhibited physical activity patterns similar to their parents.     

A behavior-genetic study of the legacy of early caregiving experiences: academic skills, social competence, and externalizing behavior in kindergarten

A critique of research examining whether early experiences with primary caregivers are reflected in adaptation is that relevant longitudinal studies have generally not employed genetically informed research designs capable of unconfounding shared genes and environments. Using the twin subsample (N = 485 pairs) of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, the current study provides evidence that early parental support (derived from observations at 24 months and around age 4, in prekindergarten) is associated with academic skills (r = .32), social competence (r = .15), and externalizing behavior (r = -.11) in kindergarten. Crucially, the shared environment accounted for virtually all of the correlation between parenting and academic skills, roughly half of the association between parenting and social competence, and approximately one fourth of the correlation between parenting and externalizing behavior.     

Defining appropriate professional behavior for faculty and university students on social networking websites

The vast majority of university students have profiles on social networking sites (e.g., Myspace, Facebook) (Salaway et al. 2008). However, it is yet to be determined what role this rapidly evolving method of communication will play in an academic setting. Data for the current study was collected from 459 university students and 159 university faculty members. Participants’ opinions regarding faculty/student interaction on social networking sties (SNSs) were analyzed. Over one-third of the students and a quarter of the faculty participants reported that it is inappropriate for faculty members to have accounts on SNSs. Significant disagreement existed between the faculty and students, as well as among the faculty and among the students regarding what constitutes appropriate professional professor/student interaction on SNSs.     

A different approach to university rankings

Educationalists are well able to find fault with rankings on numerous grounds and may reject them outright. However, given that they are here to stay, we could also try to improve them wherever possible. All currently published university rankings combine various measures to produce an overall score using an additive approach. The individual measures are first normalized to make the figures ‘comparable’ before they are combined. Various normalization procedures exist but, unfortunately, they lead to different results when applied to the same data: hence the compiler’s choice of normalization actually affects the order in which universities are ranked. Other difficulties associated with the additive approach include differing treatments of the student to staff ratio, and unexpected rank reversals associated with the removal or inclusion of institutions. We show that a multiplicative approach to aggregation overcomes all of these difficulties. It also provides a transparent interpretation for the weights. The proposed approach is very general and can be applied to many other types of ranking problem.     

Cyberbullying: through the eyes of children and young people

The topic of cyberbullying is raising international debate and concern. Through the development and dissemination of a questionnaire 12 student researchers were supported in surveying 325 UK students across Years 7, 8 and 9 to gain further knowledge of this area, in relation to children and young people. Results were analysed and comparisons made between gender and age, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the area of cyberbullying and its many elements. Conclusions acknowledge that bullying has entered a “digital era” and professionals and adults require the knowledge and skills to help young people to further understand the issues involved and to protect themselves in this area.     

‘What's next for masculinity?’ Reflexive directions for theory and research on masculinity and education

Research on masculinity has become an important area of gender and education that includes a wide range of empirical concerns and theoretical approaches. This article identifies a number of studies that are asking questions about the conceptual usefulness of masculinity within educational contexts. The first section explores how educational researchers are beginning to suggest alternative ways that hegemonic masculinity may be configured. The second section draws upon work that interrogates the disconnection of gender from sex. Such work considers the importance of understanding schooling worlds through an untethering of gender categories from physical bodies. The third section suggests the possibility of a post-masculinity position by exploring research that questions the viability of masculinity as a conceptual frame to understand gender. In conclusion, the paper argues that such developments can be used heuristically to inform the critical reflexiveness of future research in the area.     

Don’t Silence “the Dinosaurs”: Keeping Caution Alive With Regard to Social Work Distance Education

Distance education (DE) in social work programs and studies on its comparable effectiveness with face-to-face education continue to increase. Yet not all faculty are convinced of the results, and this study explores why. Three case studies indicate that reservations center on valuing the process of learning and nonverbal communication. Issues regarding duty of care to families to be served by future social workers primarily educated in a virtual classroom also matter significantly. The trend toward DE may be inevitable, but this does not mean that educators should not voice their concerns; their skepticism has merit, and they have a responsibility to be vocal.