Performance Differences between National Football League and High School American Football Combine Participants

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine magnitudes of differences for anthropometric and athletic performance scores between high school and elite college-level American football players. Method: Participants included high school-age (n = 3,666) athletes who participated in American football combines, as well as elite college-level (n = 5,537) athletes who participated in the National Football League (NFL) scouting combine. Combine data included position; height; weight; 10-, 20-, and 40-yard dash; pro-agility (PA); L-cone drill (LC); vertical jump (VJ); and broad jump (BJ). Athletes were separated into their respective position group, defensive back (DB), wide receiver (WR), linebacker (LB), quarterback (QB), running back (RB), tight end (TE), defensive line (DL), and offensive line (OL) for analysis of performance differences. Percent differences for each dependent variable were calculated to quantify magnitudes of differences. Results: NFL combine participants scored 3% to 25% better on all measurements, with the largest differences between weight and VJ (14%–25%). Conclusion: The largest measurement-specific differences between high school-age and elite college-level American football players were body size and power. Although it may seem intuitive that elite college-level players would perform better, these data provide a unique perspective to high school players, parents, and coaches, giving new information to use when designing measurement-specific athletic development programs. Thus, strength and conditioning professionals may benefit from emphasizing increases in muscle mass and power output in strength and conditioning programs.     

The threat of global economics to multicultural studies

When viewed through the lens of critical pedagogy, children's literature offers a viable avenue for tapping the "funds of knowledge" abounding in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. It is an effective means for promoting dialogue, arousing critical consciousness, and facilitating the "coming to voice" of oppressed people. In this article I examine the tenets of critical pedagogy as practiced in the Libros y Familias Program, a family literacy program for Spanish-speaking families in Independence, Oregon. It gives practical examples of how children's literature can be used as a vehicle for building community and personal transformation and presents a model adaptable to other communities.     

An approach to investigate anxiety and hostility in consultee-centered consultation

This paper presents an approach to investigating affect in the process of consultee-centered consultation. The anxiety and hostility of three consultants and consultees was assessed from an intensive analysis of their verbal behavior during consultation. Comparisons to normative data suggested that the anxiety and hostility expressed by consultees was high, relative to that expressed under more neutral conditions, and a relationship was observed between consultee anxiety and consultation outcome. It was concluded that this provides a potentially productive direction for future research in consultation.     

The training and analysis of consultation process using transactional analysis

The present investigation was an attempt to examine the possibility of experimentally manipulating the process of consultation. In this instance, the process of consultation was conceived in terms of the Transactional Analysis paradigm. The study employed a small-N analogue to consultee-centered consultation with the experimental treatment consisting of a training session in Transactional Analysis for the consultants. The treatment effect was assessed against three dependent measures: (a) the subjective evaluations of the consultant-consultee pairs; (b) the percent of behavioral change toward goal; and (c) the number of Adult-Adult transactions characterizing the consultation exchange. The data indicate increases in the number of Adult-Adult transactions, the Average Subjective Evaluation, and the Percent of Goal Attainment for two of the four experimental subject pairs. However, the result for only one subject met the requirements of the multiple baseline design, so that it could be concluded that the observed gains for this subject probably could be attributed to the T.A. training session. In addition to suggesting the influence of Adult-Adult transactions on consultation, this study is felt to offer insight to researchers seeking appropriate experimental designs for manipulating relevant process variables in consultation and detecting the effects of these manipulations.     

Get Ready,Get In,Get Through: Factors that Influence Latino College Student Success

“Get ready, get in, and get through.” Latino adolescents and young adults are enrolling in the nation’s colleges and universities at record numbers. However, completion rates of Latinos range from 8% to 25%. We examined individual rather than organizational factors shown to influence Latino student post-secondary levels of success. Influences include academic experience; demographic, personal, and family characteristics; and cultural factors. Four colleges that have specifically addressed success were selected to show how programs link individual factors with success. Implications for the findings are discussed.     

Variations in methods of calculating reliability of duration data

The traditional percentage and correlational methods of estimating reliability of duration recording were compared to the reliability obtained with an event-by-event examination of observers' records in which the actual percentage of time that the observers were in agreement was calculated. While observing standardized videotapes, eight volunteer undergraduate students recorded “studying” using a specific definition and “not eating” using a nonspecific definition. The order of persentation and level of definition specificity were reversed for eight additional volunteer observers. Recordings were done on an event recorder. It was found that the traditional percentage reliability scores were significantly higher than actual (event-by-event) observer agreement for both behaviors, at both levels of definition specificity. Correlational reliability coefficients were significantly greater than event-by-event scores for specific definitions only. Implications of the findings include the possibility that duration recording, which does not involve a permanent product (e.g., when using a stopwatch), may be periodically checked for reliability with an event recorder, or that interval recording may be used.     

Biomechanical differences between left- and right-handed baseball pitchers

Left-handed baseball pitchers are thought to have a number of theoretical advantages compared to right-handed pitchers; however, there is limited scientific research detailing differences in the pitching mechanics of right- and left-handed pitchers. Therefore, this study sought to understand whether any kinematic and kinetic differences existed between right- and left-handed baseball pitchers. A total of 52 collegiate pitchers were included in this study; 26 left-handed pitchers were compared to 26 age-, height-, weight- and ball velocity-matched right-handed pitchers. Demographic information, passive shoulder range of motion and kinematic and kinetic data were obtained for each pitcher participating in the study. Results indicated that left-handed pitchers did not have a glenohumeral internal rotation deficit as compared to right-handed pitchers. Kinematic analysis indicated that elbow flexion, horizontal glenohumeral abduction and wrist coronal plane motion were significantly different between the two study cohorts. It was also noted that left-handed pitchers had increased elbow varus moments. The findings of this study suggest that pitching coaches should be aware that there are biomechanical differences between left- and right-handed pitchers.     

Impact of Virtual Work Environment on Traditional Team Domains

An extensive literature review and a phenomenological heuristic case study examined a virtual work team to determine what were salient domains of the team and determine the effect the virtual work environment had upon these domains. The study determined that post‐modern philosophy and postindustrial society are linked to changes in the marketplace and the development of virtual work environments. Seven team domains were identified. The virtual work environment affects the communication domain of teams most strongly. This effect impacts the remaining domains. Decision processes were determined to be narrower and featured conformity. Effectiveness was shown to be diminished by the reduction of social facilitation and increase in social loafing. Leadership was affected by the change in the communication network from an all‐channel network to a wheel network. Relationship and trust were affected by erosion of trust. Roles changed with the team's reduced ability to resolve differences and execute detailed action. Purpose became more task‐oriented. Technology emerged in the study as the new virtual team domain. Factors involved in team members' satisfaction were related to personality, isolation, and team membership.