Tracking club sport participation from childhood to early adulthood

This study examined the strength of tracking sport participation from childhood to early adulthood among the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort. Participation in sport, dance, or gymnastics as part of a club or group (outside of school) was assessed at ages 7, 9, 15, 18, and 21 years. In addition to the traditionally used correlation coefficients, summary statistics (intraclass correlations; ICC) from random effect models and stability coefficients from generalized estimating equations (GEE) were calculated using all the longitudinal data and controlling for the influence of covariates on tracking strength. Correlation coefficients revealed statistically significant tracking of club sport participation (7-21 years) at low levels (r = .07-0.28). The ICC summary statistic (0.23) was consistent with this, while the GEE suggested moderate tracking (0.59). The results of this study suggest that encouraging sport participation during childhood and adolescence may result in a modest increase in the likelihood of participation later in life. However, the substantial movement into and out of sport participation observed here and in other studies cautions against relying solely on sport promotion among youth as a strategy to promote lifelong participation.     

Changes in running economy following downhill running

In this study, we examined the time course of changes in running economy following a 30-min downhill (-15%) run at 70% peak aerobic power (VO2peak). Ten young men performed level running at 65, 75, and 85% VO2peak (5 min for each intensity) before, immediately after, and 1 - 5 days after the downhill run, at which times oxygen consumption (VO2), minute ventilation, the respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and blood lactate concentration were measured. Stride length, stride frequency, and range of motion of the ankle, knee, and hip joints during the level runs were analysed using high-speed (120-Hz) video images. Downhill running induced reductions (7 - 21%, P < 0.05) in maximal isometric strength of the knee extensors, three- to six-fold increases in plasma creatine kinase activity and myoglobin concentration, and muscle soreness for 4 days after the downhill run. Oxygen consumption increased (4 - 7%, P < 0.05) immediately to 3 days after downhill running. There were also increases (P < 0.05) in heart rate, minute ventilation, RER, RPE, blood lactate concentration, and stride frequency, as well as reductions in stride length and range of motion of the ankle and knee. The results suggest that changes in running form and compromised muscle function due to muscle damage contribute to the reduction in running economy for 3 days after downhill running.     

A fluid dynamic investigation of the Big Blade and Macon oar blade designs in rowing propulsion

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the fluid dynamic characteristics of the two most commonly used oar blades: the Big Blade and the Macon. Scaled models of each blade, as well as a flat Big Blade, were tested in a water flume using a quasi-static method similar to that used in swimming and kayaking research. Measurement of the normal and tangential blade forces enabled lift and drag forces generated by the oar blades to be calculated over the full range of sweep angles observed during a rowing stroke. Lift and drag force coefficients were then calculated and compared between blades. The results showed that the Big Blade and Macon oar blades exhibited very similar characteristics. Hydraulic blade efficiency was not therefore found to be the reason for claims that the Big Blade could elicit a 2% improvement in performance over the Macon. The Big Blade was also shown to have similar characteristics to the flat plate when the angle of attack was below 90 degrees , despite significant increases in the lift coefficient when the angle of attack increased above 90 degrees . This result suggests that the Big Blade design may not be completely optimized over the whole stroke.     

The roles of perceived teacher support, motivational climate, and psychological need satisfaction in students' physical education motivation

Research illustrates the positive roles of perceived competence, autonomy, and mastery climate and the negative role of performance climate in student motivation in physical education. Less research has examined perceptions of relationships within this setting (i.e., perceived teacher support and relatedness) and their role in student motivation. The purpose of this study was to test the mediating roles of perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness in the relationship between social contextual factors and motivation in physical education students (N = 508). Results from structural equation modeling showed that perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness partially mediated the relationship between perceived teacher support and self-determined motivation and that mastery climate related directly to self-determined motivation. The results highlight the importance of perceived teacher support, mastery climate, and relatedness to motivation in physical education.     

Tinkering through transition: on ‘doctoring’ as an early-career academic in physical education and sport pedagogy

This article addresses the notion of ‘making it’ as an early-career academic in physical education and sport pedagogy. In it, we draw on the tradition of material semiotics to reflect on our shared journeys from doctoral student to beginning scholar and beyond. By attuning ourselves to the relationality, materiality and precariousness of our experiences, we offer an answer to the question of what it takes to ‘make it’ as an early-career academic by advocating the practice of ‘making do’ or ‘doctoring.’ We develop this argument, first, by describing the narrative methods we used to conduct our inquiry and by explaining the material-semiotic ideas we used to explore the stories it generated. Then, we tell tales of our transitions from higher degree research student to early-career academic, focusing specifically on our ongoing, collective efforts to make do. In our discussion, we explore these narratives and attend to three features of our actions and activities as early-career academics; namely semiotic relationality, material heterogeneity and the precarious processes of heterogeneous engineering through which we sought to make a career in our field. We conclude by encouraging beginning scholars in physical education and sport pedagogy to become sensitive to these aspects of their own agency, and to experiment, experience and tinker together in ways that are attentive, inventive, caring and persistent.     

Do the physical and environment PETTLEP elements predict sport imagery ability?

The present study aimed to examine whether physical and environment elements of PETTLEP imagery relate to the ability to image five types of sport imagery (i.e. skill, strategy, goal, affect and mastery). Two hundred and ninety participants (152 males, 148 females; M_age?=?20.24 years, SD?=?4.36) from various sports completed the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ), and a set of items designed specifically for the study to assess how frequently participants incorporate physical (e.g. ‘I make small movements or gestures during the imagery’) and environment (e.g. ‘I image in the real training/competition environment’) elements of PETTLEP imagery. Structural equation modelling tested a hypothesised model in which imagery priming (i.e. the best fitting physical and environment elements) significantly and positively predicted imagery ability of the different imagery types (skill, β?=?0.38; strategy, β?=?0.23; goal, β?=?0.21; affect, β?=?0.25; mastery, β?=?0.22). The model was a good fit to the data: χ² (174)?=?263.87, p?<?.001, CFI?=?.96, TLI?=?.95, SRMR?=?.09, RMSEA?=?0.05 (90% CI?=?0.03–0.05). Findings displayed that priming imagery with physical and environment elements is associated with better skill, strategy, goal, affect and mastery imagery ability. The findings extend models of imagery use by indicating that how athletes images may influence their imagery ability.     

Building Trust Through Culturally Reciprocal Home-School-Community Collaboration from the Perspective of African-American Parents

This article presents findings of an instrumental case study that examined the perceptions held by African-American parents on the efficacy of schools in meeting the needs of African-American learners in a North Carolina community. A theme of distrust emerged and evidenced the need for teachers, administrators, and teacher educators to reconsider approaches used with African-American parents, particularly where building culturally reciprocal home-school-community relationships is concerned.     

Investigating the role of the HLTA in supporting learning in English schools

The development of support staff was a key aspect of the Labour government’s reform of the school workforce in England. As part of this strategy approximately 25,000 Teaching Assistants (TAs) gained Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status and were deployed in schools in a variety of roles, often operating in a quasi-teaching role. The research re-visits individuals who had acquired HLTA status between 2006 and 2009 and had participated in a questionnaire survey regarding their role at that time. A duplicate questionnaire was distributed in 2013 to 305 of these HLTAs and was followed up in 2014 by focus groups with self-selecting individuals from the original sample. To date there has been little research relating to the development of the HLTA role and the implications this has for both teachers and pupils, particularly in terms of provision for the most vulnerable learners.     

Campus commons: The calculus of grief

Lee Burdette Williams shares her firsthand experience of her students' resilience in the face of loss.