Growth,functional capacities and motivation for achievement and competitiveness in youth basketball: an interdisciplinary approach

The interaction of multiple influences on the path to sport success is not yet fully understood by sport scientists. In this study, we examined variation in body size, functional capacities and motivation for achievement, competitiveness and deliberate practice of youth basketball players associated with differences in biological maturity status, chronological age and years of training experience. Reflecting the importance of interactive effects, we examined the relationships between the psychological variables and functional capacities. Fifty-eight male basketball players aged 9.5 to 15.5 years were considered. Variables included chronological age, estimated age at peak height velocity, stature, body mass and sitting height by anthropometry; the Work and Family Orientation and Deliberate Practice Motivation Questionnaires were also used. Finally, the Line Drill test and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) tests were used as functional capacities indicators for basketball. Variance components models derived from series of multilevel linear regression models revealed a substantial variation by maturity status for body size, functional capacities indicators, mastery and will to excel. The influence of estimated maturity status on mastery and will to excel was independent of age and years of experience. In contrast, no relationships were observed between psychological variables and functional capacities indicators. We conclude that growth-related changes are relevant to understanding players´ motivations for achievement, competitiveness and deliberate practice. This should be of interest to those involved in the selection and development of youth basketball players.     

The Sculpture Market: An Adjacent Year Regression Index

This paper analyses the performance of an investment in sculpture during theperiod 1987–1995 by applying the hedonic price technique with time dummyvariables to a sample of over 27,000 sales at auctions. The main finding isthat the adjacent year price index differs substantially between theinexpensive/middle portfolio and the expensive portfolio. The first showsthe existence of a boom period until 1990, followed by a non boom period. Bycontrast, the return of an investment in the expensive portfolio performedsomewhat better during the period analysed, with the only fall in the priceindex in 1990 and 1991.     

Moral development in a violent society: Colombian children's judgments in the context of survival and revenge

Ninety-six Colombian children (mean age = 7.7 years) and adolescents (mean age = 14.6 years) made judgments about stealing and physical harm in the abstract and in the context of survival and revenge. All participants judged it wrong to steal or hurt others because of considerations with justice and welfare, and most also judged it wrong to engage in such actions even when they can aid in survival. Their judgments in the context of revenge were more mixed, with a sizable proportion endorsing stealing and hurting in that condition. Furthermore, the majority expected that people would steal and hurt others in most situations. Significant age differences were also found. The consequences of political violence for moral development are discussed.     

Formative research on an early stage of the systemic change process in a small school district

This study utilised a qualitative research methodology known as formative research to improve the process guidelines that are described in the Guidance System for Transforming Education (GSTE). This study took place in a small (5447 students), partly urban and partly rural school district in Indiana. The researchers, also serving as change facilitators, investigated an early stage of the systemic change process as outlined in the GSTE. Specifically, the research focused on field‐testing and improving the process for assessing the district's readiness for change. It was found that this process could have been improved if the facilitators had had more guidance to help them develop the interview protocols.     

Analytics for learning design: A layered framework and tools

The field of learning design studies how to support teachers in devising suitable activities for their students to learn. The field of learning analytics explores how data about students' interactions can be used to increase the understanding of learning experiences. Despite its clear synergy, there is only limited and fragmented work exploring the active role that data analytics can play in supporting design for learning. This paper builds on previous research to propose a framework (analytics layers for learning design) that articulates three layers of data analytics—learning analytics, design analytics and community analytics—to support informed decision-making in learning design. Additionally, a set of tools and experiences are described to illustrate how the different data analytics perspectives proposed by the framework can support learning design processes.     

Male professional tennis players maintain constant serve speed and accuracy over long matches on grass courts

The potential effect of fatigue on stroke production in tennis players is still controversial. The aim of this study was to analyse the tennis serve speed and accuracy in prolonged male professional matches played on grass courts. We analysed tennis serve statistics from five-set Wimbledon matches (n?=?15; 30 players). Results showed that match duration averaged 208.3?±?28.3?min. The overall serve speed was 177.0?±?10.2?km/h in the first set and 176.1?±?11.7?km/h in the fifth set (p?=?.34). The difference of all accuracy values of first set serves was not significantly different from those of the fifth set: percentage of valid first serves, 63.1?±?11.1% vs. 62.3?±?11.8%, respectively (p?=?.78); percentage of “aces”, 11.2?±?9.1% vs. 10.0?±?8.9%, respectively (p?=?.39); percentage of “winners”, 2.6?±?7.6% vs. 1.2?±?2.2%, respectively (p?=?.36); percentage of “double faults”, 2.8?±?3.0% vs. 2.8?±?3.4% (p?=?.97). In conclusion, tennis players were able to maintain constant serve speed and accuracy over five-set matches played on grass courts. Professional tennis players are capable of overcoming fatigue and/or make movement adjustments to effectively perform complex technical strokes like the serve throughout matches played on grass courts lasting more than 3?h in average.     

Performance,motivation, and enjoyment in young female basketball players: An interdisciplinary approach

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the variation in accumulated basketball training experience, body size, functional performance, deliberate practice motivation, achievement and competitiveness motivation and sources of enjoyment among young female basketball players, partitioning the potential variation by individuals´ biological characteristics (menarche status) and contextual characteristics (competitive age group and competitive level). We considered 114 adolescent female basketball players aged 14.3 (1.8) years. We used multilevel regression and poststratification estimations. The adolescent female basketball players selected for state-level had more accumulated experience, were taller and with better functional performance. Conditional on the data, youth female coaches tend to value (probably overvalue) size and function when selecting/promoting players, even at early age groups, likely contributing to an overrepresentation of early maturing girls in at early age groups. Players from club- and state-level were similarly highly motivated for deliberate practice and to achievement. Only for competitiveness, state-level players had higher values than club level players. The sources of enjoyment were influenced by context (competitive levels) for self-referenced competencies and others-referenced competencies. Structured programs of training and competition in youth female basketball provide a nurturing environment for the development of players´ engagement and commitment to training and excellence attainment.     

UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY: MODELS AND PERSPECTIVES

The author suggests that among the changes which will come in the wake of the reduction and the elimination of international boundaries in Europe will be an increase in the linkages among nationally peripheral higher education institutions which happen to be close together but on opposite sides of common international borders. Such linkages, which will no doubt profit from the parallel movement to increase the financial independence of higher education institutions vis‐!‐vis their national authorities, will probably also affect the centre‐periphery balance of power within given national higher education administrative authorities. These questions and others should quickly be made the objects of good comparative studies.