Physical development, and progression to professional soccer, of elite child and adolescent academy players

The research described within this thesis was undertaken to investigate the physical development, and progression to professional soccer, of elite child and adolescent academy players. Firstly, a detailed understanding of professional practitioners perceptions of physical performance in soccer was developed. Secondly, a valid and reliable battery of physical field tests was established to examine the physical performance characteristics of elite child and adolescent soccer players. Finally, this battery of physical performance tests was administered to elite child and adolescent players in English professional soccer academies over a three year period. Coaches (n=170), fitness professionals (n=172) and players (n=101) perceptions of physical performance in soccer were assessed by means of a questionnaire. Speed was considered the principle physical attribute by coaches, with 80.5% deeming it as very important . Most coaches (88.8%), fitness professionals (93.0%) and players (89.1%) believed the relative importance of each physical attribute differed according to playing position. A players physical attributes were regarded by coaches as important (44.1%) and very important (41.8%) in the process of offering professional playing contracts. Most coaches (71.2%), fitness professionals (68.6%) and players (65.3%) thought international players physical attributes were different to club players. Nearly all coaches (93.5%), fitness professionals (86.6%) and players (83.2%) believed the physical attributes of players had become more important in the modern day game. It was widely considered by coaches (73.5%), fitness professionals (52.9%) and players (74.3%) that players from certain ethnic groups were naturally more physically able. Logical validity of physical performance testing was demonstrated by the majority of coaches (97.0%), fitness professionals (93.5%) and players (83.1%) considering testing to be an important aspect of preparation in soccer. Construct validity of vertical jump (RJ; CMJ; CMJA), sprint (10 m and 20 m) and agility tests was shown by their ability to distinguish between different age groups (p<0.01) and ability groups (p<0.05) of players. Absolute reliability of the physical performance tests was established with repeatability on the vertical jump tests ranging from 3.2 cm to 3.5 cm for the RJ and CMJA, respectively, whilst repeatability on the sprint tests ranged from 0.07 s to 0.24 s on the 10 m sprint and agility test, respectively. ICC and PCC values to assess the relative reliability of the physical performance tests were all high (>0.90) ranging from 0.96 for the agility test to 0.99 for the 20 m sprint

Online resources for technical communication in writing across the curriculum at technological universities - a case study

Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) initiatives have begun to embrace multiple resources to aid in the evolution of writing and technology. WAC initiatives enhance the teaching of writing across the disciplines by incorporating the writing instruction directly into the discipline courses, in addition to providing guidance designed to complement the instruction provided in the technical classroom. This thesis will explore the WAC initiative, discuss why this initiative is important, and examine case studies of successful implementations in technological universities

Gravitomagnetic Resonance Shift due to a Slowly Rotating Compact Star

The effect of a slowly rotating mass on a forced harmonic oscillator with two degrees of freedom is studied in the weak field approximation. It is found that according to the general theory of relativity there is a shift in the resonat frequency of the oscillator which depends on the density and rotational frequency of the gravitational source. The proposed shift is quite small under normal physical situations however it is estimated that for compact x-ray sources such as white dwarfs, pulsars, and neutron stars the shift is quite appreciable.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for Publication in Inter. Journal of Modern Physics

Evidence-based practice: A matrix for predicting phonological generalization

This paper describes a matrix for clinical use in the selection of phonological treatment targets to induce generalization, and in the identification of probe sounds to monitor during the course of intervention. The matrix appeals to a set of factors that have been shown to promote phonological generalization in the research literature, including the nature of error patterns, implicational universals, developmental norms, and stimulability. A case study of a child with a phonological disorder is presented to illustrate how the matrix may be utilized in evidence-based practice. The matrix serves as a demonstration of how the translation of research to practice may be accomplished.National Institutes of Health DC00433, RR7031K, DC00076, DC001694 (PI: Gierut)This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics on April-May 2010, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.3109/02699200903532490