The validity and reliability of the Basketball Jump Shooting Accuracy Test

The aim of this study was to examine the content validity, construct validity and reliability of the newly developed Basketball Jump Shooting Accuracy Test (BJSAT). Basketball athletes from different playing levels (State Basketball League [SBL], n = 30, age: 22.7 ± 6.1 yr; SBL Division I, n = 11, age: 20.6 ± 2.1 yr) completed four separate trials of the BJSAT with each trial consisting of shot attempts from two- and three-point distances at pre-determined court locations. Each shot attempt was scored utilising a criteria where higher scores were given when greater accuracy was exhibited. The BJSAT detected a significant, large difference in accuracy between two- and three-point shots (d = 0.99, p \u3c 0.01). Relative reliability across the repeated trials was rated as moderate for all athletes (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.71, p \u3c 0.01) and goodfor the SBL athletes (ICC = 0.78, p \u3c 0.01). Absolute reliability for all athletes was above the acceptable benchmark (coefficient of variation = 16.2%); however superior to skill tests available in the literature. In conclusion, the BJSAT is sensitive to two- and three-point shooting accuracy and can reliably assess jump shooting accuracy in basketball athletes

Inter-rater reliability and validity of the Australian football league’s kicking and handball tests

Talent identification tests used at the Australian Football League’s National Draft Combine assess the capacities of ath-letes to compete at a professional level. Tests created for the National Draft Combine are also commonly used for talent identification and athlete development in development path-ways. The skills tests created by the Australian Football League required players to either handball (striking the ball with the hand) or kick to a series of 6 randomly generated targets. Asses-sors subjectively rate each skill execution giving a 0-5 score for each disposal. This study aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and validity of the skills tests at an adolescent sub-elite level. Male Australian footballers were recruited from sub-elite adolescent teams (n = 121, age = 15.7 ± 0.3 years, height = 1.77 ± 0.07 m, mass = 69.17 ± 8.08 kg). The coaches (n = 7) of each team were also recruited. Inter-rater reliability was as-sessed using Inter-class correlations (ICC) and Limits of Agreement statistics. Both the kicking (ICC = 0.96, p \u3c .01) and handball tests (ICC = 0.89, p \u3c .01) demonstrated strong relia-bility and acceptable levels of absolute agreement. Content validity was determined by examining the test scores sensitivity to laterality and distance. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing coaches’ perceptions of skill to actual test outcomes. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) examined the main effect of laterality, with scores on the dominant hand (p = .04) and foot (p \u3c .01) significantly higher compared to the non-dominant side. Follow-up univariate analysis reported signifi-cant differences at every distance in the kicking test. A poor correlation was found between coaches’ perceptions of skill and testing outcomes. The results of this study demonstrate both skill tests demonstrate acceptable inter-rater reliable. Partial content validity was confirmed for the kicking test, however further research is required to confirm validity of the handball test

Operation of the Basketball Jump Shooting Accuracy Test: Intra- and inter-rater reliability of scoring procedures and floor and ceiling effects for test performance

The purpose of this study was to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability of scoring procedures used in the newly developed Basketball Jump Shooting Accuracy Test (BJSAT) and assess for floor and ceiling effects in test performance. Thirty-one semi-professional basketball athletes completed four trials of the BJSAT. The BJSAT contains one jump shot at eight different locations, equally distributed across two- and three-point shots. Intra-rater reliability was determined by assessing the level of agreement between scores live in-person and watching captured video by the same assessor. Inter-rater reliability was determined by examining the level of agreement between two assessors who separately scored the BJSAT while watching captured video. Descriptive statistics and Cohen’s kappa (κ) were calculated to quantify the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the BJSAT. Floor and ceiling effects in scoring outcomes were analyzed to evaluate the suitability of the BJSAT. Significance for the study was set at p \u3c0.05. Intra-rater reliability demonstrated an almost perfect (κ = 0.85, p \u3c0.01) agreement between scores (12.6 ± 2.5 vs. 13.1 ± 2.8). The agreement for inter-rater reliability was rated as substantial (12.3 ± 2.5 vs. 13.5 ± 2.9, κ = 0.70, p \u3c0.01). Floor and ceiling effects were absent in the BJSAT indicating the assessment is suitable for semi-professional basketball athletes. The BJSAT is an assessment where one or multiple assessors can reliably score shooting performance for functions including player monitoring, to assess the efficacy of interventions aimed at improving skills and to assist with team selection across the season

Inter-Rater Reliability and Validity of the Australian Football League’s Kicking and Handball Tests

Talent identification tests used at the Australian Football League’s National Draft Combine assess the capacities of athletes to compete at a professional level. Tests created for the National Draft Combine are also commonly used for talent identification and athlete development in development pathways. The skills tests created by the Australian Football League required players to either handball (striking the ball with the hand) or kick to a series of 6 randomly generated targets. Assessors subjectively rate each skill execution giving a 0-5 score for each disposal. This study aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and validity of the skills tests at an adolescent sub-elite level. Male Australian footballers were recruited from sub-elite adolescent teams (n = 121, age = 15.7 ± 0.3 years, height = 1.77 ± 0.07 m, mass = 69.17 ± 8.08 kg). The coaches (n = 7) of each team were also recruited. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using Inter-class correlations (ICC) and Limits of Agreement statistics. Both the kicking (ICC = 0.96, p < .01) and handball tests (ICC = 0.89, p < .01) demonstrated strong reliability and acceptable levels of absolute agreement. Content validity was determined by examining the test scores sensitivity to laterality and distance. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing coaches’ perceptions of skill to actual test outcomes. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) examined the main effect of laterality, with scores on the dominant hand (p = .04) and foot (p < .01) significantly higher compared to the non-dominant side. Follow-up univariate analysis reported significant differences at every distance in the kicking test. A poor correlation was found between coaches’ perceptions of skill and testing outcomes. The results of this study demonstrate both skill tests demonstrate acceptable inter-rater reliable. Partial content validity was confirmed for the kicking test, however further research is required to confirm validity of the handball test

Biological maturity and the anthropometric, physical and technical assessment of talent identified U16 Australian footballers

This study compared biological maturation, anthropometric, physical and technical skill measures between talent and non-talent identified junior Australian footballers. Players were recruited from the under 16 Western Australian Football League and classified as talent (state representation; n = 25, 15.7 ± 0.3 y) or non-talent identified (non-state representation; n = 25, 15.6 ± 0.4 y). Players completed a battery of anthropometric, physical and technical skill assessments. Maturity was estimated using years from peak height velocity calculations. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the variables demonstrating the strongest association with the main effect of ‘status’. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess the level of discrimination provided by the strongest model. Talent identified under 16 players were biologically older, had greater stationary and dynamic leaps and superior handball skill when compared to their non-talent identified counterparts. The strongest model of status included standing height, non-dominant dynamic vertical jump and handball outcomes (AUC = 83.4%, CI = 72.1%–95.1%). Biological maturation influences anthropometric and physical capacities that are advantageous for performance in Australian football; talent identification methods should factor biological maturation as a confound in the search for junior players who are most likely to succeed in senior competition

Henkilöstötutkimus osana tavoitteellista henkilöstöjohtamista : case: Yritys X

Tämä opinnäytetyö käsittelee aihetta henkilöstötutkimus osana tavoitteellista henkilöstöjohtamista. Työn keskeisenä tavoitteena oli selvittää mitä henkilöstöjohtaminen on ja vaikuttaako henkilöstöjohtaminen työntekijöiden työmotivaatioon. Opinnäytetyön teoriaosuus koostuu kahdesta pääluvusta. Ensimmäisessä pääluvussa käsitellään henkilöstöjohtamista. Toinen pääluku keskittyy pääosin henkilöstöjohtamisen mittaamiseen. Tutkimusosuuden tavoitteena oli selvittää, miten yritykset hyödyntävät henkilöstötutkimuksia. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, kuinka henkilöstöjohtamista voidaan mitata ja miten henkilöstötutkimuksen mittareita hyödynnetään johtamisen tukena. Tutkimus toteutettiin kvalitatiivisena eli laadullisena tutkimuksena. Tutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin teemahaastatteluina yrityksen henkilöstöjohdolta. Teemahaastattelun avulla selvitettiin miten yrityksessä hyödynnetään henkilöstötutkimuksia ja tehdään kehittämistoimenpiteitä henkilöstötutkimuksen pohjalta. Tutkimustulokset analysoitiin teemoittelua hyödyntäen. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan todeta, että johtaminen on yrityksissä tänä päivänä entistä tärkeämpää, mutta myös vaikeampaa. Yrityksen henkilöstöjohtaminen on ensisijaisesti johdon vastuulla. Henkilöstötutkimus toimii johtamisen työvälineenä ja yritykset saavat henkilöstötutkimuksesta konkreettista hyötyä. Henkilöstötutkimuksella hankitaan, analysoidaan ja raportoidaan tietoa henkilöstöltä. Henkilöstötutkimusta käytetään strategisen johtamisen välineenä ja sen antamat tulokset tukevat henkilöstön kehittämisprosesseja.This thesis deals with personnel surveys as part of goal directed human resources management. The primary goal of this study is to understand what human resource management is and find out if daily leadership practices affects motivation. The theoretical background of the thesis has been devided into two main chapters. The first chapter is about human resource management. The second chapter is about personnel surveys in human resource management. The aim of study was to clarify how companies exploit personnel surveys. The goal was to acquire information how human resource management is measurable and how human resource-metrics are used to support leadership at companies. The approach to the study was qualitative. The empiric information was gathered through thematic interwievs from the case company´s management. The theme interwiev clarified how the company uses personnel surveys. Also it was clarified how the company creates development projects based on personnel surveys. The study results were analysed using themes. Based on results of this study, it seems that leadership is today more important than ever, but also more difficult. The manager is primary responsible for everyday leadership issues. The companies have had concrete advantage from personnel surveys. Personnel surveys are used to acquire, analyze and report information from employees. The personnel surveys are used as a tool in human resource management and human resource development

Pathway efficiency and relative age in the Australian Football League talent pathway

Sporting bodies invest substantial resources into the identification and development of talented junior athletes. However, low retention of junior athletes into senior competition has been reported. One mechanism affecting retention may be selections biased by relative age. This study examined the pathway involvement and birth distribution of athletes (n=2519) selected into the Australian Football League Talent Pathway, over six seasons. Only half of athletes selected into professional teams had any involvement in the talent pathway. Birth distributions at every pathway stage werebiased towards relatively older athletes, with relatively older athletes more likely to be de-selected as the pathway progressed. Results from this study found a elationship between poor efficiency of the development pathway and relative age effects. Prospective analyses are required to establish mechanisms of pathway inefficiencies in order to improve return on investment made into developing the professional athletes of the future

Role of lactic acidosis as a mediator of sprint-mediated nausea

This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between nausea level and lactic acidosis during recovery from sprinting. In all, 13 recreationally active males completed a 60 s bout of maximal intensity cycling. Prior to and for 45 min following exercise, blood pH, pCO2, and lactate levels were measured together with nausea. In response to sprinting, nausea, lactate, and H+ concentrations increased and remained elevated for at least 10 min (p \u3c .001), whereas pCO2 increased only transiently (p \u3c .001) before falling below pre-exercise levels (p \u3c .001), with all these variables returning toward pre-exercise levels during recovery. Both measures of nausea adopted for analyses (nausea profile, NP; visual analogue scale, VAS), demonstrated significant repeated measures correlation (rmcorr) post-exercise between nausea and plasma lactate (VAS and NPrrm\u3e 0.595, p \u3c .0001) and H+ concentrations (VAS and NPrrm\u3e 0.689, p \u3c .0001), but an inconsistent relationship with pCO2 (VAS rrm = 0.250, p = .040; NP rrm = 0.144, p = .248) and bicarbonate levels (VAS rrm = −0.252, p = .095; NP rrm = −0.397, p = .008). Linear mixed modeling was used to predict the trajectory of nausea over time, with both lactate and H+ concentrations found to be key predictors of nausea (p \u3c .0001). In conclusion, this study reveals a strong positive relationship between nausea and both H+ and lactate concentrations during recovery from sprinting, a finding consistent with H+ and lactate being potential mediators of nausea post-sprinting. However, as the timing of the recovery of both H+ and lactate was delayed, compared to that of nausea, further research is required to confirm these findings and investigate other potential mechanisms