Transformational leadership: a qualitative analysis of effective leadership in women's soccer in England

This study examined perceptions of effective leadership in elite women’s soccer by team captains. Data were collected from a range of perspectives in four elite female soccer teams in England. For each of the four teams, data were collected from 6 participants (total N = 24 players). For each of the four teams, interviews were conducted with the captain and the coach as well as a focus group with 4 players regarding their perceptions of the captain’s leadership. Data were firstly deductively categorised under the four key areas of transformational leadership: idealised influence, inspirational motivation, individualised consideration and intellectual stimulation. An inductive analysis of the relevant data which did not fit into these themes revealed the importance of captains building bridges through helping to navigate the gender gap as well as to facilitate effective relationships with and between players. The implications of these findings are discussed

Initial evidence for the criterion-related and structural validity of the long versions of the direct and meta-perspectives of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2010 Taylor & Francis.The aim of the present study was to develop and initially validate a longer version of the direct (Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004) and meta-perspectives (Jowett, 2009a, 2009b) of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q). In Study 1, instruments (e.g. questionnaires, scales, and inventories) that have been used to assess relationship quality in the broader psychological literature were examined and items potentially relevant to the coach-athlete relationship were identified. The content validity of the identified items was then assessed using expert panels. A final questionnaire was subsequently prepared and administered to 693 participants (310 coaches and 383 athletes). Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess the multidimensional nature of the questionnaire based on the 3Cs (i.e. closeness, commitment, and complementarity) model of the coach-athlete relationship. The findings indicated that the direct and meta-perspective items of the long versions of the CART-Q approached an adequate data fit. Moreover, evidence for the internal consistency and criterion validity of the new instruments was also obtained. In Study 2, the newly developed measure was administered to an independent sample of 251 individuals (145 athletes and 106 coaches). Further statistical support was gained for the factorial validity and reliability of the longer version of the CART-Q

Epigenetics and developmental programming of welfare and production traits in farm animals

The concept that postnatal health and development can be influenced by events that occur in utero originated from epidemiological studies in humans supported by numerous mechanistic (including epigenetic) studies in a variety of model species. Referred to as the ‘developmental origins of health and disease’ or ‘DOHaD’ hypothesis, the primary focus of large-animal studies until quite recently had been biomedical. Attention has since turned towards traits of commercial importance in farm animals. Herein we review the evidence that prenatal risk factors, including suboptimal parental nutrition, gestational stress, exposure to environmental chemicals and advanced breeding technologies, can determine traits such as postnatal growth, feed efficiency, milk yield, carcass composition, animal welfare and reproductive potential. We consider the role of epigenetic and cytoplasmic mechanisms of inheritance, and discuss implications for livestock production and future research endeavours. We conclude that although the concept is proven for several traits, issues relating to effect size, and hence commercial importance, remain. Studies have also invariably been conducted under controlled experimental conditions, frequently assessing single risk factors, thereby limiting their translational value for livestock production. We propose concerted international research efforts that consider multiple, concurrent stressors to better represent effects of contemporary animal production systems

Tracking Progress towards the International Safeguards for Children in Sport

In 2018, a review was conducted to explore sporting organisations’ use of global safeguarding policies. Due to an increase in the number of organisations now adopting these policies, it is thought that an up-to-date review should be conducted to reinstate what is known. As such, this study aims to assess the current state of sporting organisations on the adoption and implementation of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport. Global organisations were contacted to take part in an online questionnaire which explored their use of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport and adopted a novel use for the activation states theory. Results indicated an international, multi-sector use of the International Safeguards as well as supported the relevancy of these Safeguards. There was some stabilisation in activation states since the last review whilst others have progressed from reactive to active. Similarly, thematic analysis highlighted multiple key indicators important in creating a broader impact through safeguarding, such as an increase in disclosures. Furthermore, the results appear to support the newly developed Safeguarding Culture in Sport model. Overall, this research appears to demonstrate an improvement in organisations’ engagement with safeguarding but also highlights areas where this can be further improved

Building a system to safeguard children in sport : the eight CHILDREN pillars

In October 2014, the International Safeguards for Children in Sport were launched. These Safeguards were developed, implemented, and evaluated based on a pilot process which took place over the preceding 2 years. Throughout this piloting phase, a range of qualitative techniques were employed to capture the experiences of people within 32 of the organizations that were working toward the International Safeguards. The participant organizations varied based on their geographical focus (e.g., local, national, and international) as well as their mission (e.g., participation, competition, and sport for development). Based on a thematic analysis, eight key pillars were identified on which systems which safeguard children can be built. These are known as the CHILDREN pillars: Cultural sensitivity, Holistic, Incentives, Leadership, Dynamic, Resources, Engagement, and Networks. Illustrative examples are provided and the future directions of this project will be discussed

The Hsk1(Cdc7) Replication Kinase Regulates Origin Efficiency

Origins of DNA replication are generally inefficient, with most firing in fewer than half of cell cycles. However, neither the mechanism nor the importance of the regulation of origin efficiency is clear. In fission yeast, origin firing is stochastic, leading us to hypothesize that origin inefficiency and stochasticity are the result of a diffusible, rate-limiting activator. We show that the Hsk1-Dfp1 replication kinase (the fission yeast Cdc7-Dbf4 homologue) plays such a role. Increasing or decreasing Hsk1-Dfp1 levels correspondingly increases or decreases origin efficiency. Furthermore, tethering Hsk1-Dfp1 near an origin increases the efficiency of that origin, suggesting that the effective local concentration of Hsk1-Dfp1 regulates origin firing. Using photobleaching, we show that Hsk1-Dfp1 is freely diffusible in the nucleus. These results support a model in which the accessibility of replication origins to Hsk1-Dfp1 regulates origin efficiency and provides a potential mechanistic link between chromatin structure and replication timing. By manipulating Hsk1-Dfp1 levels, we show that increasing or decreasing origin firing rates leads to an increase in genomic instability, demonstrating the biological importance of appropriate origin efficiency