From Pre-Elite to Elite: The Pathway Travelled by Adolescent Golfers

This study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of eight high performing adolescent golfers who had all successfully travelled the path from novice to elite level status. By means of semi-structured qualitative interviews, participants answered questions centred on four key areas which explored their journey from preelite to elite adolescent status: initial involvement and continued participation in golf, the meaning of golf, golf environment and social support. Two super-ordinate themes emerged from participants accounts: Early Pre-elite Sporting Experiences and Strategic Approaches to Develop Adolescent Golfing Excellence. The study provides key insights into individual, social and environmental factors that enabled pre-elite adolescent golfers to make a successful transition to the elite pathway, and highlights plausible factors that may make a difference whether an athlete becomes elite or not. The findings will help coaches, policy makers and sport psychologists more effectively support emerging talent in golf

Online learning in higher education in the UK: Exploring the experiences of sports students and staff

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the majority of higher education programs were delivered online and programs involving practical sessions were unable to deliver these activities on campus. This study explores the perspectives of students and staff from the sport department at a United Kingdom (UK) university. Undergraduate students (N = 21) and members of staff (N = 10) who taught on the same programs took part in online focus groups and one-to-one semi-structured interviews respectively. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the qualitative data. These themes are discussed in the context of pedagogical research and future practical recommendations