To Travel or to Compete: Motivations of Masters Swimmers

The underlying motivations behind participating in a sports event such as a swim meet are complex and varied especially for adult participants. These motivations may be related to the thrill of competition or excitement at traveling to a new pool or aquatic facility. Investigations of motivations behind participation can enable meet directors and aquatic facility managers to create more memorable experiences that boost participation and encourage repeat visitors who produce social and economic benefits for the aquatic facility and event. We measured motivations of Masters swimmers using the Participant Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ) modified for swimmers and the Travel Career Ladder (TCL) at the 2006 US Masters Swimming Short Course Championships. Descriptive and multivariate statistics revealed that Masters swimmers participated primarily for competitive reasons with travel only as a secondary motivator. Participating to be with other members of their team was revealed as another important motivation

A Competency Analysis of Waterpark Aquatic Professionals

The purpose of this study was to further the knowledge base in the aquatics field and assist in the development of universal standards to ensure that competent managers are employed at waterpark type venues. Until recently, thanks in part to the establishment of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC 2014), universal standards did not exist in aquatics. The development of standards in the field will help to ensure continuity in policies among all facility types, properly trained professionals, and ultimately safer environments for participants. Using a pair of five-point Likert scales to sample 600 aquatic professionals, this study sought to discover what key competencies were needed by waterpark professionals and which competencies needed further development specifically for waterpark professionals. Extrapolated from the results, we observed risk management was crucial to operations of waterparks and that programming was an area to examine further

To Travel or to Compete? Motivations of Masters Swimmers

The underlying motivations behind participating in sports event such as a swim meet are complex and varied especially for adult participants. These motivations may be related to the thrill of the competition, or the excitement of traveling to a new pool or aquatic facility. Investigation of motivations behind participation can enable aquatic facility managers to create memorable experiences that boost participation and encourage repeat visitors that have social and economic benefits for the aquatic facility and event. We motivations of Masters swimmers using the Participant Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ) modified for swimmers and the Travel Career Ladder (TCL) at the 2006 USMS Short Course Championships. Descriptive and multivariate statistics revealed that Masters swimmers participated primarily for competitive reasons with travel only as a secondary motivator. Participating to be with other members of their team was revealed as another important motivation

Indoor Waterpark: An Examination of Physical Activity Levels and Use Patterns of Youth Participants

This study examined patterns and levels of physical activity of youth participants at an indoor waterpark in rural southern Indiana. The System for Observing Play and Recreation (SOPARC) was the instrument used to guide data collection for the study to determine youth physical activity postures coded as sedentary, walking, or vigorous. Subjects consisted of youths, ages 4 to18, who attended the park during the period of data collection. Results converged into seven main target areas representing data for age groupings, gender and physical activity postures. Frequencies were calculated for variables involving counts and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). A series of one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed using total metabolic equivalents (METs). Physical activity in the waterpark was shown to have the capability to produce moderate and vigorous levels of physical activity overall and to also generate a variety of differences among individuals and activity areas at the facility

A Reasoned Action Approach Assessment of Instructional Youth Swim Safety Messaging

Youth drowning remains a primary cause of injury and death in the United States, particularly within demographic disparities involving: (a) sex, (b) ethnicity, (c) socioeconomic status, and (d) geographic location. Research has examined knowledge acquisition for injury prevention, but little has been done to understand impact on future behavior. This study examined a learn-to-swim and water safety education program using the Reasoned Action Approach to predict future behavior in/around the water. Youth participants ages 5 to 11 at summer camp programs completed a 55-question survey designed to test 7 competencies through the lens of attitudes, intentions, perceived norms, and self-efficacy. Results indicated that several safety messages are not predicted to produce the desired behavior. These include actions related to concepts such as “rescue” and “calling for help”. Information derived from this study calls for researchers and practitioners to examine water safety programs for efficacy as an injury prevention tool

To Travel or to Compete: Motivations of Masters Swimmers

The underlying motivations behind participating in a sports event such as a swim meet are complex and varied especially for adult participants. These motivations may be related to the thrill of competition or excitement at traveling to a new pool or aquatic facility. Investigations of motivations behind participation can enable meet directors and aquatic facility managers to create more memorable experiences that boost participation and encourage repeat visitors who produce social and economic benefits for the aquatic facility and event. We measured motivations of Masters swimmers using the Participant Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ) modified for swimmers and the Travel Career Ladder (TCL) at the 2006 US Masters Swimming Short Course Championships. Descriptive and multivariate statistics revealed that Masters swimmers participated primarily for competitive reasons with travel only as a secondary motivator. Participating to be with other members of their team was revealed as another important motivation

LGBTQ Training for Aquatic Employees: Impact on Attitudes and Professional Competencies

This study examined the impact of a LGBTQ diversity training on the attitudes and professional competencies of aquatic employees within a campus recreational sports setting. While diversity training is often discussed as a key component of inclusive aquatic programming, little empirical research examining the outcomes associated with such trainings exists. As such, members of the research team developed, implemented, and evaluated a four-month long training program consisting of one in-person training session and monthly inclusion handouts discussing issues related to the inclusion of LGBTQ participants. A comparative quantitative research design was used to measure employee’s attitudes towards the LGBTQ population and inclusive-recreational sports aquatic professional competencies for both individuals who underwent the training and a control group of employees who did not participate in the training. Results indicate initial support for this training initiative with those who attended the training scoring higher on average in both attitudinal and competency-based measures

Prevalence of Inadequate Hydration Levels in Aquatic Safety Personnel: A Pilot Study

Lifeguards play an important role in the security and safety of those they are hired to protect. A performance issue may arise if they succumb to circumstances that cause them to become physically or psychologically compromised. Dehydration is one issue that can result in decreased levels of workplace performance and pose personal health risks. Certified lifeguards 15 years old and older were tested for urine specific gravity (USG) to determine their place within the dehydration spectrum. Participants (N = 55) were recruited from seven test sites offering a variety of designs (indoor/outdoor, traditional/waterpark) and classifications (private, semipublic, public). Testing involved the collection of a urine specimen from participants and immediate recording of specific gravity using a reagent test strip by researchers. A brief survey to collect demographic information from subjects was also administered. The majority of participants were found to reside along the dehydration spectrum (USG ≥ 1.015), several showing results toward the severe end of the scale. The sample provided adequate demographic variability among males and females and facility classification types. No statistically significant differences were found between the demographic variables and USG scores of subjects. Since the majority of lifeguards in the sample showed some level of dehydration, this indicated a need for more information concerning lifeguards and dehydration. Despite the lack of statistically significant differences among the demographic factors within this sample, future studies should incorporate other behavioral factors and dehydration testing methods to investigate the mechanisms for preventing dehydration as well as its impact on lifeguarding performance

A Cause to Action: Learning to Develop a Culturally Responsive/Relevant Approach to 21st Century Water Safety Messaging through Collaborative Partnerships

Globally, and in the United States, drowning is considered a “neglected public health threat” (WHO, 2014b). Reports have shown that there are groups of people in certain communities who are at greater risk. African Americans, as a group, have a drowning death rate 9% higher than that of the overall population, with the greatest disparity being among African American youth (Gilchrist & Parker, 2014). While many national programs and organizations present water safety awareness and drowning prevention efforts within communities, very few offer multi-sectorial collaborative efforts (WHO, 2017a) among culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) aquatic stakeholders designed to empower, promote, and support water safety awareness in communities. Inspired by evidence-based research, derived from a national water safety and drowning prevention campaign, the purpose of this article is to answer a call to action by the World Health Organization (2017a) to approach water safety education through a social justice lens to inform programming and collaborative partnerships