Does modifying competition affect the frequency of technical skills in junior rugby league?

The technical demands of games can be affected by changing the number of players, pitch size and rules. This controlled trial compared the frequency of technical skills between a 'traditional' and newly introduced systematically 'modified' game of primary rugby league. A total of 475 primary rugby league players (Under 7s - 9s) were filmed playing traditional (n=49) and modified (n= 249) formats. Notational analysis examined the frequency of technical skills (e.g., number of passes) within 'traditional' and 'modified' games. At each age category, multivariate analysis of variance indicated the clear superiority of the 'modified' game for the frequency of technical skills (e.g., Under 7s total skill opportunities - 'traditional' = 342.9±47.0; 'modified' = 449.4±93.3, d=1.44, p<0.001). Systematically modifying the competitive game is an effective way to increase skill opportunities for children within rugby league. Future research should examine the outcomes of modifying games in optimizing skill development in youth sport

Lead by example: should sport take a stand against brands of unhealthy consumption?

Previous literature has highlighted the link between unhealthy food and drink consumption with chronic illness such as obesity and diabetes.1 However, unhealthy food and drink sponsorship in sport is common. Unhealthy food and drink is promoted through sport to encourage the formation of favourable attitudes towards unhealthy consumption. Thus, the counterintuitive association that sport, a generally healthy pursuit, has with brands of unhealthy food and drink consumption is a particular concern

Against Modern Football: Mobilising Protest Movements in Social Media

Recent debates in sociology consider how Internet communications might catalyse leaderless, open-ended, affective social movements that broaden support and bypass traditional institutional channels to create change. We extend this work into the field of leisure and lifestyle politics with an empirical study of Internet-mediated protest movement, Stand Against Modern Football. We explain how social media facilitate communications that transcend longstanding rivalries, and engender shared affective frames that unite diverse groups against corporate logics. In examining grassroots organisation, communication and protest actions that span online and urban locations, we discover sustained interconnectedness with traditional social movements, political parties, the media and the corporate targets of protests. Finally, we suggest that Internet-based social movements establish stable forms of organisation and leadership at these networked intersections in order to advance instrumental programmes of change

Designing programmes of physical activity through sport: Learning from a widening participation intervention, 'City of Football'

Background: Implementation profoundly influences how well new audiences engage with sport-based physical activity programmes. Recognising that effective implementation relies on concurrently generating supportive contexts, systems and networks for the least engaged ‘target’ groups; this paper aims to address what underpins children’s (non) engagement with football-based physical activity. Methods: An observational research design, using a non-probability sample of N=594 primary and secondary schoolchildren assessed outcomes of a three-year ‘City of Football’ (CoF) programme. Pupils self-reported football participation, personal friendship networks and exposure to six concurrent sources of influence (SoI). A 2-step hierarchical cluster analysis and univariate analyses assessed between-cluster differences. Results: Girls played football least regularly (χ2 [4] = 86.722, p = 0.000). Overall, participation was significantly associated with personal networks engaged in football. Boys’ personal networks were more stable and structurally effective. Football participation was also positively and linearly association with SoI scores. Girls and pupils with no personal networks around football reported the lowest SoI scores. Three clusters emerged, dominated by social network influences. The Traditional Market (n=157, 27.7%) comprised 81.7% boys; they regularly played football, had the most effective network structure and scored highly across all six domains of SoI. The Sporadically Engaging Socialisers (n=190, 33.5%) comprised 52.9% girls who rarely played football, reported low SoI scores and an inferior network structure. In the Disconnected cluster (n=220, 38.8%), 59.3% were non-footballing girls who reported the lowest motivation and ability SoI scores; and no personal networks engaged in football. Conclusions: This study reveals new insights about the primacy of social network effects for engaging children in football-based physical activity programmes. With little or no attention to these social-oriented issues, such interventions will struggle to attract ‘target’ children, but will readily engage already well-connected, experienced football-playing boys. The challenge for drawing non-footballing children into football-based interventions lies with engaging children – especially girls - whose social networks are not football-focused, while they also find football neither personally motivating nor easy to do

Factors affecting the identification of talented junior-elite footballers: a case study

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine factors associated with the identification of talented junior-elite footballers. Three data collection methods were employed: (1) document analysis (4 documents), (2) overt observation (~105 h) and (3) 12 semi-structured one-to-one interviews with staff responsible for player recruitment (M = 70 min). Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach, which allowed flexibility and reflexivity throughout the data collection period. Two core themes concerning the identification of talented players at this academy emerged: "structural issues", which were further categorised as: (1) financial; (2) educational; (3) philosophical or cultural; (4) competition amongst clubs; and (5) hours in practice; and "Current performance and potential talent" which covered issues around growth, maturation and development and psycho-social attributes. The paper concludes by suggesting that clubs should be more proactive in understanding the structural issues that affect talent identification processes, and better educating and supporting staff responsible for recruitment activity

Athletic journal.

Vols. 9-12 include Proceedings of the 8th-11th annual meeting of the American Football Coaches Association and of the 3d-6th annual meeting of the National Association of Basketball Coaches of the United States.Mode of access: Internet.Vols. 1-4, 1921-24, in v. 4, no. 10.Available online through HathiTrust Emergency Access Service. Click the HathiTrust button on the right and log in to access this book onlin

Factors influencing soccer referee's intentions to quit the game

The number of football referees in England has declined significantly over recent years, posing a threat to the future of competitive soccer. This exploratory study investigates the factors which influence referee's intention to quit the game. Unstructured qualitative interviews (N = 12) were conducted with 3 past and 9 present referees. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using inductive content analysis. Three higher order dimensions emerged: Organizational factors (e.g. support, training and feedback on performance), Personal factors (e.g. psychological impact, intention to quit and personal benefits) and Match factors (e.g. psychological intimidation, physical intimidation and RESPECT protocol). Organizational factors were cited more than any others in relation to intention to quit and thus, ultimately, have the most impact on attrition. Ways in which the findings might inform efforts to retain referees are discussed. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis