Physical, Physiological and Perceptual Match Demands of Amateur Mixed Gender Touch Players

The purpose of this study was to provide a position specific (middle, link [male], link [female], wing) analysis of mixed gender touch on the physical physiological and perceptual demands of amateur players during match-play across a season. Distance and speed measures were obtained through the use of 10-Hz global positioning system devices, whilst telemetric heart rate devices were used determine a range of physiological measures. Players also provided a rating of perceived exertion following each match. The greatest physical demand was associated with the middle playing position by comparison to all others (Distance travelled ≥5.00 m.s-1 effect size [ES]: 0.01-0.13; average distance ≥5.00 m.s-1 ES: 0.11-0.38). Those playing as a middle also displayed a greater physiological (Mean heart rate ES: 0.05-0.13) and perceptual demand (rating of perceived exertion ES: 0.01-0.04). However, most measures reported only a trivial effect between each playing position. The findings provide an insight into the differing demands associated with the different playing positions within mixed gender touch which practitioners can use to provide more position-specific conditioning programs

Kinematics of the typical beach flags start for young adult sprinters

This study profiled beach flags start kinematics for experienced young adult sprinters. Five males and three females (age = 20.8 ± 2.1 years; height = 1.70 ± 0.06 meters [m]; mass = 63.9 ± 6.0 kilograms) completed four sprints using their competition start technique. A high-speed camera, positioned laterally, filmed the start. Data included: start time; hand clearance time; posterior movement from the start line; feet spacing during the start; elbow, hip, knee, trunk lean, and trajectory angles at take-off; and first step length. Timing gates recorded 0-2, 0-5, and 0-20 m time. Spearman's correlations identified variables relating (p < 0.05) to faster start and sprint times. The beach flags start involved sprinters moving 0.18 ± 0.05 m posterior to the start line by flexing both legs underneath the body before turning. Following the turn, the feet were positioned 0.47 ± 0.07 apart. This distance negatively correlated with start (ρ = -0.647), 0-2 (ρ = -0.683), and 0-5 m (ρ = -0.766) time. Beach flags start kinematics at take-off resembled research analyzing track starts and acceleration. The elbow extension angle (137.62 ± 13.45°) of the opposite arm to the drive leg correlated with 0-2 (ρ = -0.762), 0-5 (ρ = -0.810), and 0-20 m (ρ = -0.810) time. Greater arm extension likely assisted with stability during the start, leading to enhanced sprint performance. The drive leg knee extension angle (146.36 ± 2.26°) correlated with start time (ρ = -0.677), indicating a contribution to a faster start completion. A longer first step following the start related to faster 0-5 m time (ρ = -0.690). Sprinters quicker over 0-2 and 0-5 m were also quicker over 20 m (ρ = 0.881-0.952). Beach flags sprinters must ensure their start is completed quickly, such that they can attain a high speed throughout the race

A Review of the Internal and External Physiological Demands Associated With Batting in Cricket

Cricket is a popular international team sport with various game formats ranging from long-duration multiday tests to short-duration Twenty20 game play. The role of batsmen is critical to all game formats, with differing physiological demands imposed during each format. Investigation of the physiological demands imposed during cricket batting has historically been neglected, with much of the research focusing on bowling responses and batting technique. A greater understanding of the physiological demands of the batting role in cricket is required to assist strength and conditioning professionals and coaches with the design of training plans, recovery protocols, and player-management strategies. This brief review provides an updated synthesis of the literature examining the internal (eg, metabolic demands and heart rate) and external (eg, activity work rates) physiological responses to batting in the various game formats, as well as simulated play and small-sided-games training. Although few studies have been done in this area, the summary of data provides important insight regarding physiological responses to batting and highlights that more research on this topic is required. Future research is recommended to combine internal and external measures during actual game play, as well as comparing different game formats and playing levels. In addition, understanding the relationship between batting technique and physiological responses is warranted to gain a more holistic understanding of batting in cricket, as well as to develop appropriate coaching and training strategies

Examining the Relationships Between Coaching Practice and Athlete “Outcomes”: A Systematic Review and Critical Realist Critique

A widely accepted role of the sport coach is to elicit positive athlete ‘outcomes’ (e.g., enhanced performance, wellbeing, confidence etc.). However, evidence concerning the relationships between coaching practice and athlete outcomes is fragmented leaving researchers and practitioners little clarity to inform their work. Through a systematic search protocol and critique conducted through the lens of critical realism, this paper provides an overview of 208 English language peer-reviewed studies investigating relationships between coaching practice and athlete outcomes, and how current approaches may facilitate or hinder our understanding. Findings indicate research has predominantly utilised quantitative, cross-sectional or correlational approaches, with limited explicit consideration of paradigmatic influences. Discourse is dominated by psychological theorising (e.g., motivation), with studies generally employing single-method research designs and engaging a singular perspective (e.g., the athlete). Thus, we have a broad understanding of some coaching practice variables that may influence athlete outcomes (i.e., the what), but lack more interpretive and causal explanations of how and why practice is influential, accounting for the inherently complex and multi-faceted nature of the coaching process. Future research directions are proposed, which it is hoped will extend our understanding of the often intricate, heterogeneous influence of coaching practice, supporting coach educators and coaches

‘You don't need a degree to get a coaching job’:investigating the employability of sports coaching degree students

Though highly popular, degree-level sports coaching qualifications are in their infancy, and it remains that ‘an individual intending to become an accredited coaching practitioner can only do so by undertaking their sport's national governing body (NGB) coaching award(s)’ [Nelson et al., 2006, p. 254. Formal, nonformal and informal coach learning: A holistic conceptualisation. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 1(3), 247–259]. Consequently, little is known about the development of HE sports coaching students’ employability. This study critically investigates sports coaching students’ degree-study motives, development of employability skills and perceptions of career prospects as graduates. Survey data and follow-up interviews from two U.K. post-92 universities reveal tensions between liberal and vocational philosophies of university education and concerns about the graduate labour market. Critical incidents and missed opportunities in students’ development of key skills for coaching during and outside of university are also discussed

What actually happens during a practice session? A coach’s perspective on developing and delivering practice

Despite the considerable role coaches play in the development and performance of athletes, the manner in which (i.e. how and why) they develop and implement their practice sessions is mostly unknown. The disconnect between practice and match environments within the sport of cricket makes it challenging for coaches to provide practice environments that encourage player development, are engaging, and allow for transferability. This study looked to gain insight, from the perspective of the coach, into the type of practice environments and activities that cricket coaches use and why. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten cricket coaches followed by thematic analysis to interpret the data. Cricket coaches used a mixture of Training and Playing Form activities, with net-based activities the most common. Regardless of the type of practice, the use of various specialised equipment was also prevalent. Developing game awareness and technical skill were the main practice objectives noted by coaches. Various external and internal factors were also suggested to impact on the development and implementation of practice environments. Findings provide novel insights into how and why coaches operationalise their practice (design) in ways which are perhaps incongruent with recommendations in current literature

Data-informed Open Education Advocacy: A New Approach to Saving Students Money and Backaches

The North Carolina State University Libraries has long recognized the financial burden textbook costs place on students. By crosswalking information on use of our textbook collection with textbook cost and course enrollment data, we have begun to map the environment for textbook use at the university and identified opportunities for faculty outreach in promoting alternatives to traditional textbooks, including our Alt-Textbook program. This article describes our programs, our investigation of textbook use patterns, and how we are using these data to inform our practice

Foreign Capital Inflow, Skilled-Unskilled Wage Inequality and Unemployment of Unskilled Labour in a Fair Wage Model

This paper has developed a three-sector general equilibrium framework that explains unemployment of both skilled and unskilled labour. Unemployment of unskilled labour is of the Harris-Todaro (1970) type while unemployment of skilled labour is caused due to the validity of the FWH in the high-skill sector. There are two types of capital one of which is specific to the primary export sector while the other moves freely among the different sectors. Inflows of foreign capital of either type unambiguously improve the economic conditions of the unskilled working class. However, the effects on the skilled-unskilled wage inequality and the extent of unemployment of both types of labour crucially hinge on the properties implied by the efficiency function of the skilled workers

Coaching in the shadows: Critically examining the unintended (non)influence of pedagogical practice

Background Influence is at the very core of physical education and sport pedagogy. Indeed, a large and growing body of work has focused on the (inter)actions of sport pedagogues which are deemed to be influential in terms of shaping the thoughts, feelings and actions of others. In comparison, little attention has been paid to the practices of sport pedagogues that are noninfluential or unintentionally influential. That is, when pedagogues or learners choose not to do something, how they are not influenced/influential, or when practice (unintentionally) influences those who were (or were not) the original target. Paying greater attention to these issues holds strong potential to develop more critical and ethical understandings of influence that can inform the education and development of sport pedagogues. Aims The aims of this study are two-fold. Firstly, we seek to break new ground by providing novel insights into how, when, why, for whom, and under which circumstances pedagogical (inter)action is not influential, and where (inter)actions have had an unintended influence. Secondly, and relatedly, we seek to advance and illustrate methodological perspectives capable of critically understanding this topic. Data collection Data were generated using a bricolage of methods (i.e. participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and stimulated recall interviews) as part of a critical realist ethnography with one representative-level junior cricket squad in the UK. Data were subject to emic and etic readings in response to the aims of the study. In total, 182 h of observational data and 46 h of interview data were generated and analysed using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT). Here, the primary sense making devices were provided by Jones and Wallace’s (2005) theorising of orchestration, Elder-Vass’ (2010) causal power of social structures, and Mason’s (2002) concept of noticing. Analysis and discussion A small number of richly detailed and critical coaching (inter)actions are presented to illustrate the emergent meaning-making of different tacticians and targets of (non)influence. Specifically, the analysis introduces incidents that are illustrative of three novel types of (non)influence. The examples all highlight pathos between the coaches’ original intentions for (and reading of) influence, and the actual influence of practice for the athlete(s). Here, the discussion provides accounts of (a) noninfluence on targeted individuals, (b) unintended influence on non-targeted individuals, and (c) unintended influence on targeted individuals. Conclusion Overall, this paper contributes to a growing body of critical pedagogical research, positioning the work of influence less obtrusively. It provides a novel methodological, theoretical, and empirical contribution which practitioners, educators, researchers, and other stakeholders can engage with to critically consider how, when, why, for whom, and under which circumstances (inter)actions are (likely to be) influential or not. Further work could examine what pedagogues and learners decide to do and not do, as well as what they notice and do not notice as a basis to develop more critical and ethical practices

Physical, Physiological and Perceptual Match Demands of Amateur Mixed Gender Touch Players

The purpose of this study was to provide a position specific (middle, link [male], link [female], wing) analysis of mixed gender touch on the physical physiological and perceptual demands of amateur players during match-play across a season. Distance and speed measures were obtained through the use of 10-Hz global positioning system devices, whilst telemetric heart rate devices were used determine a range of physiological measures. Players also provided a rating of perceived exertion following each match. The greatest physical demand was associated with the middle playing position by comparison to all others (Distance travelled ≥5.00 m·s-1 effect size [ES]: 0.01-0.13; average distance ≥5.00 m·s-1 ES: 0.11-0.38). Those playing as a middle also displayed a greater physiological (Mean heart rate ES: 0.05-0.13) and perceptual demand (rating of perceived exertion ES: 0.01-0.04). However, most measures reported only a trivial effect between each playing position. The findings provide an insight into the differing demands associated with the different playing positions within mixed gender touch which practitioners can use to provide more position-specific conditioning programs