Education Commons^™

Attitudes And Self-Efficacy Of Swimming Coaches Towards The Inclusion Of Swimmers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Eleftheria Kasagianni, Dimitrios Kokaridas, Panagiotis Varsamis, Vasilis Tsimaras

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes and self-efficacy of swimming coaches regarding the inclusion of swimmers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The sample consisted of 150 Greek swimming coaches with an average age of 29.58 years. Each participant completed the Swimming Coaches Attitudes towards Inclusion Questionnaire for perceptions assessment and the Biddle and Goudas (1997) self-efficacy questionnaire. The statistical analysis used SPSS 27 to calculate Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson product-moment correlations, independent t-tests, and ANOVA. The findings of the study showed that the swimming coaches expressed positive attitudes and a high percentage of perceived self-efficacy towards the …

Investigating The Effect Of Hand Position On Hand Force And Rotation Time When Performing A Freestyle Flip-Turn, Emma C. Williams, Scott P. Mclean

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Havriluk (2004) found that an increase in hand force will increase a swimmer’s velocity. While the effect of hand force on a swimmer’s velocity has been studied, the forces produced by the hands as well as the effect of forearm position on hand force production during a freestyle flip-turn has not been investigated. PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of forearm orientation on freestyle flip-turn performance. METHODS: A convenience sample of ten experienced swimmers (6 Female, 4 Male, 20 ± 1.15 years) was recruited to participate. Prior to data collection, participants completed an accommodation session to familiarize them with …

A132: The Impact Of Baby Swimming On Motor Development Of Toddlers, Jiayu Gu, Yuhong Wen

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: Infancy and early childhood are important stages of basic motor skills formation. Baby swimming provides a unique opportunity for toddlers aged 2–3 to develop motor skills. The literature documents that baby swimming can promote physical growth in toddlers, but how it affects motor development remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to address this gap. Methods: Using interviews, field investigations, assessment tools, this study was conducted in two stages. Stage 1 focused on the instructional information about baby swimming courses, and Stage 2 examined the difference in body indices and motor competencies between two groups of toddlers recruited through …

Closing Racial Disparity By Dismantling Constructs Of Fear - A Practical Methodology For Learning To Swim, Dane W. Wolfrom, Christine L. Snellgrove, Marisol A. Rivera, Keisha Laguer Vandessppooll, Emily D. Feliciano

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

African American, Black, Hispanic, Latino, and low-socioeconomic communities have lower swimming ability and higher relative drowning rates than White and high-socioeconomic communities, distinguishing the former as high-priority populations to engage with effective learn-to-swim programming. This article demonstrates how prioritizing the reduction of fear-producing brain processes while learning to swim can result in 79.5% of high-priority population non-swimmers being able to jump into deep water, roll onto their backs and either float or tread for 60 seconds, and swim 25 yards after an average of 14 practice sessions. Practical explanations of four key components— water exploration, structured games, emulating coaches, and …

Self-Reported Water Competency Skills At A Historically Black College & University And The Potential Impact Of Additional Hbcu-Based Aquatic Programming, Knolan C. Rawlins Ph.D., Shaun M. Anderson Ed.D, Tiffany Monique Quash Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This article provides an analysis of self-reported water competency skills at a Historically Black University (HBCU). A survey was administered to undergraduate students who lived on campus at one HBCU. Of the 254 respondents that reported the ability to swim, only 187 respondents self-reported the ability to swim and the ability to perform water competency skills. The biggest discrepancy occurred within individuals that identified as Black or African American. In this group, 142 out of 250 participants proclaimed the ability to swim. However, the number of Black or African Americans that could swim dropped to 84 when researchers operationally defined …

Aquatics For Individuals With Disabilities: An Analysis Of Publication Trends, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study investigates the published literature in the field of aquatics with disabilities; more specifically, it examines literature published during the most recent two decades, 2000 through 2019. Considerations include the content focus of published articles relating to aquatics with disabilities, distribution of articles over the specified time period, publication opportunities for authors, barriers as well as enhancements to development of literature in the field, and summary recommendations.

Towards A Globalised Vision Of Aquatic Competence, Rita F. Pinto, Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Human interaction with the aquatic environment has always taken different forms to meet the needs of pleasure, survival, therapy or performance. The diversity of existing aquatic spaces presents itself as a challenge, due to their variety, dynamism, unpredictability and unrepeatable conditions. These factors potentiate an infinite number of possibilities for human response in interaction with the aquatic environment, with aquatic competence being the one that will be able to sustain all types of interaction. Thus, the aim of the proposal has been to present a new approach to the contextualisation of aquatic competence. After a literature review on the concept …

Revisiting The Metaphorical Concept Of “No Strokes First - All Strokes First”: Part One - Beginning Strokes, Robert Keig Stallman Ph.D., Alex Mwaipasi, Ebbe Laakso Horneman, Nils Olof Vikander, Bente Wäinösdatter Horneman Laakso, Haakon-Paavo Laakso Nysted, Toni Ongala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The aim of this article is to address the familiar question “Which swimming stroke should be taught first?” The discussion is usually focused on breaststroke versus crawl. Provoked by these naïve discussions of which stroke should be taught first (as if stroking equals swimming, which it emphatically does NOT), the question was answered metaphorically in an earlier article “No Stroke First – All Strokes First” (Stallman, 2008a). Here in Part I we identify and describe six strokes, all of which might be a candidate for any learners ‘very first’ stroke. We describe them as beginning strokes. Having identified and learned …

Does A Six-Week Intervention With Added Respiratory Dead Space Volume In Swimming Improve Haematological And Immunological Status?, Stefan Szczepan, Kamil Michalik, Rafał Hebisz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The aim of study was to investigate if differences appeared in haematological parameters after a 6-week moderate-intensity swimming intervention with added respiratory dead space volume (ARDSV) in recreational swimmers.

Material and methods: A sample of 22 individuals were divided into an experimental (E) and a control (C) group, tested for maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max). The intervention involved 50 min. of front crawl swimming performed at 60%VO₂max twice weekly for 6 weeks. ARDSV was induced via tube breathing (1000ml) in group E during each intervention session. Haematological parameters measured before and after the intervention included red …

Performance Gap Between Men And Women In Ironman Triathlons, Sara D. Glaser, Caio V. Sousa Dr.

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: The increased participation and performance improvement of women in Ironman triathlons (IM) have been showing that the performance gap with men is shorter than ever. Thus, this study aimed to explore this performance gap by discipline (swimming, cycling, and running) and age-groups. METHODS: Publicly available data from all IM events from 2002 to 2022 were used for this analysis. Each performance variable (swimming, cycling, running, and overall) were included as dependent variables in general linear model with gender and category (elite, age-groups) as independent factors. The effect size (Cohen’s d and delta percentage) was calculated for every “male vs. …

Does Higher Effectiveness Means Better Mood? Training Effectiveness And Mood Alternations In The National Finswimming Team – An Interdisciplinary Study, Dagmara Budnik Przybylska, Jacek Przybylski, Stanislaw Przybylski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background:‪The aim of the following paper was the attempt to: 1) assess the influence of 12-day anaerobic threshold (AT) training on finswimmers’ endurance and speed, 2) assess the relationship between mood and 12-day AT training. The authors focused on individual differences in psychophysiological indices connected with a training camp, with inclusion of results of the whole group of athletes. Material and methods:‪The study was conducted on the national team: 7 athletes (17–28 years) and was performed before and after 12 days of a training camp. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and AT training were used in the study. Two …

Dynamics Of Variation Of Sports Performance In Light Of Time Series Based On Artificial Neural Networks In Swimming, Wojciech Rejdych, Aleksandra Filip, Jakub Karpinski, Magdalena Krawczyk, Jakub Jarosz, Teresa Socha, Adam Maszczyk

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background. General availability of sports results, such as current world records, world rankings, and results of the Olympic Games, offers opportunities for the analysis variation in many different competitions and sports. Current trends in the progress in sports performance have been analysed based on e.g. freestyle swimming. The focus of this study is on the analysis of variability of sports results in swimming achieved by women and men in 11 Olympic Games in 1972-2012. Material and Methods. The analysis was based on the results of top eight finalists in all four events. Four 100m sprinting events (men's and women's) included …

Kinematics Tactics In Swimming Races On The Example Of The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games And The Rome 2009 World Championships, Patrycja Lipinska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Tactics in endurance disciplines is often considered by a analysis of distribution of velocity at a distance. Long-distance swimming (800m, 1500m) is a discipline perfectly located in the above definition. Thus the purpose of the paper is to deepen knowledge on sport tactics based on the distribution of velocity by athletes training swimming at the highest level. Material/Methods: The research material comprised finalists of the swimming race on the 800 meters at the Olympic Games in Beijing (2008) and the World Championships in Rome (2009). Data on the average speed for the entire distance and average speed for the …

Core Stability Training And Young Para-Swimmers' Results On 50 Meters And 100 Meters Freestyle, Ninomyslaw Jakubczyk, Anna Zwierzchowska, Adam Maszczyk

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Central stabilization training aims to improve neuromuscular coordination. It is used to prevent injuries and complement swimmers’ training process. The aim of the study was to access the impact of this training on the results by disabled swimmers at 50 and 100 meters’ freestyle. Material/Method: 20 competitors with similar dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group, participated in the study. Each group consisted of 7 swimmers starting in competitions from the standing starting position and 3 starting from water. The study included a 4-week set of stabilization exercises, 4 times a week …

Junior High School Pupils’ Opinions On The Content And Conduct Of Swimming Classes At School, Grzegorz Bielec

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The aim of the study was to recognize high school pupils’ opinions about the content of swimming classes, conducted within obligatory physical education lessons. Material/Methods: The experimental group consisted of 56 girls and 60 boys at the age of 14 (± 0.3). All of them were students of the second grade of public secondary schools. The fourth lesson of their obligatory physical education syllabus was conducted at the swimming pool. An anonymous survey was used as a tool. The survey questions referred to the quality and quantity of swimming exercises at the lesson as well as to methodological skills …

Kinematic Tactics In The Women's 800 M Freestyle Swimming Final At The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Patrycja Lipińska

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The purpose of this study was to obtain knowledge on tactics of long distance swimming at the highest women professional level. Material/Methods: Eight swimmers, finalists of 800 m distance of freestyle of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were examined. The distribution of velocity of swimming for the entire distance based on 50 m segments was analyzed. Partial, halves and quarters velocity, speed indexes and linear and nonlinear regression equations were calculated. Results: It was revealed that better swimmers (placed 1–3) had their distribution of swimming as an ascending line and with very small difference between segmental velocity and that …

The Relation Between Selected Anthropometric Variables And The Sports Results Of Early Pubescent Swimmers, Grzegorz Bielec, Daniel Jurak

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: Relationships between anthropometric parameters and sports results in swimming are well documented, but only few studies concern young athletes. Scientific evidence does not indicate definitely which anthropometric variables determine swimming performance among pubertal athletes. Material and methods: Forty-one swimmers at the mean age of 12.2 years (including 15 females) were examined. Body composition was assessed with a Tanita BC 545N device. Body height, hand length, hand width and arm span were also measured. Anthropometric data were compared to results of 50 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley. Results: Calculations made by Pearson’s coefficient revealed significant correlations between body …

The Effect Of Task And Environment Constraints On Aquatic Locomotor Behavior: Qualitative Data Analysis, Ernani Xavier Filho, Edison J. Manoel

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Many constraints (environmental, organismic, and task) act on all patterns of motor coordination, although their effects on swimming is less well understood. To this end, we carried out the current study with fifty-six participants, ages ranging from six to twelve years. The experimental tasks were created from the original task in which changes in task speed and environmental context were manipulated. Four aspects in the results were notable: a) a main trend was one of performance with the same developmental status among the tasks; b) when behaviour changed, this occurred due to environmental constraints, leading to more rudimentary patterns of …

Muscle Strength Evaluation Of Limb Dominance In Prepubescent Swimmers Boys And Girls, Aykut Özçadirci, Ferhat Öztürk, Şükrü Alpan Cinemre, Gizem Irem Kinikli

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the lower limb muscle strength in terms of gender and limb dominancy in prepubescent swimmers. Material and methods: Seventy-four prepubescent swimmers (mean age: 11.01±1.58 years; 42 boys; 32 girls) who were training for at least 8 hours a week and without current lower limb pain participated in the study. Isometric muscle strength of lower limb was measured by hand-held dynamometry. Independent samples-t test was used to determine the difference between genders, while paired samples-t test was used for dominant-nondominant side comparison. The significance level was accepted as p<0.05. Results: Knee flexion (p<0.001), extension (p<0.001) and ankle dorsiflexion (p=0.003) muscle strength were stronger on the dominant side than on the non-dominant side. Knee flexion/extension strength ratio was similar (p=0.957); while ankle plantar flexion/dorsiflexion strength ratio was significantly different (p=0.011). Boys swimmers had stronger isometric muscle strength in the dominant side together with knee flexion (p=0.018) and knee flexion extension strength ratio (p=0.007) than girls swimmers. Conclusions: Boys swimmers had higher dominant side knee flexion muscle strength compared to female peers. Gender and lower limb dominancy might be important for lower limb muscle strength to show varieties in prepubescent swimmers before planning a training program.

Eyes Save Lives Water Safety Program For Parents And Caregivers: Program Design And Pilot Evaluation From Southern California, Rachel Love-Smith, William A. Koon, Lauren Tabios, Scott M. Bartell

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Despite expert consensus and evidence-based preventative strategies against drowning, limited formal study exists on translating recommendations into practical and effective interventions. This paper describes the design of an education-based drowning prevention intervention and reports results from a pilot evaluation of the program’s effect on self-reported water-safe behaviors, attitudes, self-efficacy, and knowledge. Parents and caregivers attending children’s swim lessons in July and August 2018 participated in a brief water-safety education program. A pre-post-test design evaluated "Theory of Planned Behavior" indicators to assess for changes. We found significant increases in scores related to water safety knowledge, attitudes on maintaining arms reach distance …

The Challenge Of Water Entries, Andrea S. Andrews, Shayne D. Baker

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The authors presented a poster at the International Life Saving Foundation's World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2019 in Durban, South Africa titled, "Finding an Aquatic Voice," that was the basis for this article. The conference theme was "Growing Global Drowning Prevention Capacity,” and the aim of our poster’s contribution to the conference was to explore internal reasons for the variable capacity of water-wary persons to engage in water experiences which often manifest as a “water entry and exit conundrum." The paper provides critical decision points associated with these issues to encourage further reflective practice by aquatic professionals. The …

Swimming Past The Pandemic: Importance Of Evidence-Based Science, Stephen J. Langendorfer Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Swimming Past the Pandemic - URL included

Staff Training In Aquatics For Individuals With Disabilities: The Quest, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Trained instructors in general programs have the ability and resources to initiate and follow through with developing water safe individuals who are capable swimmers. Specific staff training to prepare individuals to facilitate aquatic participation for individuals with disabilities is currently extremely limited. The purpose of this article is to examine the barriers to specialized staff training in aquatics for individuals with disabilities, to suggest necessary staff training content, and to propose topics for further research in the area of staff training. Seeking development of quality staff training programs for those working in aquatics for individuals with disabilities is the quest.

University Of Maine Athletics_Heathcare Worker Thank You_Justin Alley, University Of Maine Athletics

Athletics Department

Thank you to University of Maine Alumnus and healthcare worker Justin Alley. Alley was a member of the Class of 2006 and a swimmer at the University of Maine. The thank you's were sent out by University of Maine Athletics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

University Of Maine Athletics_Heathcare Worker Thank You_Lilli Wiseman, University Of Maine Athletics

Athletics Department

Thank you to University of Maine Alumna and healthcare worker Lilli Wiseman. Wiseman was a member of the Class of 2017 and a swimmer at the University of Maine. The thank you's were sent out by University of Maine Athletics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Editorial Introducing The Special Issue For Diversity In Aquatics, Angela Beale-Tawfeeq, Austin R. Anderson, Steven N. Waller

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Introduction to Special Issue - no abstract available

Aquatic Therapy Interventions And Disability: A Recreational Therapy Perspective, Jason Scott, Angela Wozencroft, Vincenzo Nocera, Kelsey Webb, Jodi Anderson, Avery Blankenburg, Darrien Watson, Sophie Lowe

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Aquatic therapy interventions are critical for individuals with disabilities and the role of the therapist is just as critical for successful and effective interventions. The field of therapeutic recreation trains students to develop and implement evidence-based facilitation techniques including the use of aquatic therapy to assist in helping clients achieve a change in functional status. This review of the literature examined the impact of aquatic therapy interventions on a variety of disabilities including osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, Cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and mental health from a recreational therapy (RT) perspective. This review provides a variety of information on the positive …

No Changes In Appetite Stimulating Hormones Following Swimming And Cycling Exercise Interventions, Brandon G. Fico, Mohammed Alkatan, Yuzi Zhang, Hirofumi Tanaka

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Swimming is a favorable and ideal modality of exercise for individuals with obesity and arthritis as it encompasses a minimal weight-bearing stress and a reduced heat load. However, the available evidence indicates that regular swimming may not be effective in reducing body weight and body fatness. A current hypothesis is that exercise in cold water somehow stimulates appetite. PURPOSE: We determined the effect of swimming exercise training on fasting concentrations of ghrelin, insulin, leptin, and peptide YY in obese individuals with osteoarthritis. Cycling training was included as a non-weight bearing land-based comparison group. METHODS: Thirty-nine obese participants with …

Analysis Of Cognitive Abilities In Female Swimmers, Nora Bekendam Ph.D., German Diaz Ph.D., Oscar García Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study compared the differences in spatial relations, spatial ability, and reasoning ability between female swimmers and sedentary people. Fifty-eight participants (24 swimmers and 34 sedentary females) were recruited to complete the PMA E & R tests (Primary Mental Ability Test) and the DAT-SR test (Differential Aptitude Test). Findings indicated that swimmers scored higher in spatial relations, spatial ability, and reasoning ability. The practice of competitive swimming appears to have a positive relationship with the spatial relation, spatial ability and reasoning ability.

Pacing Strategies In The 200 Yard Freestyle By Collegiate Men, Peter Robinson, Scott P. Mclean

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

ABSTRACT

Examination of components of a 200 yd freestyle race may provide useful information for understanding how pacing strategy contributes to successful performance. PURPOSE: To compare 50-yd splits of a 200-yd freestyle race in higher performing and lower performing swimmers to assess if pacing strategy differs between groups. METHODS: An ex post facto design was used employed to create a dataset of 200 yd freestyle results. Split times were generated for each 50 yard segment of a 200 yd race for two performance groups of swimmers; the first and last four finalists in eight conference championships each for NCAA Division …