Sports Sciences Commons^™

Fatigue-Related Feedback From Calf Muscles Impairs Knee Extensor Voluntary Activation, Harrison T. Finn, David S. Kennedy, Simon Green, Janet L. Taylor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

INTRODUCTION:

Fatigue-related group III/IV muscle afferent firing from agonist, antagonist or distal muscles impairs the ability to drive the elbow flexors maximally, that is, reduces voluntary activation. In the lower limb, the effect of feedback from distal muscles on the proximal knee extensors is unknown. Here, we test whether maintained group III/IV afferent feedback from the plantarflexor muscles reduces voluntary activation of the knee extensors.

METHODS:

On 2 d, voluntary activation of the knee extensors during maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) was assessed in 12 participants before and after a 3-min fatiguing task of the plantarflexors. On 1 d, an inflatable …

A Gender-Sensitised Weight-Loss And Healthy Living Program For Men With Overweight And Obesity In Australian Football League Settings (Aussie-Fit): A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial, Dominika Kwasnicka, Nikos Ntoumanis, Kate Hunt, Cindy M. Gray, Robert U. Newton, Daniel F. Gucciardi, Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Jenny L. Olson, Joanne Mcveigh, Deborah Kerr, Sally Wyke, Philip Morgan, Suzanne Robinson, Marshall Makate, Eleanor Quested

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence shows that sport settings can act as a powerful draw to engage men in weight loss. The primary objective of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of delivering and to evaluate preliminary efficacy of Aussie-FIT, a weight-loss program for men with overweight/obesity delivered in Australian Football League (AFL) settings, in preparation for a future definitive trial. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This 6-month pilot trial took place in Perth, Australia. Participants were overweight/obese (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥ 28 kg/m2), middle-aged (35-65 years old) men. Participants were recruited in May 2018, and the intervention took place between …

Long-Term Paleolithic Diet Is Associated With Lower Resistant Starch Intake, Different Gut Microbiota Composition And Increased Serum Tmao Concentrations, Angela Genoni, Claus T. Christophersen, Johnny Lo, Megan Coghlan, Mary C. Boyce, Anthony R. Bird, Philippa Lyons-Wall, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2019, The Author(s). Background: The Paleolithic diet is promoted worldwide for improved gut health. However, there is little evidence available to support these claims, with existing literature examining anthropometric and cardiometabolic outcomes. Objective: To determine the association between dietary intake, markers of colonic health, microbiota, and serum trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a gut-derived metabolite associated with cardiovascular disease. Design: In a cross-sectional design, long-term (n = 44, > 1 year) self-reported followers of a Paleolithic diet (PD) and controls (n = 47) consuming a diet typical of national recommendations were recruited. Diets were assessed via 3-day weighed diet records; 48-h stool for …

Reliability And Validity Of Maximal Mean And Critical Speed And Metabolic Power In Australian Youth Soccer Players, Cameron Lord, Anthony J. Blazevich, Chris R. Abbiss, Fadi Ma'ayah

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Cameron Lord, Anthony J. Blazevich, Chris R. Abbiss, Fadi Ma'ayah, published by Sciendo 2020. The reliability and validity of maximal mean speed (MMS), maximal mean metabolic power (MMPmet), critical speed (CS) and critical metabolic power (CPmet) were examined throughout the 2016-2017 soccer National Youth League competitions. Global positioning system (GPS) data were collected from 20 sub-elite soccer players during a battery of maximal running tests and four home matches. A symmetric moving average algorithm was applied to the instantaneous velocity data using specific time windows (1, 5, 10, 60, 300 and 600 s) and peak values were identified. …

The Effect Of Training With Weightlifting Catching Or Pulling Derivatives On Squat Jump And Countermovement Jump Force-Time Adaptations, Timothy J. Suchomel, Shana M. Mckeever, John J. Mcmahon, Paul Comfort

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) force-time curve characteristics following 10 weeks of training with either load-matched weightlifting catching (CATCH) or pulling derivatives (PULL) or pulling derivatives that included force- and velocity-specific loading (OL). Twenty-five resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to the CATCH, PULL, or OL groups. Participants completed a 10 week, group-specific training program. SJ and …

Alterations In Adiponectin, Leptin, Resistin, Testosterone, And Cortisol Across Eleven Weeks Of Training Among Division One Collegiate Throwers: A Preliminary Study, W. Guy Hornsby, G. Gregory Haff, Dylan G. Suarez, Michael W. Ramsey, N. Travis Triplett, Justin P. Hardee, Margaret E. Stone, Michael H. Stone

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cytokine and hormone concentrations can be linked to the manipulation of training variables and to subsequent alterations in performance. Subjects: Nine D-1 collegiate throwers and 4 control subjects participated in this preliminary and exploratory report. Methods: Hormone (testosterone (T) and cortisol (C)) and adipokine (adiponectin, leptin, and resistin) measurements were taken at weeks 1, 7, and 11 for the throwers and weeks 1 and 11 for the control group. …

The Effects Of Lateral Bounds On Post-Activation Potentiation Of Change-Of-Direction Speed Measured By The 505 Test In College-Aged Men And Women, Ashley J. Orjalo, Robert G. Lockie, Katherine Balfany, Samuel J. Callaghan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Forty recreationally-trained individuals completed four testing sessions to determine whether lateral bounds (LB) or weighted lateral bounds enhanced change-of-direction (COD) speed measured by the 505 COD speed test. Session 1 included vertical jump and lateral bound (LB) testing to measure power. Sessions 2-4 involved three randomized conditioning activities (CA): 3 × 5 LB; 3 × 5 weighted LB (10% body mass provided by a weighted vest); and a control condition (4-min rest). The 505 COD speed test was performed 5- and 2.5-min pre-CA, and ~15 s, 4, 8, 12, and 16 min post-CA. A 3 × 6 repeated measures analysis …

Which Are The Nutritional Supplements Used By Beach-Volleyball Athletes? A Cross-Sectional Study At The Italian National Championship, Stefano Amatori, Davide Sisti, Fabrizio Perroni, Samuel Impey, Michela Lantignotti, Marco Gervasi, Sabrina Donati Zeppa, Marco B. Rocchi

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Beach volleyball is an intermittent team sport played under high temperature and humidity. Given that some nutritional supplements can enhance sports performance, this study aimed to evaluate the quantity and the heterogeneity of the nutritional supplementation practices of amateur (n = 69) and professional (n = 19) beach volley athletes competing in the Italian National Championship; an online form was used to collect data about the supplementation habits. The latent class analysis was used to find sub-groups characterised by different habits regarding supplements consumption. The most frequently used supplements (more than once a week) are vitamins B and C (39.2% …

Development, Assessment And Application Of A Novel Algorithm To Automatically Detect Change Of Direction Movement And Quantify Its Associated Mechanical Load In Elite Australian Football, Aaron Balloch

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The ability to change direction rapidly and efficiently is critical to team-sport performance, including Australian football (AF), where a player’s capacity to rapidly decelerate, move laterally and re-accelerate is critical when evading opponents, tackling, or reacting to the unpredictable bounce of the ball or movement of another player. The biomechanical loading requirements of change of direction (COD) movement are angle and velocity dependant. Cumulative COD movement can impart high levels of neuromuscular and metabolic fatigue which can adversely affect the efficiency of subsequent movement efforts. Despite widespread use of microtechnology devices (the vast majority containing a global navigation satellite system …

Improving Sprint Performance In Road Cycling: The Forward Standing Sprint Position, Paul Franciscus Johannes Merkes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The majority of road cycling races finish with a sprint and as such sprints are a key determinant of success. Surprisingly, the scientific literature on this specific topic is scarce, with limited to few studies describing the characteristics of road cycling sprinters and the demands of road sprinting. Cyclists’ sprinting velocity, which is mostly influenced by power output and aerodynamic drag (CdA) is critical to performance outcomes. However, to date, there is very limited research specifically examining how to maximise road sprint velocity. Thus, the overall objective of the four studies outlined in this thesis was to manipulate CdA, physiology, …

The Effects Of Environmental Temperature On High-Intensity Interval Training, Jason R. Boynton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Endurance athletes typically spend the large majority of training (> 70%) at low intensities (i.e. below lactate threshold) coupled with short and intermittent bouts of high-intensity exercise or interval training (HIIT). Despite HIIT being a relatively small part of training in terms of duration, it has a substantial effect on the adaptations to endurance training. While it is well-established endurance exercise performance is affected in both hot and cold environmental conditions, the effect ambient temperature (TA; frequently referred to as environmental temperature) has on HIIT as performed by an endurance athlete population is not well understood. Therefore, the overall purpose …

Injury Surveillance In Community Cricket And The Exploration Of Insurance Claims Systems, Geordie Mcleod

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aims of this industry funded PhD thesis were 1) To understand the injury causes, trends and burden in community cricket and 2) To examine the Cricket Australia National Club Risk Protection Program (NCRPP) insurance scheme for suitability as an injury surveillance tool for community cricket.

This thesis sought to identify and understand the injury profile of community cricketers through existing literature and injury datasets, being, Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU) hospital data, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and NCRPP insurance claims data. This thesis also undertook a novel assessment of data validity and completeness from various sources, against industry standards …

Lower-Body Power, Linear Speed, And Change-Of-Direction Speed In Division I Collegiate Women's Volleyball Players, Robert G. Lockie, J. Jay Dawes, Samuel J. Callaghan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Institute of Sport. All rights reserved. Volleyball players need to sprint and change direction during a match. Lower-body power, often measured by jump tests, could contribute to faster movements. How different jumps relate to linear and change-of-direction (COD) speed has not been analyzed in Division I (DI) collegiate women's volleyball players. Fifteen female volleyball players completed the vertical jump (VJ), two-step approach jump (AppJ), and standing broad jump (SBJ). Peak power and power-to-body mass ratio (P:BM) were derived from VJ and AppJ height; relative SBJ was derived from SBJ distance. Linear speed was measured via a 20-m sprint …

Reviewing The Current Methods Of Assessing Hydration In Athletes, Oliver R. Barley, Dale W. Chapman, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Despite a substantial body of research, no clear best practice guidelines exist for the assessment of hydration in athletes. Body water is stored in and shifted between different sites throughout the body complicating hydration assessment. This review seeks to highlight the unique strengths and limitations of various hydration assessment methods described in the literature as well as providing best practice guidelines.

Main body

There is a plethora of methods that range in validity and reliability, including complicated and invasive methods (i.e. neutron activation analysis and stable isotope dilution), to moderately invasive blood, urine and salivary variables, progressing to non-invasive …

Power Output, Cadence, And Torque Are Similar Between The Forward Standing And Traditional Sprint Cycling Positions, Paul F. J. Merkes, Paolo Menaspà, Chris R. Abbiss

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: Compare power output, cadence, and torque in the seated, standing, and forward standing cycling sprint positions.

Methods: On three separated occasions (ie, one for each position), 11 recreational male road cyclists performed a 14 seconds sprint before and directly after a high-intensity lead-up. Power output, cadence, and torque were measured during each sprint. Results: No significant differences in peak and mean power output were observed between the forward standing (1125.5 ± 48.5 W and 896.0 ± 32.7 W, respectively) and either the seated or standing positions (1042.5 ± 46.8 W and 856.5 ± 29.4 W; 1175.4 ± 44.9 W …

Corrections To: The Effect Of Nordic Hamstring Exercise Intervention Volume On Eccentric Strength And Muscle Architecture Adaptations: A Systematic Journal Article And Meta-Analyses, Matthew Cuthbert, Nicholas Ripley, John J. Mcmahon, Martin Evans, G. Gregory Haff, Paul Comfort

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

No abstract provided.

Contralateral Effects By Unilateral Eccentric Versus Concentric Resistance Training, Wei-Chin Tseng, Kazunori Nosaka, Kuo-Wei Tseng, Tai-Ying Chou, Trevor C. Chen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: Unilateral resistance training increases muscle strength of the contralateral homologous muscle by the cross-education effect. Muscle damage induced by second eccentric exercise bout is attenuated, even when it is performed by the contralateral limb. The present study compared the effects of unilateral eccentric training (ET) and concentric training (CT) of the elbow flexors (EF) on maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) strength and muscle damage of the contralateral untrained EF.

Methods: Young men were placed into ET, CT, ipsilateral repeated bout (IL-RB), and contralateral repeated bout (CL-RB) groups (n = 12 per group). The ET and CT groups performed …

Exploring The Association Between Recent Concussion, Subconcussive Impacts And Depressive Symptoms In Male Australian Football Players, Sarah Ann Harris, Paola T. Chivers, Fleur L. Mcintyre, Ben Piggott, Max Bulsara, Fiona H. Farringdon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: To explore the association between depressive symptoms and recent head-related trauma (diagnosed concussion, subconcussive impacts) in semiprofessional male Australian Football (AF) players.

Methods: Sixty-nine semiprofessional male players from a West Australian Football League (WAFL) club participated in the study (M age =21.81, SD=2.91 years). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Injuries and potential confounding variables (eg, pre-existing mental health condition; alcohol or drug hangovers; experiencing a stressful event) were self-reported anonymously using the WAFL Injury Report Survey. Both tools were administered every 2-weeks over the first 22-weeks of the WAFL season. Controlling for …

Pilot Study On The Reliability Of The Coach's Eye: Identifying Talent Throughout A 4-Day Cadet Judo Campp, Alexandra H. Roberts, Daniel Greenwood, Clare Humberstone, Annette J. Raynor

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A typical assumption found in talent identification literature is that different coaches, given the same athletes and circumstances, will identify the same subset of athletes as “talented”. However, while coaches play a major role during talent identification in practical sport settings, there is limited empirical research exploring the processes which underpin this. The purpose of this study was to explore the reliability of “the coach's eye” during the assessment of talent in a group of athletes. Specifically, this project compared inter-coach agreement between nine judo coaches (ages 35.8 ± 10.6 years) with varying levels of experience (12.9 ± 8.9 years) …

Influence Of Strength Level On The Acute Post-Activation Performance Enhancement Following Flywheel And Free Weight Resistance Training, Borja Sañudo, Moisés De Hoyo, Guy Gregory Haff, Alejandro Muñoz-López

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This study aimed to compare the post-activation potentiation performance enhancement (PAPE) response to the acute inertial flywheel (FW) and free weight resistance training (TRA) on subsequent countermovement jump (CMJ) and sprint performance (10 m sprint). This study used a randomized crossover design including twenty-eight healthy males that were divided into strong (relative one-repetition maximum (1RM) back squat > 2.0 × body mass) and weak (relative 1RM back squat < 2.0 × body mass) groups. All participants performed the following: (a) three reps at 90% of their 1RM back squat (TRA) and (b) three reps on an inertial FW (plus one repetition to initiate flywheel movement) with an intensity that generated a mean propulsive velocity equal to that achieved with 90% of the 1RM back squat. Before and after the conditioning activity, participants performed two CMJs and two 10 m sprints. Within-group analyses showed significantly greater CMJ (d > 0.9, p < 0.001) and sprint performance (d > 0.5, p < 0.05) in the FW and the TRA group. Between-group analysis showed that sprint changes were significantly greater in the FW-strong group when compared with the TRA (F1,18 = 5.11, p = 0.036, η2p = 0.221—large) group. These results suggest that using a squat activation protocol on a FW may lead to an acute positive effect on jump and sprint performance, especially in stronger individuals.

Interdisciplinary Sport Research Can Better Predict Competition Performance, Identify Individual Differences, And Quantify Task Representation, Ben Piggott, Sean Müller, Paola Chivers, Ashley Cripps, Gerard Hoyne

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Sport performance consists of interacting individual, task and environmental constraints, but research has used a monodisciplinary, rather than an interdisciplinary approach to understand performance. This study used Australian football (AF) as the exemplar sport to investigate the value of an interdisciplinary approach to understand sport performance. Through this, it was also possible to quantify individual differences and representative task design. Fifty-nine semi-professional Australian footballers participated. Based upon accessibility, combinations of these players completed physiological (3 × 1 km trial) and perceptual-cognitive-motor (small-sided game, SSG) tests, with coach rating of psychological skill (mental toughness coach, MTC). Univariate monodisciplinary models indicated that …

Large Reductions In Match Play Physical Performance Variables Across A Professional Football Season With Control For Situational And Contextual Variables, Matthew Springham, Sean Williams, Mark Waldron, Darren Burgess, Robert Usher Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This investigation examined match play physical performance across a professional football season using a multicamera computerized tracking system. A linear mixed-effects model, controlling for situational and contextual variables, identified decreases in team average total distance (TD): season quarter 1 (Q1) (11,047 m) > season quarter 2 (Q2) (10,473 m) ( = ; ES = ), season quarter 3 (Q3) (10,449 m) ( < 0.001; ES = ), and season quarter 4 (Q4) (10,385 m) ( < 0.001; ES = ); work rate (WR): Q1 (115 m/min) > Q3 (108 m/min) ( < 0.001; ES = ), Q4 (107 m/min) ( < 0.001; ES = ); Q2 (109 m/min) > Q4 (107 m/min) ( = 0.003; ES = ); high-speed running distance (HSR): Q1 (1,051 m) > Q2 (813 m) ( = 0.006; ES = ); number of high-speed runs (NHSR): Q1 (87) > Q2 (65) ( …

The Influence Of Biological Maturity On Dynamic Force–Time Variables And Vaulting Performance In Young Female Gymnasts, Sylvia Moeskops, Jon L. Oliver, Paul J. Read, John B. Cronin, Gregory D. Myer, G. Gregory Haff, Isabel S. Moore, Rhodri S. Lloyd

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This cross-sectional study investigated dynamic force–time variables and vaulting performance in young female gymnasts of different maturity status.

Methods: 120 gymnasts aged 5–14 years were sub-divided into maturity groupings using percent of predicted adult height (%PAH) attained. Participants performed three jumping protocols, the squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ), before completing straight jump vaults that were recorded using two-dimensional video.

Results: Jumping performance improved with biological maturity evidenced by the most mature gymnasts’ producing significantly more absolute force (P < 0.05; all d > 0.78), impulse (P < 0.05; all d > 0.75) and power (P < 0.05; all d > 0.91) than the least mature group, resulting in the …

Addressing The Confusion Within Periodization Research, W. Guy Hornsby, Andrew C. Fry, G. Gregory Haff, Michael H. Stone

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. In this editorial, we focus on recent problematic developments in sport science, and more specifically, problems related to periodization research. Primary areas discussed are (1) appreciation of history, (2) considerations for training studies, (3) the development of concepts, and (4) programming-driven training models.

Validity And Reliability Of Methods To Determine Barbell Displacement In Heavy Back Squats: Implications For Velocity-Based Training, Brendyn B. Appleby, Harry Banyard, Prue Cormie, Stuart J. Cormack, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of methods for determining barbell displacement during heavy back squats. Twelve well-trained rugby union players (mean ± SD 1 repetition maximum [1RM] 90° squat = 196.3 ± 29.2 kg) completed 2 sets of 2 repetitions at 70, 80, and 90% of 1RM squats. Barbell displacement was derived from 3 methods across 4 load categories (120–129, 140–149, 160–169, and 180–189 kg) including: a (a) linear position transducer (LPT) attached 65 cm left of barbell center, (b) 3D motion analysis tracking of markers attached to either end of a barbell, …

Using Velocity To Predict The Maximum Dynamic Strength In The Power Clean, G. Gregory Haff, Amador Garcia-Ramos, Lachlan P. James

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The primary aim of the present study was to examine the commonly performed training exercise for athlete preparation. Twenty-two recreationally trained males (age: 26.3 ± 4.1 y, height: 1.80 ± 0.07 m; body mass (BM): 87.01 ± 13.75 kg, 1-repetitoon maximum(1-RM)/BM: 0.90 ± 0.19 kg) participated in the present study. All subjects had their 1-RM power clean tested with standard procedures. On a separate testing day, subjects performed three repetitions at 30% and 45%, and two repetitions at 70% and 80% of their 1-RM power clean. During all trials during both sessions, peak velocity (PV) and mean velocity (MV) were …

Muscular And Physical Response To An Agility And Repeated Sprint Tests According To The Level Of Competition In Futsal Players, Jorge García-Unanue, José Luis Felipe, David Bishop, Enrique Colino, Esther Ubago-Guisado, Jorge López-Fernández, Enrique Hernando, Leonor Gallardo, Javier Sánchez-Sánchez

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© Copyright © 2020 García-Unanue, Felipe, Bishop, Colino, Ubago-Guisado, López-Fernández, Hernando, Gallardo and Sánchez-Sánchez. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuromuscular response to an agility and repeated sprint ability (RSA) test according to the level of competition in futsal players. A total of 33 players from two elite teams and one amateur team participated in the study. The participants completed an agility t-test, a 30 m-speed test, and a RSA test. A countermovement jump (CMJ) test and a tensiomyography test of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) of both legs were carried out before and …

Factors Influencing Weight Loss Practices In Italian Boxers: A Cluster Analysis, Stefano Amatori, Oliver R. Barley, Erica Gobbi, Diego Vergoni, Attilio Carraro, Carlo Baldari, Laura Guidetti, Marco B.L. Rocchi, Fabrizio Perroni, Davide Sisti

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. It is common practice in combat sports that athletes rapidly lose body weight before a match, by applying different practices—some safer and others possibly dangerous. The factors behind the choice of practices utilised have not been fully studied. This study aimed to investigate the weight loss strategies used by Italian boxers and to look at the difference between higher and lower risk practice adaptors. A modified version of a validated questionnaire has been sent to 164 amateur (88%) and professional (12%) boxers by email. A heatmap with hierarchical clustering was used …

Sustaining Dancer Wellbeing Through Independent Professional Dance Careers, Luke S. Hopper, Peta Blevins, Shona Erskine, Danica Hendry, Raewyn Hill, Richard Longbottom

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Dancers dedicate their lives to their art. The lucky few dancers who reach professional careers, must navigate a casualised industry, balance financial pressures and maintain performance fitness. This research aimed to provide practical considerations for dancers to support their health and wellbeing through independent, professional dance careers. Dancers from Australian contemporary dance company Co3 participated in a training program involving psychological and physiotherapy assessments and fitness training in conjunction with a major performance season. Focus groups with company dancers and staff investigated the perceived efficacy of the training program within the company schedule and in supporting dancer wellbeing. Dancers were …

The Creation Of Goal Scoring Opportunities At The 2015 Women’S World Cup, Mark Scanlan, Craig Harms, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Fadi Ma’Ayah

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Women’s international football is growing in terms of popularity, but to date there is limited published research in women’s football and even less that describes effective attacking strategies and the creation of goal scoring opportunities (GSO). The purpose of this research was to investigate and assess the factors related to the creation of GSO that led to a Top 4 position Canada Women’s World Cup 2015. Video footage of each match (n = 52) from the Women’s World Cup (Canada 2015) was analysed using SportsCode Software. The results revealed that the middle third of the pitch was the most effective …