Sports Sciences Commons^™

Dance As A Protective Measure Against The Cognitive And Physical Declines Associated With Aging: A Proposed Study, Sarah M. Schwanz, Jeffrey Holmes, Jessica Grahn

Western Research Forum

Background:

Dance is considered a multimodal activity in that it requires both physical and cognitive engagement. Combining physical activity with music may have a synergistic effect, enabling dance to enhance physical and cognitive functions more than music and physical activity alone. The positive changes attributed to dance training such as improved visuospatial and motor ability, high coordination, greater balance, and increased cognitive ability may also benefit individuals as they age.

Methods:

This proposed study will examine whether dance training has the potential to protect against age-related cognitive and physical decline by assessing the cognitive and physical domains that show decline …

Where On Ice? Algorithmically Deconstructing Nhl Shot Locations As A Method For Player Classification, Devan Becker, Douglas G. Woolford, Charmaine B. Dean

Western Research Forum

Where do hockey players shoot from? How does this vary from player to player? We present the results of a study that uses data-driven statistical methods to investigate these questions. The locations of shots by National Hockey League (NHL) players from 2011 to 2017 are analyzed using a combination of an image recognition algorithm and spatial statistical methodology. An unsupervised classifier is applied to output from a spatial point process model in order to determine which shot locations best characterize a given player. We define the number of regions a priori, but the image recognition algorithm chooses the shape …