Sports Sciences Commons^™

Understanding Athletes’ Experience When Transitioning To Life Beyond Sport, Mary L. Dell'arciprete, M Lauren Dell'arciprete

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Discontinuation may be by choice or may be due to an injury; however most collegiate athletes’ sports engagement ends due to graduation causing them to shift their role in an occupation that played a crucial role in their self-identity. Athletes of all levels are challenged in their transition beyond sport and in the adjustment to the various role changes that occur. A significant life event, such as the end of one’s athletic engagement, can cause a loss of identity, purpose, and mental health decline. Former athletes may experience occupational disruption, a temporary inability to adequately engage in meaningful tasks due …

How Does The Ergogenic Benefits, Consumption, And Overall Perspective Of Caffeine Differ Between Athletes In Different Sports?, Steven Laflamme

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Caffeine has been a very popular ergogenic aid that has been widely used by athletes at all levels of sports performance (Pickering & Grgic, 2019). The effects of caffeine have shown performance-enhancing symptoms among athletes along with multiple cognitive benefits such as reaction time and overall mood during exercise. According to McArdle, Katch, and Katch (2015), caffeine acts as a stimulant for the central nervous system. It acts as a blocker for adenosine receptors and allows for more neuron firing in the brain as well as increased blood flow from the heart to other body systems. In interest of caffeine’s …

Mindfulness-Based Practices For The Impaired Performance Athlete, Mackenzie L. Campbell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Mindfulness-based programs are becoming commonly considered for the improvement of athlete's mental and physical state. However, their usage in improving performance in impaired athletes is limited and not fully understood. The purpose of this thesis was to review the standing literature on the topic of the application of mindfulness to improving athletic performance in wellbeing-impaired athletes. Seventy-three articles were included as references for this paper describing functional mechanisms, clinical significance and anecdotal evidence that points to the effectiveness of mindfulness in sport for the treatment of pain, injury recovery, prevention of injury, and chronic illness. Ultimately, this review supports the …

Long-Term Disability Following A Hamstring Injury, Savannah Mclain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: Injuries to the hamstring complex are one of the most commonly seen lower extremity injuries in athletic populations. It is currently unknown how psychological or sociological factors affect an athlete after the recovery process has ended and if these factors play a role in re-injury rates relating to the hamstring. It is also unknown if athlete confidence level changes while in a fatigued state after an athlete returns to play from a hamstring injury. METHODS: Twenty-six physically active adults with and without a previous hamstring injury were recruited for this study. Participants completed a Qualtrics survey that …

The Effects Of A Baseball Season On Various Body Composition Measurements And Assessment Of Dietary Intake In Ncaa Di Baseball Players, Jordan Marthens

Master's Theses

Despite the known importance of body composition in relation to performance and health of athletes, this study appears to be the first, or one of very few, to evaluate body composition measures from the beginning to end of season for NCAA DI collegiate baseball players and assess their dietary intake. Baseball players from the 2015-2019 seasons were included in the study (n=78; age=19.8±1.28). DXA scans performed at the start and end of season were analyzed and 3-day food records analyzed via ESHA software were utilized to assess dietary intake. Groups were stratified to examine differences in players’ positions (Pitchers vs. …

Effects Of High-Intensity Position-Specific Drills On Physical And Technical-Skill Performance In Young Soccer Players, Cao Cuong Le

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Soccer is the most widely played sport in the world, and physical preparation for soccer players has been extensively researched over the years. As the average intensity of a soccer match is close to 80-90% of maximal heart rate (HRmax), it is necessary to train at or above this intensity. Thus, high-intensity interval running and small-sided games are often used to improve aerobic capacity and repeated sprint ability (RSA). However, neither of these approaches consider positional variations in the frequency and type of specific technical skills required in real match situations. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate …

Isolation, Athletic Identity, And Social Support: An Exploration Among Injured Collegiate Student-Athletes, Ally W. Claytor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Season ending and career ending injuries make up a large portion of all injuries (Tirabassi et al., 2016). Among psychological consequences to these types of injuries, isolation is a social consequence that has been identified as occurring after injury (Gould et al., 1997). Isolation is related to loss of identity for an athlete (Mankand et al., 2009). Additionally, low levels of support have been shown to increase feelings of isolation in injured athletes (Mitchell et al., 2014). The purpose of the present study was to explore the experience of isolation as a psychological response to injury among athletes with career …

Comparative Analysis Of Body Composition And Reference Values Of Visceral Adipose Tissues In Various American Collegiate Sports, Eshan M. Dandekar

Master's Theses

Background: Currently, body composition (BC) assessment is usually performed to diagnose disease states and accurately estimate certain types of tissues. In athletes, performing BC assessments helps gauge training and nutrition programs to see if they are adequately meeting the athlete’s needs to improve performance. Annual Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans before the start of an athlete’s season can help identify an athlete’s preparedness or health before training begins.

Objective: To assess the preseason BC of four collegiate sports: Men’s basketball, men’s baseball, women’s volleyball, and women’s soccer, for Fat Mass (FM), bone mineral density BMD), Fat-Free Mass …

Play Like You Mean It: Motivational Predictors Of Female Student Athletes' Practice And Game Performance, Zipporah Rebekah Foster

Online Theses and Dissertations

The current study explores how motivational reasons for goals influence athletic performance on a women's basketball team. The purpose of the current study was to expand on past research associated with fluctuation of motivation in practice and game performance throughout a season. Participants (n = 15) in the current study were female student-athletes, who completed a motivational survey that measured Relationally-Autonomous Reasons (RARs), Personally-Autonomous Reasons (PARs), and Controlled Reasons (CRs). Athletic performance was measured by examining daily practice performance and game statistics for each athlete. The results of the current study showed that RARs were associated with game performance (p < .05), however PARs and CRs were not. RARs were positively associated with game performance whereas PARs were not. The association for RARs and game performance was stronger than RARs and practice performance. Overall, the findings confirm that RARs are associated with game performance in women's sports.

Comparison Of Land And Aquatic Loaded Countermovement Jump Landings In Female Ncaa Division I Collegiate Athletes, Samantha L. Nielson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate alterations in lower extremity kinematics during the landing phase of a countermovement jump when performed in different environments and under multiple external loads. Twenty-four NCAA Divison I collegiate female athletes performed 12 countermovement jumps on land and 12 jumps in water, submerged to the xiphoid process, for a total of 24 jumps. Within each environmental condition, four loading conditions of three jumps each were performed using a weighted vest: Unloaded, 10%, 20%, or 30% of body mass. The hip, knee, and ankle angles were measured as the smallest angles between the major …

The Effect Of Nitrate Supplementation On Exercise Tolerance And Performance: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gavin Van De Walle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper was to systematically review the current literature and evaluate the overall efficacy of nitrate supplementation on exercise tolerance and performance by meta-analysis. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they met the following criteria: 1) were an experimental trial published in an English peer-reviewed journal; 2) compared the effects of inorganic nitrate consumption with a non-bioactive supplement control or placebo; 3) used a quantifiable measure of exercise performance; and 4) was carried out in apparently healthy participants without disease. A total of 29 studies were identified that investigated the effects of nitrate supplementation on exercise tolerance …

The Effect Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness On Jumping Mechanics And Performance, Ryan J. Engels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is an exercise-induced muscle soreness resulting from high-intensity eccentric muscular contractions. DOMS appears to be more prevalent in athletes at the beginning of an athletic season or when new movements or exercise are first introduced. The acute effect of DOMS on jumping mechanics is currently unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of delayed onset muscle soreness on vertical jump performance and jumping mechanics. METHODS: Twenty college aged, recreationally active males participated in this study (age: 21.54 ± 2.61; height: 1.82 ± 0.067; mass: 81.36 ± 9.53). Participants were …

Predicting College Women Rowers’ Motivation And Persistence: A Self-Determination Theory Approach, Audrey Coon

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Collegiate women’s rowing has evidenced unprecedented growth in the past three decades. With an average roster of 50.2 athletes, women’s “crew” has been an attractive sport for colleges and universities to add to their program offerings and achieve compliance with Title IX. To satisfy the increased demand for female athletes, college rowing teams often recruit athletes with no previous rowing experience (i.e., “true novices”). Unfortunately, many programs experience significant attrition within their novice and varsity rowing rosters each season. Thus, while Title IX has been successful in affording opportunities for women rowers, the present study sought to determine the factors …

Utilization Of B-Mode Ultrasound As A Body Fat Estimate In Collegiate Football Players, Parker Hyde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to validate a 7-site ultrasound imaging protocol to predict percent body fat (%BF) in a Division I football team. Body composition was estimated by ultrasound, seven site skinfolds (SKINFOLD), and the three compartment-water (3C-W) model of Siri (1961), using Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) to estimate total body water (TBW) and air-displacement plethysmography (BODPOD^®) to determine body density (Db). Pearson’s product-moment correlation analyses were run to determine between Σ_Ultrasound and the criterion 3C-W, and between the Σ_Skinfold and Σ_Ultrasound. Strong positive correlations were observed between Σ_Skinfold and Σ …

Identity Adaptation And The Potential For Psychological Growth Following Adversity For Injured Athletes, Alanna M. Riordan, Jill Tracey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The study was undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the transition process out of competitive athletics experienced by competitive athletes after a career-limiting injury by examining three research questions: 1) What is the identity adaptation process of injured athletes? 2) To what extent, if any, do injured athletes experience growth following adversity? 3) What, if any, psychological skills are used in the injury/career transition processes? Nine former elite ath- letes were recruited through key informant sampling. There were three males and six females, with a mean age of 24.6 years. All participants sustained, at minimum, a season-ending injury and …

Speed And Agility Training The Mustang Way: The Development Of An Instructional Dvd For Cal Poly Athletes' Summer Training, Gary D. Heron

Master's Theses

SPEED AND AGILITY TRAINING THE MUSTANG WAY:

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL DVD FOR CAL POLY ATHLETES’ SUMMER TRAINING

Gary Douglas Heron

The purpose of this project was to create an instructional DVD of speed and agility training for Cal Poly student-athletes. The DVD is for athletes’ use when they are away from campus during summer break and contains information about the same drills and information the strength and conditioning coaches provided while athletes were on campus. The project was filmed and edited by the graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach for Cal Poly intercollegiate athletics. The DVD contains 74 …

Disordered Eating Habits And Behaviors Among Elite Collegiate Athletes, Ann M. Armes

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Eating disorders and disordered eating habits and behaviors were measured using the Eating Disorders Inventory-3 Referral Form (EDI-3 RF). The sample consisted of 159 elite, collegiate student athletes, males and females, aged 18 to 22. Five sports were represented, including basketball, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, and volleyball. Overall, findings support the position that athletes, as a distinct population, and specifically female athletes and those that participate in lean sports, are at an increased risk for disordered eating behaviors and diagnosable eating disorders. Of the 159 total athletes that completed the questionnaire, 33% (n=53) of the athletes sampled met one …

Fueling Sport Performance: Increasing Awareness In Female Collegiate Vegetarian Athletes, Rachael Irene Marie Sofie

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Vegetarian diets, when well-planned out, have been shown to meet the needs of female athletes. Although the lifestyle provides many benefits, it does not come without risk. Women athletes, in particular, are of the greatest concern. Energy restriction is common among female collegiate athletes. Because athletes are already converting to and practicing a vegetarian lifestyle, it is necessary that athletes and related sport professionals become aware of the risks and benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. By increasing knowledge among related personnel, athletes can use vegetarianism as a performance enhancer. Outlining possible implications of the lifestyle will allow female collegiate athletes …

Practical Precooling Strategies And Cycling Time Trial Performance, Megan L. Ross

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Whole-body precooling can improve endurance exercise performance, especially in the heat; however there are logistical considerations that restrict the use of various precooling strategies prior to actual competition. Precooling is proposed to collectively reduce deep skin and body temperature and in effect, increase the heat storage capacity of an athlete, thereby allowing a greater amount of work to be completed prior to attainment of a critical core temperature. While there is a sound theoretical basis for implementing precooling to improve cycling time trial performance in the heat, the practicalities of employing effective precooling strategies in the field warrant further investigation. …

An Evaluation Of The Motivations And Implications Of Participating In High School Athletics While Injured, Trevor M. Bateson

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

No abstract provided.

Shoulder Rehabilitation For The Injured Overhead-Throwing Athlete, Joshua M. Raskoff

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Baseball incorporates the violent motion of throwing as a main act of physical exertion. The shoulder joint is vulnerable to injury during this movement. The overall purpose of this study was to produce a rehabilitation program for injured overhead-throwing athletes and have it evaluated by healthcare professionals. A paper and pen style questionnaire was sent through the mail to a network of professionals in California. Eighteen of the 20 questionnaires were returned. The quantitative feedback of the Likert scale questions indicated that the program was effective and usable while the qualitative feedback indicated the opposite. The additional comments allowed experts …