Sports Studies Commons^™

Exploring Youth Soccer Coach Recruitment Practices, Han-Earl Lim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative single-case study examined how a private-interest, nonprofit youth soccer club in the Midwestern United States recruits coaches, what coach qualities are prioritized in hiring, and how organizational and sociocultural conditions shape those practices. The study was guided by three research questions focused on (a) recruitment and early support processes, (b) hiring criteria and decision rationales, and (c) the organizational and sociocultural contexts influencing recruitment. Data were generated through five semi-structured interviews with four participants who were involved in recruitment practices (the Executive Director, the Assistant Director, and two full-time head coaches). Additional sources included an organizational mapping survey …

Juegos Panamericanos Y Parapanamericanos 2023. Estudios Sobre El Impacto Social, Turismo, Voluntariado, Y Equilibrio De Género, Gonzalo A. Bravo, Daniel Duclos-Bastías, Jorge Silva-Bórquez, Jose María López-Gullón, Jose Miguel Vegara-Ferri, Salvador Angosto-Sánchez, Melissa L. Roco-Olivares, Patricio A. Rubilar-Arancibia, David Gallegos-Meza, Natasha Santos-Lise

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

During the Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games, held between October and November of 2023 in Santiago, Chile, six researchers from universities in the United States, Spain and Chile, conducted data collection for four research studies. These studies focused on: (1) the Games’ social impact on residents; (2) tourist profiles and their evaluations of the event; (3) volunteer motivations, empowerment, satisfaction, and future intentions; and (4) progress toward gender equity in Pan American sport organizations. Over 13,000 responses were collected. Findings on social impact showed improved public perception, enhanced infrastructure, a better city image, and a stronger sense …

Assessing The Feasibility Of The Virtual Reality Training Protocol For Sport, Jarad A. Lewellen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research has supported the use of virtual reality (VR) in sport to train skills such as decision-making and anticipation, as well as aid in injury rehabilitation. Despite this, VR is not commonly used as a training tool in sport. Barriers to its adoption include a lack of understanding, low awareness, and risk of cybersickness. As such, there is a critical need to address these barriers and promote acceptance of VR in sport. The purpose of this single-arm, non-randomized, mixed-methods feasibility trial was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the Virtual Reality Training Protocol for Sport (VRTPS), which was designed …

A Learning History Of Online Portfolio Development In Kinesiology: Academic Innovation From Pilot To Powerhouse, Lyndsay M. Burneisen Phd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the phased development of an online kinesiology education program, tracing its evolution from inception to institutionalization through Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory. Using a learning history methodology, this research synthesizes document analysis, stakeholder interviews, and focus groups, and historical program data to explore how strategic leadership, faculty engagement, student support, and technological advancements influenced the program’s growth and sustainability. The research is structured around three critical phases: inception, maturation, and institutionalization, highlighting key adaptations in curriculum design, administrative structures, and quality assurance. Findings reveal a transition from a decentralized, experimental model to a structured, integrated online …

Sensory Evaluation And Consumer Acceptance Of A Protein Enriched Energy Bar, Brennah T. Groves

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Acceptance of a Protein Enriched Energy Bar

Brennah Groves

This study evaluated the sensory properties and consumer acceptance of a protein enriched energy bar. The objectives of this study were to 1) formulate a high-protein energy bar containing at least 20 g of protein per 100 g serving, and 2) determine whether increasing the protein content in an energy bar would enhance the sensory evaluation and improve consumer acceptance among collegiate athletes. The control energy bar featured a shortbread base, date caramel with whey protein, a nougat layer, and a chocolate coating. Additional collagen protein …

A Multi-Case Study Exploring Ncaa Division I Athletic Departments’ Mental Health Culture Through Stakeholders’ Perspectives, Kimberly Ann Granados Tolentino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite the NCAA’s ongoing efforts to guide athletic departments into providing sufficient mental health support to student-athletes, psychological well-being continues to be a primary area of concern for collegiate athletes. Student-athletes are as likely as the regular college population to experience mental health issues, but less likely to seek services (Watson, 2005). Researchers have continued to examine the perceived barriers preventing student-athletes from utilization of mental health services which include a lack of knowledge, limited access, and perceived negative stigma (e.g., Harris & Maher, 2023; Yoon & Petrie, 2023). Organizational culture–loosely defined as a group’s accumulated shared learning in which …

Development Of High-Performance Coaches And Burnout, Amy Cashin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coach education is imperative, especially as coaching moves towards professionalization (Lara-Bercial, 2022). The literature has shown that high-performance coaches are closest to fitting the criteria of a profession (Lara-Bercial et al., 2022) while also being at risk of experiencing burnout due to the high level of stress faced within their job (Bentzen et al., 2014; Olusoga & Kenttä, 2016). The purpose of this study was twofold. First to have a more comprehensive understanding of Australian Athletics high-performance coaches’ wants and needs regarding coaching education as it pertains to coach wellbeing and burnout; and second, to have an in-depth exploration of …

Soccer Sheikhs: Qatar, Football, And The Quest For Self-Confidence And Global Prominence, Ali Ahsan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines Qatar’s strategic use of football as a mechanism for securing ontological security within the international system. Moving beyond standard International Relations explanations of state behavior, the study draws on ontological security theory which emphasizes the need of states to sustain a coherent sense of self through routines, narratives, and recognition. By framing football as such a practice, the dissertation advances the study of sport as a growing area of interest in the political sciences. Through a qualitative methodology employing Reflexive Thematic Analysis of expert interviews, the research analyzes Qatar’s football policies, including hosting the 2022 FIFA World …

Life After Sport: A Program Development Plan For Student-Athletes, Loryn Shawn Frame

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

College athletics stakeholders have had growing concerns regarding student-athletes’ transition out of collegiate athletics. Research specific to student-athletes following college athletics has explored mental health, role identity, and occupational participation. This program development plan addresses occupational therapy’s role in assisting student-athletes transition out of collegiate athletics. The needs assessment conducted with West Virginia University athletic staff revealed two gaps in programming: athletic identity including leisure exploration, and a program to help student-athletes who want to enter health professional programs. Life After Sport comprises two programs, one to help student-athletes transition into a health professional program, titled Athletes in Medicine (AIM), …

A Randomized Need-Supportive Intervention With U.S. Youth Hockey Coaches, Diane Benish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coach behaviors impact several essential athlete factors such as the quality of athlete motivation and psychological functioning and yet, many youth coaches remain untrained in motivation and athlete-centered principles. This study’s aim was to explore the efficacy of a need-supportive intervention on youth hockey coaches’ attitudes toward, and reported use of, need-supportive and/or need-thwarting approaches. Participants included 25 youth hockey coaches randomly assigned to an intervention or delayed control condition. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the intervention included four sessions within which coaches learned how to adopt need-supportive coaching strategies and reduce need-thwarting tactics. A mixed-methods approach guided the evaluation of …

Examining The Online Marketing Of Sport Psychology Services By Certified Mental Performance Consultants: A Rhetorical Analysis, Jaxson S. Judkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, Certified Mental Performance Consultants (CMPCs) have increased their footprint in social media to connect with those that seek sport psychology services (Cotterill & Symes, 2014). The aim of this study was to identify what social media platforms are most used among CMPCs and what persuasive elements are used to draw in potential clients. All active CMPCs from 1992 to 2023 were examined to determine the most popular social media platforms used, followed by an analysis of 219 CMPCs based on their ownership of a LinkedIn account and professional website. Results indicated that LinkedIn and the consultants’ custom …

From Measurement To Performance: Psychometric Validity And Psychological Predictors Of Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets’ Performance On The Army Combat Fitness Test, Ari Joseph Sapinsley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding the psychological and physical readiness of future military leaders is crucial for improving recruitment and retention. The U.S. Army faces increasing obesity rates and declining physical fitness among recruits, reducing the pool of eligible candidates and raising costs. The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), which commissions 59% of officers, has higher attrition rates than other sources, underscoring the need to identify psychological predictors of performance. This dissertation examines the psychometric properties of psychological instruments used to assess ROTC cadets and their relationship with Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) performance. Two research questions were explored: (1) What are the psychometric …

Career Progression And Experiences Of Late Career Women Strength And Conditioning Coaches, Marla Df Gladstone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Women in strength and conditioning roles at the NCAA Division I level account for approximately 16% of the S&C coaching professionals (NCAA, 2022). Between 2000 and 2022, only six studies have examined the population of female strength and conditioning coaches (SCC). The aim of this project was to understand the challenges women SCC have experienced reaching, entering, and sustaining to late career. Another goal was to learn how women SCC navigated through the barriers within the coaching profession. Due to the construction of gender in organizations, role congruity theory has been used to analyze the experiences of women in sport …

Exploring The Conceptualizations And Utilizations Of Learning Theories In Sport Settings, Kevin R. Lou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to identify how integrating learning theories into the design of a formal university course helps facilitate students’ resources, goals, and orientations (Schoenfeld, 2011) of learning theories for their future career work in coaching, sport psychology consulting, or other sport-related professions. Sixteen students signed up for a fifteen-week fall semester course at a Mid-Atlantic university in America and were asked to annotate, create, and reflect upon examples of future work in their desired fields for their three major written assignments in the course. Students reflected on their learning experience through pre-and-post semi-structured interviews and most …

“Building The Roots”: A Delphi Study Examining The Aims Of A Multicultural Competency Graduate Course In Sport And Exercise Psychology, Matthew Paul Gonzalez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Historically, opportunities to develop cultural competency in sport and exercise psychology graduate programs have been limited (Lee, 2015). Recently, major sport psychology organizations across the world have started to require cultural competency in their credentialing requirements. While this represents progress, these requirements can be met with a single course, which falls below the ideal of integrated cultural competency education (Martens et al., 2000). The present study investigated how to maximize the quality of a single course by coming to agreement on a proposed set of impactful and feasible learning outcomes and assessments in that proposed single course related to cultural …

Sexual Misconduct Against Female Athletes: Knowledge, Training, And Readiness To Act Of Future Sport Leaders, Mackenzie B. Luikart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to understand the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of current education in sport related degree programs and the impact that has on future and current sport leaders to confront and report sexual misconduct in sport.

A total of 15 participants were selected to participate in this study. The participants for this study include current graduate students pursuing degree programs in either coaching studies or sport management, and graduates of these two programs (within the last five years) who are currently in the workforce in their respective fields. Most participants were white, female, and currently served a …

How Do College Student-Athletes’ Understanding And Expectations Of Mindfulness And Self-Compassion Change Through An Intervention?, Blake Costalupes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the last two decades, mindfulness has permeated sport, exercise, and performance psychology (SEPP). Mindfulness research in SEPP primarily focuses on the efficacy of manualized protocols on various outcomes related to performance and wellbeing; how athletes understand this complex construct, though, is largely unexplored in the literature. Additionally, some researchers suggest that the potentially paradoxical adoption of mindfulness in Western psychology may be contributing to limited outcomes, low engagement in, and poor adherence to mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). In addition, the exploration of self-compassion as a mechanism for change through mindfulness practice has increased in recent years, making it an important …

Longitudinal Sport Science Implementation In American Collegiate Men’S Basketball, Jason Stone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The expanding opportunities to implement sport science frameworks in elite-level basketball environments coincide with the sport’s increasing global prominence. Concomitant to these opportunities is the continual growth of the sport technology market (e.g., wearables, force plates) and computational power (e.g., data management tools, coding capabilities), which yields solutions and challenges for both athletes and practitioners. Due to the rapid influx of new sport technologies in high performance environments, particularly American Collegiate Men’s Basketball, more formal and ecologically valid research on how to effectively utilize data derived from them, particularly over long periods of time (i.e., multiple seasons) is needed. To …

Using A Data-Driven Approach To Examine Facility Use Definitions In Campus Recreation, Sera Janson Zegre, Rodney P. Hughes, Andrew M. Darling, Craig R. Decker

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Existing research in campus recreation establishes a relationship between facility use and academic outcomes, but published studies define users differently. In response to inconsistent definitions of participants in campus recreation, this study uses a data-driven approach to compare facility use definitions. Authors illustrate the implications of choosing different participant definitions for relationships between campus recreation and two undergraduate academic outcomes, first-year retention and first-year cumulative grade point average (GPA). This study uses data from a three-year timeframe, linking sources of data on students’ recreation facility use, academic outcomes, and student records. Authors provide a summary of previous definitions, results from …

Mindfulness In The Sport Academy Classroom: Exploring Benefits And Barriers Of A Low-Dose Intervention, Andrew Augustus, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a low-dose mindfulness program with student–athletes (SA) at a
sport academy in the USA. First, SAs were introduced to mindfulness in their health class with conceptual lessons and guided
meditations from the Headspace ‘Guide to Meditation’ series. Following each episode, SAs reflected on their experience
via guided prompts led by their teacher. The second phase shifted towards applying mindfulness within their sport through
app-based guided meditations and sport-based reflections led by teachers in their mental skills classes. Student–athlete
perceptions of these experiences were captured through the reflection exercises and a post-program evaluation …

Gender Leadership Imbalance In Sport Organizations In Latin America, Monica Yamile Gonzalez-Cuevas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the study was to examine gender imbalance at the leadership level of sport administration at National Olympic Committees (NOC), National Paralympic Committees (NPC), and National Sport Organizations (NSF) of countries members of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). Specifically, this study examined how social and human capital, socio-cultural aspects of each country, and power-based discourses affect the advancement of women’s careers at the micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis.

A total of 12 participants were selected to participate in this study. Participants were all female sport administrators holding the position of president, vice-president, or secretary-general of …

Short-Term International Sport For Development And Peace Programs: A Retrospective Analysis And Critique Informed By Stakeholders’ Perspectives In A Two-Year Follow-Up, Adam Hansell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) programs are a popular approach to promoting positive development throughout the world, spanning health, education, peace, and social issues. However, scholars have identified critical shortcomings of SDP work, including the potential to reinforce neoliberalist tendencies and values imposition from the Global North to the Global South. Deporte y Cambio Social was a short-term SDP program established through partnership between American and Mexican constituent groups with aims to empower girls and women through soccer. Through six semi-structured, two-year retrospective interviews, the purpose of the present study was to explore cross-cultural understandings of power and intercultural …

Exploration Of Intercollegiate Student-Athletes’ Athletic Identity, Leah C. Oldham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Student-athletes encounter experiences that can cause their identity process and self-concept to be disturbed. Even though athletic identities are strong among intercollegiate athletes, some encounter identity-threatening events that interrupt their identity process, negatively affecting their athletic identity. The present study adds to current research on the athletic identity of student-athletes by examining the athletic identity and self-esteem of student-athletes to determine if a redshirt season is a positive (identity-enhancing) or negative (identity-threatening) event. The intersectionality of age, race, gender, and ethnicity are examined to understand if multiple identities influence the experience of a redshirt season. Results reveal that a redshirt …

'Deporte Y Cambio Social': Women's Empowerment Sdp Program In Mexico, Sofia Espana Perez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mexico is ranked as the second lowest country in the world in labor force participation, and income and wage disparities specific to women (Gender Gap Report, 2019). “Deporte y Cambio Social” was a train-the-trainer sport-based program grounded in the Social Change Model (SCM; HERI, 1996) that used soccer as a vehicle to explore women empowerment and leadership development in Mexico. Three semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 18 Mexican women (n = 10) and men (n = 8; Mage = 23) coaches who completed the program. Using a social constructivist framework, reflexive thematic analysis was used to examine the …

Transference Of Emotional Intelligence And Self-Efficacy Observed Through Adventure West Virginia Student Trip Leaders, Ashley Irene Fox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since the creation of university sponsored outdoor recreation trips, research studies have been conducted to examine the impact of this programming on participants. These studies have typically assessed impacts through measuring common components used to quantify overall leadership abilities such as emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and transference. In this study, researchers utilized a quasi-experimental approach to attempt to measure the impact of leading outdoor orientation trips on leader ability to transfer leadership skills to other areas of life. A sample (N = 29) of undergraduate student trip leaders of West Virginia University’s Adventure West Virginia (AWV) program was surveyed and divided …

Comparing Depression And Anxiety Among Athletes And Nonathletes In A College Counseling Center Population., Alexandria Kinder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study focused on self-reported rates of anxiety and depression when first presenting to a college counseling center at a state university in the mid-Atlantic region. The self-reported measures are the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) and Standardized Data Set (SDS), data forms that are supported through the electronic medical record system, Titanium. The data compared clinical populations of non-student-athletes and student-athletes to understand how the additional athlete identity may contribute to mental health. This study employed a between-subjects, quantitative-descriptive, cross-sectional, design to define and describe the nature of the relationships between one continuous dependent (anxiety or depression) …

A Qualitative Study Of College Athletes’ Experiences Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carra Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took a toll on collegiate athletics, as all in-person sport activity was shut down temporarily, and competition schedules were heavily altered. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to develop an understanding of how Division I collegiate athletes experienced the pause in college sports that resulted from the COVID-19 crisis, during the first seven to nine months of the pandemic (depending on the time of interview). Between October and December 2020, eleven participants (six females, five males) engaged in individual, semi-structured interviews in which they were asked to describe how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their …

Professional Sporting Events Increase Seasonal Influenza Mortality In Us Cities, Alexander Cardazzi, Brad Humphreys, Jane E. Ruseski, Brian P. Soebbing, Nicholas Watanabe

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down sporting events worldwide. Local policy makers and league officials face important decisions about restarting play, especially in professional leagues that draw large numbers of spectators to games. We analyze the impact of professional sporting events on local seasonal influenza mortality to develop evidence that will help inform sports league reopening policy decisions. Results from a difference-in-differences model applied to data from a sample of US cities that gained new professional sports teams over the period 1962-2016 show that the presence of games in these cities increased local influenza mortality by between 4% and 24%, depending …

The Relationship Between Campus Recreation Facility Use And Retention For First-Time Undergraduate Students, Sera Janson Zegre, Rodney P. Hughes, Andrew M. Darling, Craig R. Decker

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This study examines the relationship between campus recreation facility access and first-year retention of full-time, first-time undergraduate students at a public university for 2014–2015 through 2016–2017. Authors examine differences between facility users and nonusers by pairing facility swipe card data with student records. Statistical analysis includes logistic regression and matching approaches, controlling for student demographics, academic preparedness, academic goals, family characteristics, and various environmental factors. Results show a positive and significant relationship between recreation facility use and retention, including 7.1 to 8.4 percentage points higher retention for users versus nonusers, holding other variables constant. Subsample analysis suggests the relationship between …

Adding Insult To Rivalry: Exploring The Discord Communicated Between Rivals, Jennifer L. Harker, Jonathan A. Jensen

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to extend current knowledge regarding rivalry communication among sport consumers to better understand how rivals behave with one another when they communicate.

Design/methodology/approach – This national survey of US sport consumers used a novel approach to explore whether and with whom rivals discuss National Football League (NFL) game outcomes. The survey captured both uniplex and multiplex data by asking respondents to name rival discussants with whom they had recently interacted, and the fan behaviors they exchanged with those named rival discussants.

Findings – Through use of this novel data collection approach, new …