Sports Studies Commons^™

Bilateral Muscle Oxygenation Kinetics In Response To Repeat Sprint Cycling In Strong And Weak Individuals, John Abbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Repeat sprint ability has been investigated thoroughly, however optimal training methodology to improve RSA remains elusive. Both kinetic and physiological viewpoints have been used to scrutinize aspects of RSA including, initial sprint performance (anaerobic power), maximal cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), lactate threshold, anaerobic capacity (mean power), muscle activation (EMG), and local muscle oxygenation kinetics. To our knowledge no study has utilized maximal strength levels as a separate factor among a homogenous group of cardiorespiratory fitness individuals (as determined by peak VO2 during RSA). The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between maximal strength, muscular characteristics, and cycling …

Impact Of Coaching By Extension Professionals On Rural Wellness Coalition Success, Taylor Willhite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To quantitatively assess coaches perceived confidence in coaching rural wellness coalitions and to qualitatively determine barriers and facilitators to success in coaching rural wellness coalitions.
Design: A mixed methods design was utilized with quantitative (scorecard) and qualitative (key informant interviews) methodologies.
Setting: Six rural South Dakota wellness coalitions.
Participants: Extension wellness coalition coaches (n=7), one previous and six current.
Intervention: A component of the broader SDSU Extension 1416 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) intervention.
Analysis: STATA was utilized for the quantitative scorecard data by running paired ttests. NVivo was utilized in the …

College Student Engagement On Campus: Attending Collegiate Sports Events, Nur Islamiah Mohamad Fuad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While attending collegiate sports events is part of the college experience, especially in the United States, there is a decline in students’ attendance at collegiate sports events shown in the past years. The purpose of this study is to (1) investigate college students' experience in attending collegiate sports events, (2) identify college students’ motivations and constraints in attending collegiate sports events, and (3) recognize possible strategies to improve collegiate sports events attendance and engagement on college campuses. A qualitative research approach, focus group, was used to facilitate discussion and interaction with a group of students sharing their experiences and perspectives …

The Training Of A Para Powerlifter: A Case Study Of Adaptive Monitoring, Training And Overcoming, Derek Wilcox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Paralympic athletes (PA) appear to be more prone to chronic overuse injuries from daily wheelchair or crutch use. Over half of these injuries are shoulder related which can deleteriously impact quality of life. Adaptive powerlifters (AP) are a subdivision of Paralympic athletes and are at a higher risk for catastrophic injuries as compared to their counterparts, due to the compound of fatigue and lifting of maximal weights. For this reason, it is vital to have well-designed training plans for these athletes in order to preserve quality of life and maximize performance in competition. Unfortunately, there is a lack of literature …

Exploring The Match Demands Of Division I Women’S Collegiate Soccer, Robert W. Sausaman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to shed light on the physical demands of women’s soccer at the NCAA division I college level. Though research does exists describing the physical demands of women’s soccer, the vast majority seeks to explain the physical demands association with the professional and international level. This dissertation sought to: 1) examine the physical demands of NCAA division I women’s soccer and 2) observe changes in physical demands of two NCAA division I women’s soccer players over a four-year career using a case study approach.

Study 1 examined the physical demands of twenty-three athlete from a …

The Yips: A Phenomenological Investigation Into The Experience Of A Lost Movement, Patrick O'Brien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the experience of the yips, a phenomenon in athletics in which individuals lose the ability to perform a basic, habitual movement of their sports. There is a growing body of research which frames the yips as a movement disorder with possible physical or psychological etiologies, or with components of both. This study centers on the experiences of athletes with the yips, seeking to understand the nature and meaning of the relationship between yips-experienced individuals and their yips, as well as what these meanings reveal about the yips in general. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews …

The Division I Men's Basketball Transfer Redshirt Requirement : Hurting Or Helping Black Student-Athletes?, Sarah B. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following study provided a voice to an otherwise unheard from population of former student-athletes as they explained their transition experiences with the Division I transfer and redshirt year. The purpose of the study was to explore the Black student-athlete’s transition experience through the redshirt year in Division I men’s basketball from a qualitative, phenomenological research perspective. The study used two theories as guiding frameworks: 1) Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Theory and 2) Critical Race Theory (Calmore, 1992; Tate, 1997). Both Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Theory and Critical Race Theory were used to examine the transition experience of the Black male basketball …

Hemoglobin A1c Levels And Sport Participation In Children With Type 1 Diabetes., Amy Kozerski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study’s purpose was to determine a possible difference in hemoglobin A1c levels and sport participation in children with type 1 diabetes. Patients with provided consent via an iPad electronic informed consent/assent (preamble) completed a physical activity and sport participation survey. The survey was linked to their medical chart including demographic and diabetes medical history (e.g. HbA1c). The analyses provided a sample of 120 participants, 40 in the no sport participation group and 78 in the sport participation group with 56 females and 64 males, with an average age12.94±2.8 years. An independent sample t-test, removing one outlier from the …

A Better Predictor Of Nfl Success: Collegiate Performance Or The Nfl Draft Combine?, Michael Gallagher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

NFL teams spend massive sums to ensure they are prepared for the future, but how should they determine whom that future includes? This study set out to find what predicts NFL success more accurately – collegiate in-game performance or the NFL Draft Combine. In the sample of 2007-2012 first-round picks, 191 athletes were measured in three NFL Draft Combine drills, two physical components, and a varying amount of ingame collegiate and NFL performance statistical categories, dependent on position. Secondarily, this work examined Power 5 and non-Power 5 players to determine if attending a more prolific program was predictive of NFL …

Younger Millennials And Outdoor Recreation: Understanding Outdoor Recreational Pursuits Of Millennial College Students, Jason Mehlhaf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Outdoor recreation has been shown through past research to provide numerous benefits to the participant when utilized, but for younger millennials, life’s expectations are pulling them away from participating. If there is a decrease in recreation participation, what will motivate this demographic toward participation in the future? The purpose of this study is to identify younger millennial perceptions, habits, and trends, so that in the future, recreation professionals are able to cater for specifically toward this demographic. Two universities in South Dakota, one public and one private, were surveyed through an online software program, QuestionPro, to a convenience sample from …

The Relationship Between Campus Wellness Center Usage And Symptoms Of Depression In College Freshmen, Allison Leonard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is limited research done on the relationship between the program utilization at a campus wellness facility and the symptoms of depression in college freshmen. College students have been found to have a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than the general population, possibly due to the stressors college life can add. Studies have been done on the effects of physical activity as an intervention for depression as well as on the benefits of campus wellness facilities; however, there have been few studies that look at both campus recreation and depression. The author’s purpose for this study was to see if …

The Impact Of Alcohol Consumption On Academic Success And Athletic Identity In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Zoe E. Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Upon entering college in the United States, students are exposed to alcohol and, relatedly, the potentially dangerous experiences and effects that come with consuming alcohol. This is especially true for collegiate student-athletes, who have been found to have the highest consumption rate among student groups on campus. The purpose of the study was to understand the relationship between how student-athletes at a focus university, a Division I member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, experience alcohol consumption, how their consumption affects their academic grade point average (GPA), and how athletic identity plays a role in their experiences. While the research …

African American Student-Athletes: Factors Influencing Choice Of Graduate School, Tanner Feterl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although support systems are in place for student-athletes, African Americans remain underrepresented in careers requiring a graduate education, including intercollegiate athletic departments (Okahana, Feaster, & Allum, 2016). The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the factors influencing an NCAA Mid-major, Division I African American student-athletes’ choice of pursuing graduate school. Researchers identified themes utilizing Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Student Involvement Theory frameworks to explain the influencing factors. The participants consisted of nine African American sophomore, junior, and senior student-athletes who participated in different sports and were chosen using purpose sampling. Each participant took part in an …

Analysis Of Factors Influencing College Choice Decisions Of Mid-Major Ncaa Division I Swimmers, Kaden Huntrods

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student-athletes face an ever-increasing challenge of selecting a higher education institution that meets their desired criteria academically and athletically. Coaches and recruiters have sought to discover how to best recruit student-athletes over the history of college athletics. Understanding these factors can assist coaches and athletes to create athletic programs to best fit the desired student-athletes. This study examined the factors that influence the college selection process of mid-major NCAA Division I, male and female swimmers. The instrument utilized in this study was the Student Athlete College Choice Profile Survey (SACCPS). The participants included 141 student-athletes from seven mid-major NCAA Division …

Tumble Tots: Outcomes Of A Gymnastics Program For Children With Disabilities, Cayla Leichtenberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the benefits, children with disabilities do not participate in recreational activities as often as typically developing peers. The purpose of the program was to: 1) describe the benefit of a gymnastics program on a child’s development, and 2) identify the impact of a staff training program. Engagement in the proposed program aimed to ultimately contribute to a child’s involvement in recreational activities, health and quality of life (QOL). All participants in the gymnastics program demonstrated a positive change in motor and communication skills. Pre-test data from the staff training program indicated that none of the gymnastics staff members were …

Exploring The Capabilities Approach In A Sport For Development And Peace Setting., Jeffrey F. Levine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) has become a popular approach to development. However, critical scholars remain skeptical of SDP’s effectiveness. Utilizing a holistic approach that includes local voices may help a program’s effectiveness. Scholars are searching for a framework flexible enough to accommodate the varied nature of programs. One theoretical approach is the Capabilities Approach, which evaluates well-being based on what people can do and be. This case study explored the Capabilities Approach in an SDP setting. Youth Odyssey, a non-profit organization that works with at-risk youth through adventure programming, was the case. This case study explored what role …

The Relationship Between The Dark Tetrad Using The Hexaco Personality Models In Relationship To Mental Toughness In College Athletes, Michael K. Ryerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dark Triad has been examined before in previous literature many different times. The Dark Tetrad is recently new to the field and does not have the same amount of literature as the Triad. The Dark Triad and Tetrad have been examined with the Big Five Personality model numerous times and have been negatively correlated in the previous research. However, most of the research examined did not use Honesty-Humility that the HEXACO Personality Model has incorporated into the Big Five Personality model. The topic of mental toughness has been researched numerous times since its acceptance as a personality trait. The difficulty …

Jumping Over The Hurdle : Examining And Overcoming The Barriers For Women In Intercollegiate Athletics Through Mentorship., Emma Mary Cohen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the evident underrepresentation of females working intercollegiate athletics at all levels, there is a growing need to understand the types of barriers that limit women and cause these disproportionate representation(Acosta & Carpenter, 2014; Staurowsky & Smith, 2016). There is also a need to explore the impact of meaningful mentorship to combat these apparent obstacles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers women currently face as they enter the intercollegiate athletics workplace in entry-level positions and explore the role of mentors in their career success. Entry-level sport administrators are a demographic of the industry that has not …

A Qualitative Case Study Examination Of Athlete Ally Using Social Movement Theory., Samuel H. Schmidt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following study answered the call for more social movement related studies in sport (Davis-Delano & Crosset, 2008) and lessened the paucity of literature on athlete activism. The purpose of this study was to examine a sport specific social movement organization, Athlete Ally, using Social Movement Theory. Social Movement Theory is guided by three tenets: Resource Mobilization Theory (Edwards & McCarthy, 2004), Political Process Theory (Kriesi, 2004), and Cultural Theory/Frame Analysis (Williams, 2004). Each of these tenets was used to examine the resources exchanged between Athlete Ally and their athlete constituents, determine the strategies for engaging with various sport (i.e. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Media Representation Of Us College Athletic Scandals In Traditional News Media And Mediated Communication Within The College, Colleen Starrs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study critically analyzes organizational and mass media communication about the Penn State Child Sexual Abuse Scandal of 2011. The author examines the different ways in which Pennsylvania State University administrators and officials communicated the scandal internally to their community (campus community and surrounding city community) and compared it to how The New York Times communicated the scandal through their unique media platform to the world. The timeline for the data is from November 1, 2011, to July 31, 2012, as the scandal broke to the world, as well as, the months immediately after. The findings suggest that as the …

Baseball In The Background: Season Ticket Holder Retention In Summer Collegiate Baseball, Susan Wallrich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate season ticket purchasing motives in summer collegiate baseball, specifically in the Northwoods League. The Sport Fan Motivation Scale (Wann, Schrader, & Wilson, 1999) was used in this study to determine fan attendance motives at summer collegiate baseball games. The literature review examines fan motivation, sports as entertainment, and season-ticket holder retention. The results from this study were obtained by administering a modified version of the Sport Fan Motivation Scale (Wann et al., 1999), a 20-question, 5 point, Likert scale survey to season ticket holders of a Northwoods League team. The outcome of …

The Effect Of Periodized Strength Training And Periodized Concurrent Training On Running Performance, Nicholas Fiolo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the changes in preparedness over the course of training for a marathon in two well-trained runners. The athletes completed periodized strength training or a periodized concurrent training. This dissertation consisted of two separate investigations:

Study 1 – The purpose of this study was to monitor changes in force production ability and running performance in one sub-elite marathon runner before, during, and after undertaking a short-term block periodized strength training program. The athlete ceased strength training during the off-seasons and resumed testing after 10. The athlete experienced likely true, meaningful changes in force …

The Lose-Lose Situation : Identity Prioritization And Gendered Communication In Co-Recreational Intramural Basketball., Megan Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Co-recreational sports deserve to be studied due to their relationship between the environment, identity prioritization, and gendered communication for individuals. In spite of the environment’s importance in collegiate student development, few have asked the questions of: how do co-recreational intramural basketball players manage their multiple identities and statuses when playing with or against members of the same or opposite sex; and how do players of both sexes use gendered communication strategies to negotiate predominantly masculine leisure environments, like intramural basketball leagues? Using in-depth interviews from co-recreational intramural basketball players at the University of Louisville triangulated with observations of co-recreational intramural …

Civic Pride Or Civic Duty? : An Examination Of Willingness To Support A Professional Sport Stadium Referendum., Alicia M. Cintron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Professional sport stadium subsidization is abundant across the United States, where the voting public is sometimes provided the opportunity to approve the measures through referendum. Many of these referendums are approved by the voters (Kellison & Mondello, 2014; Mondello & Anderson, 2004), despite research stating professional sport stadiums bring little to no economic benefit to a municipality (Baade, 1994, 1996; Baade & Dye, 1988a, 1990; Baade et al., 2008; Coates & Humphreys, 1999, 2002; Euchner, 1993; Zipp, 1996). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand what factors may influence a constituent’s willingness to support a professional sport stadium …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Sport And Fandom Through Hans-Georg Gadamer And Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Alexander Regina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project aims to uncover the phenomenological and communicative roots of sport fandom from the fan perspective, taking into account the many ways in which fans come to contact sport and integrate corresponding experiences into their own lives and sense of being in the world. Hans-Georg Gadamer and Maurice Merleau-Ponty are used to understand the conventions of play that manifest in sport, leading not only to the co-creation of the game experience due to the intertwining of spectators and players but also to the interplay of temporal realms that leads to what Gadamer calls the fusion of horizons. Through …

Ice Hockey Coaches' Beliefs And Perceptions Of Coach Education, Alexander Chriest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to provide insight into ice hockey coaches' beliefs and perceptions of coach education programs. USA Hockey is the governing body for all hockey in the United States and requires education through the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program. Gaining a better understanding of how hockey coaches perceive coach education programs provided information that can be used in the evaluation and development of future programs. The theoretical framework used in this study was expectancy-value theory. USA Hockey youth coaches (N = 410) were surveyed using the Coaching Education Questionnaire, a 55-item instrument used to collect …

Collegiate Student-Athlete Perceptions Of The Impact Of Concussion On Academic Performance, Robert H. Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to indicate the experiences of collegiate student-athletes in meeting academic demands when experiencing prolonged recovery from concussion and if they perceive a need for academic accommodations. There is a gap in present concussion and an absence of studies that examine if academic accommodations are helpful during concussion recovery. The study was guided by 3 research questions focused on the return to learn during the recovery process. The study was limited to 9 student-athletes currently enrolled at three postsecondary institutions: Christian Brothers University, Rhodes College, and the University of Memphis. The study participants met …

Comparison Of Physical Activity And Sleep Measures Based On Subjective And Objective Measures., Amy Jo Walden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sleep times and patterns are related to sport performance. Previous research suggests that sleep patterns contribute to differences in laboratory maximal effort treadmill tests, but little research has been done on maximal effort testing in the field. Further, research is lacking on whether sprint and acceleration times are correlated to sleep patterns. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine if a relationship exists between field performance testing and sleep patterns in female high school field hockey players. METHODS: Within the first week of pre-season training female high school field hockey players (n=15, age=15.47±1.06) completed a demographic …

Student-Athlete: A Study Of Student-Athlete Workload Compared With Traditional Student Workload, Chuck Provencio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze data on the workload of students and student-athletes to determine if there is a significant difference in the workloads of student-athletes compared with non-athletes, including undergraduate and graduate students. It was hypothesized that student-athletes would spend more time in athletic activities, but would sacrifice time in other areas. Method: This analysis of variance study collected data from 22 students at South Dakota State University using the Student Activity Log and categorized those students using a combination of three of six labels (student-athlete or non-athlete, undergraduate or graduate, and working …

The Effect Of Nba Free Agency On Player Utility, Austin Erikson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Observably, free agents in the National Basketball Association often make misguided decisions during the free agency period. These decisions may have a direct effect on a player’s performance and salary, affecting their overall utility. Research exists confirming that moving through free agency leads to an effect on player performance, but no study has explored the effect of changing teams through free agency on a player’s salary. As a significant number of players enter this market every year, research on this area is crucially important. The null hypothesis for performance is: H0: moving to a different team through free agency leads …