Sports Studies Commons^™

The Value Of Local Authority Investment In Active Recreation In Terms Of Citizen Life Satisfaction And Levels Of Physical Activity, Lee Patrick Conor Rushe

Theses

Local authorities in Ireland have historically had an input in to the delivery of sport and physical activity nationwide, and are often seen as a key player in this area (Irish Sports Council, 2013). Various legal acts governing Irish local authorities outline the role of local authorities in the provision of sport and physical activity (Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, 2012; Government of Ireland, 2014). Local authorities provide sport and physical activity opportunities through the provision of facilities predominantly and to a lesser extent through the provision of programmes and employment of personnel. Varying approaches to this …

Attrition Rate In U.S. Women's Artistic Gymnastics By Level, Kayleigh A. Swift

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rates of attrition at each level within US Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. Using USA Gymnastics membership information, this thesis explored trends within raising and falling membership rates by level and the potential predictive information this can offer gyms, coaches, parents and athletes. Until this study, previous research had only looked at the causes of attrition. The results of this study provided insight into when this attrition will be most likely to occur. This will assist in preparing coaches, parents and athletes to make informed decisions in regards to the training and commitment …

Enhancing Collegiate Women’S Soccer Psychosocial And Performance Outcomes By Promoting Intrinsic Sources Of Sport Enjoyment, Scott Barnicle, Damon Burton

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This study examined the effectiveness of an applied mental skills training (MST) intervention utilizing mental skills to enhance intrinsic sources of enjoyment (ISOEs) as a means of promoting self-confidence, motivational style, and athletic performance, while also decreasing trait anxiety. The interven-tion project was designed to increase intrinsic SOE using a systematic and individualized mental training protocol, and then examine its relationships to mental skills and soccer perfor-mance. A Division 1 collegiate women’s soccer team was ran-domly assigned to treatment (n = 8) and control (n = 11) groups, equally distributed by academic year, position, and pre-season coach-evaluated starters and non-starts. …

Motivation, Athletic Identity, And Commitment To Sport In Division I Varsity Athletes And Collegiate Club Level Athletes: A Qualitative Analysis, Emily C. Karoblis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Motivation, athletic identity, and commitment are constructs that have previously been addressed and researched in regards to their impact upon athletes. Each of these constructs has previously been addressed alongside one other construct but all three have not been addressed. In addition to this, research is lacking information regarding collegiate club sport athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the thoughts of club level athletes and Division I Varsity level athletes as they relate to motivation, athletic identity and commitment to sport. The participants included 12 athletes, 6 at the club level and 6 at the Varsity level. …

Tackling The Transition: A Life Skills Intervention To Improve College Adjustment, College Self-Efficacy, And Transference Of Life Skills Of Freshmen Student-Athletes, Kendra Grant

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study explored the effects of a life skills intervention on college freshmen student-athletes’ college adjustment, college self-efficacy, and the transference of life skills. The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of implementing life skills programming to student-athletes in order to smooth the transition period from high school to college. Hypotheses were that participants would improve in college adjustment, college self-efficacy, and transference of life skills from participation in the life skills intervention. Participants included three freshman student-athletes, who played various sports at a Division 1 University located in the southeast. The primary researcher conducted a …

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 …

The Relationship Between Softball Student-Athletes' Motivation, Self-Confidence, And Perception Of Coach Leadership, Jacquelyn M. Sernek

Masters Theses

This study advanced the understanding of relationships among coach leadership and collegiate softball players' self-confidence and motivation. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a correlation between perceived coach leadership and softball player's self-confidence and motivation. Ninety-seven U.S. collegiate female softball student-athletes completed a Basic Demographic Survey, the Trait Sport-Confident Inventory (TSCI), Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS), and Sport Motivation Scale (SMS). Multiple linear regression analyses results indicated that LSS and SMS subscales explained 45 percent of the variance in TSCI scores. Pearson correlation coefficients were computed and significant moderate positive relationships were found between the …

Aau Basketball - Participants' Perceptions Of Their Aau Experience, Hakeem R. Willis

Masters Theses

In the United States, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has become the focal point for college recruiters in searching for top talent amongst middle and high school basketball athletes. Financially, AAU basketball can be expensive, making it difficult for families to allow their children to compete. However, players feel that AAU participation is worth the investment because of the benefits, which includes collegiate exposure. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of former AAU basketball players' experience. The research question used to guide this study was: what are former AAU basketball players' perceptions of academic requirements, time/money, …

Greater New York: The Sports Capital Of Depression Era America, Jeffrey A. Kroessler

Publications and Research

Any history of the Great Depression is incomplete if it neglects sports, and New York City was the unrivaled sports capital of America. From professional baseball to college basketball to boxing, the most important sporting events took place in New York's legendary venues: Yankee Stadium, the Polo Grounds, Madison Square Garden, Forest Hills, and Belmont Park. Sports also mirrored social issues. Joe Louis's boxing matches against white opponents represented more than a simple athletic contest and stimulated racial and ethnic pride, especially in his bouts with Max Schmeling. Long Island University's dominant basketball team boycotted the 1936 Olympic trials to …

Differences In Running Mechanics Between Overweight/Obese And Healthy Weight Children, Kristen Roles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Physical activity is commonly prescribed to reduce childhood obesity. However, due to differences in mechanics during low-impact activities, such as walking, obese children may be more prone to negative physical complications during high-impact activities, such as running. Therefore, this study analyzed the mechanical differences in running mechanics between healthy weight (HW) and overweight/obese (OV/OB) children. We hypothesized that when compared to HW children, OV/OB children would display higher vertical loading, greater joint moments and greater joint angular impulses during running. We also expect decreased sagittal plane range of motion and increased frontal plane range of motion of the hip, …

Ua1c11/89 Jim Burton Photo Collection, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Photographs and negatives taken by Jim Burton documenting life in western Kentucky primarily between the years 1975 and 1980. Venues include Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Madisonville, Cumberland County and Scott County.

Band Formations - Burton was hired by WKU band director to photograph half time performances. It was a freelance job paying $250 per winter semester which allowed him to pay his car insurance.

Bobby Sandige - Bobby was from Burton's hometown of Madisonville and was married in college. Besides being a full-time student, he worked full-time at an underground coal mine. Burton did a feature story on …

The Constructive Healing Powers Of Dance Rhetoric, Emmy Ciabattoni

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Sport, Unity And Conflict: An Enduring Social Dynamic, Paddy Dolan, John Connolly

Articles

The purpose of this article is largely to serve as an introduction to this special issue on sport, unity and conflict. This was the theme of the European Association for Sociology of Sport conference in 2015, held in Dublin, Ireland. The special issue contains articles by the three keynote speakers of the conference – Randall Collins, Anthony King and Roberta Sassatelli. Each dealt with the theme in different, yet compatible, and highly thought-provoking ways. This article will also attempt to elaborate on the theme and argue for the continued significance of the place of unification and conflict processes within sport, …

Can Sport Be ‘Un-Political’?, Ansgar Thiel, Anna Vilanova, Martin Toms, Lone Friis Thing, Paddy Dolan

Articles

Sports officials often claim that sport has to be ‘un-political’. This argument is most notably made in two contexts: Firstly, when the decision of awarding Olympic Games or World Championships to nations that struggle with human right issues is justified by the IOC or other international sporting federations. Secondly, when athletes express their concern over social injustices with symbolic gestures of protest in sports-specific contexts.

Women's Professional Sports: A Case Study On Practices That Could Increase Their Profitability, Danielle H. Mcardle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Women’s professional sports leagues have often been considered a risky business endeavor. Critics cite low attendance, lack of sponsorships, lack of media rights deals, and numerous other reasons for why women’s professional sports leagues are not profitable. In analyzing the current landscape of women’s professional sport leagues, this paper uses a case study approach to develop a strategy that will highlight lessons learned from past women’s professional sports leagues, current professional sports leagues, sponsorship agreements, fans, social, digital, and mobile marketing strategies, and management practices to show how the business of women’s sports could be made into a more profitable …

A Novel Approach To Investigating Basketball Expert's Perceptions Of The Hot Hand, John Spencer Ingels, Sean Joseph Fitzpatrick, Alison Rhodius

Applied Sport & Performance Psychology | Faculty Scholarship

The hot hand and psychological momentum (PM) are two closely related concepts that propose that previous success increases the chances of future success (Jackson & Mosurski, 1997). Statistical evidence for the existence of the hot hand or PM is mixed (Bar-Eli, Avugos, & Raab, 2006; Bocskocsky, Ezekowitz, & Stein, 2014; Sun, 2004). However players’, coaches ’, and fans ’perspectives show that PM or the hot hand is believed to be an extremely important aspect within sport (Gilovich, Tversky, & Vallone, 1985; Jones & Harwood, 2008). A key component of this phenomenon is the ability to predict future performance based on …

Physical Activity And Situational Interest In Mobile Technology Integrated Physical Education: A Preliminary Study, Xihe Zhu, Loren A. Dragon

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Mobile technology permeates every aspect of student lives. The question is whether mobile technology integration can produce desirable effects in the gymnasium.

Objective: This preliminary study aimed to investigate the effects of mobile technology integration on student situational interest and physical activity fluctuation in physical education lessons.

Methods: Sixth grade students (N = 53) were randomly placed into either an experiment group by class that utilized mobile technology-integrated resources (iPad and applications), or a comparison group that did not utilize technology. Both groups received five identical physical education lessons. Student physical activity was tracked with accelerometers, and they completed …

Endothelial And Inflammatory Responses To Acute Exercise In Perimenopausal And Late Postmenopausal Women, Corinna Serviente, Lisa M. Troy, Maxine De Jonge, Daniel D. Shill, Nathan T. Jenkins, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Endothelial dysfunction and inflammation are characteristics of subclinical atherosclerosis and may increase through progressive menopausal stages. Evaluating endothelial responses to acute exercise can reveal underlying dysfunction not apparent in resting conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate markers of endothelial function and inflammation before and after acute exercise in healthy low-active perimenopausal (PERI) and late postmenopausal (POST) women. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), CD31+/CD42b- and CD62E+ endothelial microparticles (EMPs), and the circulating inflammatory factors monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured before and 30 min after acute exercise. Before exercise, FMD was …

Fitting Square Pegs Into Round Holes: Atlantic Coast Conference Member Institutional Responses To Ncaa Sanctions, 1986-2016, Matt Arant

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The current state of college athletics is a popular debate topic among many Americans. Matters of athlete compensation and how large-scale commercialization has undermined traditional notions of academic integrity and genuine amateurism are the most common topics covered, but I decided to shift the conversation from the NCAA as a whole to the individual institutions and conferences that grapple with the same issues. Using the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) from 1986-2016 as a sample, I wanted to both comprehend how specific institutions respond to NCAA sanctions and the way the conference treats previously non-compliant programs when it undergoes expansion efforts. …