U.S. Sports Academy

Ancient Olympic Superstars and the Remarkable Skills They Could Teach Today’s Athletes

Authors: Raymond Stefani

Corresponding Author:
Raymond Stefani
25032 Via Del Rio
Lake Forest, CA 92630
Raystefani@aol.com
949-586-1823

Dr. Raymond Stefani is a professor emeritus of the California State University, Long Beach with over 160 publications covering individual sports, team sports and sports history

Ancient Olympic Superstars and the Remarkable Skills They Could Teach Today’s Athletes

ABSTRACT

A data base of Ancient Olympic events was exhaustively researched by the Perseus Project and combined into one table by Wikipedia, containing nearly 900 results. The Wikipedia table was sorted to obtain the distribution of events and to identify the most successful Olympians of Ancient Greece. From 776 BC through 277 AD, just 30 events were contested, eight of which were offered only once. An average of only 3.5 events were contested in each Olympics. Of the five sports, track and field (called athletics internationally) comprised 49% of all contested events with the 200 m stadion sprint, comprising 30% of all contested events. Competition was so highly focused that winning once was very difficult and winning repeatedly was remarkable. From the sorted winners, 12 superstars of antiquity are chosen for discussion. These superstars include the most unlikely winner in that men’s Olympics, a woman, Kyniska of Sparta, who became a double winner by owning and training the horses that won two chariot races. Leonides of Rhodes won all three of the major running events four times successively, for 12 individual wins, not exceeded until 2016 by Michael Phelps. Herodoros of Megara won the trumpeter’s competition nine consecutive times. Two wrestlers won the boy’s event followed later by five successive wins in the open competition. The emperor Nero of Rome won six times, showing venerability by acting and playing the lyre in public. The pentathlete Phayllos of Kroton outfitted and commanded a battleship at the 480 BC Battle of Salamis, helping Greece defeat Persia. One of the few recorded measurements of Ancient Greece, his long jump of 55 feet has been nearly duplicated by five successive standing long jumps, each employing a re-invented strategy for jumping with weights in each hand. The remarkable skills of those 12 may serve as inspirations for today’s athletes.

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U.S. Sports Academy2020-06-02T11:26:07-05:00January 17th, 2020|Research, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Diversifying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American College Athletics: The Case for Adaptive (And Other Non-Traditional) Sports

Authors: Kevin T. McGinniss, Ed.D. (Southern Connecticut State University), Demetri Goutos, B.A., M.B.A. (Yale University), and Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu, M.D., M.P.H. (Yale University).

Corresponding author:
Kevin T. McGinniss, EdD
Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT USA 06515
Campus Site: Office Building 1, 108G
Phone: 203-392-8837
Email: mcginnissk1@southernct.edu

Kevin T. McGinniss, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor, Graduate Coordinator, and Director of Sport Management at Southern Connecticut State University. Demetri Goutos, B.A., M.B.A., and Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu, M.D., M.P.H. are members of an independent research lab at Yale University, dedicated to addressing inequities and unethical behavior in sport, while at the same time, using sport to address inequities and unethical behavior in society.

Diversifying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American College Athletics: The Case for Adaptive (And Other Non-Traditional) Sports

ABSTRACT

The popularization of adaptive sports on college campuses has incredible potential to affect real and meaningful change for students with disabilities across the country. Despite clear language promoting equality and fairness espoused by the NCAA and member universities, as well as legislation requiring equal opportunities for students with disabilities, early attempts to adopt inclusive sports strategies have all but evaporated. Another category of non-traditional sports programming, however, has taken off in recent years. eSports, or competitive video games, has seen a meteoric rise in support, investment, and growth on the collegiate athletic scene, and show that when properly motivated the NCAA and member institutions act with surprising conviction. With their proven ability to react and organize, and the need clearly defined, the NCAA must return its attention to increasing athletic opportunities for student-athletes with disabilities.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-12-24T09:09:31-06:00January 10th, 2020|Commentary, Sports Management|Comments Off

Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

Authors: Jackie Feliciano BA¹, Michael P McNally PhD^2,3, Andrew M Busch EdD¹

¹Department of Health and Human Kinetics, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH
²School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
³Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Corresponding Author:
Andrew M. Busch, EdD
Ohio Wesleyan University
107C Edwards Gymnasium
61 S. Sandusky St
Delaware OH, 43220
ambusch@owu.edu
614-783-6917

Andrew Busch is an assistant professor at Ohio Wesleyan University and is also an alumni of the United States Sports Academy.

Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

ABSTRACT

Background: In the sport of field hockey, athletes encounter repetitive unilateral movements due to the nature of the sport, possibly leading to detectable changes in performance variables or functional movements.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to first investigate pre-season power output, functional movement, and single leg balance differences in participants with a history of prior lower extremity injuries, and second, to examine potential changes in such measures throughout a competitive field hockey season.

Methods: Eighteen healthy collegiate female field hockey athletes (mean age = 19.3 ± 1.2 years) were assessed in different functional movement and performance measures including the Functional Movement Screen (FMS^TM)deep squat, Y-balance anterior reach test (YBT), lumbar-locked thoracic rotation test (LLR), vertical jump, and a single-leg eyes-closed balance test pre- and post-competitive season.

Results: Fourteen participants completed the study. Preseason testing revealed a significantly lower peak concentric rate of force development (RFD) in those reporting previous injuries of the lower extremities compared to those with no prior injuries (p = 0.017, d = 1.37). No differences were noted post-season in previously injured participants. Post-season testing revealed a significant decrease in LLR (Left: p = 0.004, d = 0.35; Right: p = 0.007, d = 0.33), a decrease in multiple single-leg balance measures (center of pressure excursion: Left: p < .0005, d = -0.7; Right: p < .0005, d = -1.1; medial/lateral velocity: Left: p < .001, d = -0.24; Right: p < .0005, d = -0.74; anterior/posterior velocity: Left: p < .0005, d = -1.06; Right: p < .0005, d = -1.18) and a decrease in peak concentric rate of force development (RFD) (p = 0.03, d = .33). There were no significant changes noted in post-season FMS^TM deep squat scores, or YBT results among the participants.

Conclusion: Female field hockey athletes with a history of lower extremity injuries demonstrate significantly less concentric RFD during a vertical jump when compared to athletes with no prior injuries. Thoracic ROM, single-leg balance performance, and concentric RFD all significantly decreased after a competitive Division III collegiate season. FMS^TM deep squat and YBT anterior reach scores did not change throughout the season.

Applications in Sport: Field hockey athletes with a history of previous lower extremity injuries should continually focus on power development, while thoracic ROM exercises, single-leg balance training and lower body explosive exercises should be a point of focus for female field hockey athletes to maintain preseason values throughout a competitive season.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-12-12T16:07:46-06:00January 3rd, 2020|Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

The Role of Organized Youth Sports in Reducing Trends in Childhood Obesity

Authors: Alysia Cohen, Heidi Wegis, Darren Dutto, Viktor Bovbjerg

Corresponding Author:
Alysia Cohen, PhD, ATC, CSCS
1435 Village Drive
Ogden, UT 84408
alysiacohen@weber.edu
801-626-7115

Alysia Cohen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Athletic Training at Weber State University.

The Role of Organized Youth Sports in Reducing Trends in Childhood Obesity

Abstract

Purpose: To examine physical activity (PA) levels of children playing youth sports and the relationship of recommended levels of PA to contextual factors of the organized youth sports environment that may boost fitness and health during childhood and adolescence. Methods: Accelerometer-measured PA was obtained from 167 children (85 male, 82 female) aged 7-13 years. Sport contextual factors were recorded via direct observation of 29 coaches. PA levels were examined by age, gender, and between group variability. Direct observation intervals were analyzed by category using the Chi-square statistic for degree of association to moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). Results: On average children spent 21.9 ±7.9 minutes in MVPA during sport practices (< 50% of practice time). Proportion of practice time MVPA was lower among females (28.7 ± 7.2%) than males (35.0 ± 9.1%). Proportion of practice time MVPA was higher among children (male and female) aged 7-9 years (32.6 ± 1.4%) compared to children aged 10-13 years (30.66 ±1.25%). Longer practice times were not shown to increase the proportion of time spent in MVPA. The most frequently observed sport activities were sports drills (51.6%), activities involving all players (37.8%), management/general instruction (52.3%), and proximal positioning of the coach (99.5%). Management and general instruction coaching behavior was not significantly associated with MVPA but did consume a prominent proportion of practice time. Health-related fitness activities made up 1.7% of practice time. Conclusions: In comparison with recommendations, youth sports appear active, however, a large portion of practice time is sedentary suggesting room for improvement. Including fun non-specific or specific sport activities that promote participation from all players and increase heart rate. Fun play experiences during sport practices may encourage greater in active play within and outside of sport with behaviors persisting into adolescence and adulthood. Applications in Sport: Training coaches to teach fun sport activities that engage all players would improve within practice active time and enjoyable experiences that may promote future participation in sport or activity outside of sport.

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U.S. Sports Academy2020-06-02T11:25:00-05:00December 27th, 2019|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Weight Discrimination among Students from a Diverse Urban University

Authors: Guillermo Escalante¹, Rafael Alamilla¹, Eric Vogelsang², Christopher Gentry¹, Jason Ng¹

¹Department of Kinesiology, California State University, San Bernardino, USA; ²Department of Sociology, California State University, San Bernardino, USA

Corresponding Author:
Guillermo Escalante, DSc, MBA, ATC, CSCS, CISSN
California State University- San Bernardino, Department of Kinesiology
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
gescalan@csusb.edu
(909) 537-7236

Weight Discrimination among Students from a Diverse Urban University

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To examine the association between university students’ weight discrimination and their academic discipline, gender, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, explicit overweight bias, personal body perceptions, and their personal experiences with weight loss. Methods: Sixty-two students (Age: 23.9 ± 4.7 y) from various disciplines completed 1) a 41-question survey that addressed the participant’s explicit overweight bias, prior struggles with body weight, and body perceptions; 2) the Weight-Implicit Association Test (WIAT) to address overweight implicit bias; and 3) measurement of height, weight, and body fat. Chi-Square tests were performed between the participant’s WIAT results and academic discipline, BMI, body fat, explicit bias, personal experience with their body fat, and body perception. Moreover, differences in BMI and body fat percentage were examined with two separate 2 (gender) × 2 (academic discipline) repeated measures ANOVAs. Results: ANOVA results revealed a relationship between an explicit bias and WIAT implicit bias. No relationships were found between the results of the WIAT and academic discipline, BMI classification, body fat classification, personal experience with body fat, or perceptions of their body. Conclusions: An implicit anti-fat bias exists regardless of academic discipline, percent body fat, BMI, explicit anti-fat bias, prior struggles with body fat, or perceptions of their body. These findings support previous literature that suggests individuals have an unconscious negative prejudgment of overweight people. Applications in Sport: Current physical educators, healthcare professionals, fitness professionals, sport coaches, and university faculty preparing students for these professions must begin to take the steps necessary to eliminate weight bias from their environments. The authors recommend that all members of the aforementioned communities develop an understanding of the factors that may lead to weight gain and develop strategies of encouraging overweight individuals to reduce their weight without further perpetuating weight stigma.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-12-12T14:21:11-06:00December 20th, 2019|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

About U.S. Sports Academy

Ancient Olympic Superstars and the Remarkable Skills They Could Teach Today’s Athletes

Ancient Olympic Superstars and the Remarkable Skills They Could Teach Today’s Athletes

Diversifying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American College Athletics: The Case for Adaptive (And Other Non-Traditional) Sports

Diversifying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in American College Athletics: The Case for Adaptive (And Other Non-Traditional) Sports

Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

Performance Differences in Division III Female Field Hockey Athletes with Prior Lower Extremity Injuries Over a Competitive Season

The Role of Organized Youth Sports in Reducing Trends in Childhood Obesity

The Role of Organized Youth Sports in Reducing Trends in Childhood Obesity

Weight Discrimination among Students from a Diverse Urban University

Weight Discrimination among Students from a Diverse Urban University