Latest Articles
Exploring Advising Models for Effective Student Athlete Advisement
Submitted by: Robert Lyons Junior1 PhD*, E Newton Jackson Junior2 PhD*, Aaron Livingston3 PhD*
1* Associate Professor, Port management, Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte North Carolina
2* Professor, Sport management, University of North Florida, Jacksonville Florida
3* Assistant Professor, Sport management, Hampton University, Hampton Virginia
ABSTRACT
The dearth of literature concerning the advisement of student athletes is very perplexing. The purpose of this article was to describe the function and utility of various advising models while proposing hypothetical advisor student athlete scenarios to explain each model. The authors also proposed practical recommendations for student athlete advisors in an attempt to prepare for effective advisement.
Keywords: advising, student athlete, education, academics
The Impact of Eating Disorder Risk on Sports Anxiety and Sports Confidence in Division III Female Athletes
Submission by JoAnne Barbieri Bullard1, Psy.D.*
1* Instructor, Health and Exercise Science Department, Rowan University,
JoAnne Barbieri Bullard is an instructor in the Health and Exercise Science Department at Rowan University. Bullard is also a Doctor of Sport Psychology and Performance and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
ABSTRACT
Eating disorder risk is important to assess not only regarding possible impact on the performance ability of an athlete, but also for the health risks athletes could experience. The purpose of this study is to evaluate eating disorder risk and the impact on sports anxiety and sports confidence of Division III female student-athletes. The results were based off of the Eating Attitudes Risk-26 Questionnaire to examine eating disorder risk, the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 to examine trait anxiety in sport settings, and the Sources of Sport Confidence Questionnaire to examine sources of sport confidence. The methodology included an informed consent form, demographics questionnaire, Eating Attitudes Risk-26 Questionnaire, Sport Anxiety Scale-2, and the Sources of Sport Confidence Questionnaire. Analyses were completed utilizing bivariate correlations and regression analysis. The results of this study showed that eating disorder risk was significantly correlated with only one variable of sports confidence, labeled as physical self-presentation, and no variables of sports anxiety. Athletic departments, athletic trainers and coaching staffs can utilize these findings to effectively work with student-athletes in a preventative manner.
Key words: eating disorder risk, sports anxiety and sports self-confidence (more…)
The Impact of Litigation, Regulation, and Legislation on Sport Concussion Management
Submitted by Mr. Gregory B. Bonds1*, William W. Edwards2 PhD*, Brandon D. Spradley3 EdD*, Theodore Phillips4 PhD*
1* Associate Athletic Director for Internal Affairs at Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville Alabama
2* Chair of Sports & Exercise Science at the United States Sports Academy , Daphne Alabama
3* Director of Continuing Education & Executive Director of the Alumni Association, United States Sports Academy, Daphne Alabama
4* Former faculty member of the United States Sports Academy, Daphne Alabama
Mr. Gregory Bonds is the Associate Athletic Director for Internal Affairs at Jacksonville State University and a doctoral student at the United States Sports Academy.
ABSTRACT
Concussion injuries impact approximately 1.7 million Americans annually. By design, sports such as football, ice hockey, and soccer demand physical contact often resulting in powerful blows to the head. The impact on concussion management affects participant safety, well-being, and awareness of diagnosis, treatment, playing rules, equipment, education, and technology. Previous research states that participating high school athletes suffer over 100,000 concussions annually. In 2009, a study sponsored by the National Football League (NFL) announced that retired players between the ages of 30 and 49 were affected by dementia-type diagnosis 20 times greater than fellow citizens in the same age bracket. Furthermore, retired players above the age of 50 were affected by dementia-type diagnosis at a rate five times higher than the national average of 1.2%. The culmination of concussion injuries from youth sports to retired professional athletes has accelerated unprecedented litigation, regulation, and legislative activities. The heightened awareness on the dangers and consequences of concussion trauma has caused sports governing bodies, state legislatures, and federal congressional intervention to enact regulation and legislation to promote the safety of sports participants. Based on recent legal activity to implement concussion and return-to-play guidelines, sports concussion awareness has risen to national attention. Lawsuits may be counterproductive if mounting litigation, legal and liability costs outpace protective regulation and equipment able to withstand powerful force application. The purpose is to review and analyze the impact of litigation, regulation, and legislation on sport concussion management.
Keywords: sport management, concussion, impact sports, concussion prevention
The Interrelated Back Stories of Kenny Washington Reintegrating the NFL in 1946 and Jackie Robinson Integrating Major League Baseball in 1947
Submitted by Raymond Stefani, Ph.D*
1* California State University, Long Beach, USA
Dr. Raymond Stefani is an emeritus professor of Engineering at the California State University, Long Beach, USA. His more than 120 sports publications are evenly divided between individual and team sports. He seeks a fundamental understanding of the physics, physiology, causes of gender differential performance, rates of improvement, effect of historical events and effects of performance enhancing drugs related to Olympic gold medal performances in athletics (track and field), swimming, rowing and speed skating. He has analyzed Olympic home nation medal advantage He developed a least squared team rating system applied to predicting the outcome of more than 20,000 games of American football, basketball, European soccer, Australian Rules football, and Super Rugby. Home advantage has been studied in those contexts. He has contributed to the understanding of the types and application of 100 international sport rating systems (both for individuals and teams) and their ability to predict the outcome of world and Olympic championship events. He contributed to the millennium edition of the New York Times. He has presented his work to 10 organizations conducting conferences in eight nations on three continents. Dr. Stefani invites collaboration with colleagues from around the world.
ABSTRACT
In 1946, Kenny Washington reintegrated the National Football League (NFL). In 1947, Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball. Those two iconic events initiated an era of opportunity for black athletes wanting to compete at the highest level in professional sports. In fact, both events terminated two interrelated (and largely forgotten) back stories from 1936 to 1947, covered in detail in this paper. The back stories include two second-tier pro football teams, a narrow escape from Honolulu before Pearl Harbor by Robinson and the creation of a rival league to the NFL. Had it not been for the cancellation of the 1940 Olympics, Robinson might now be known as an Olympic medalist in the long jump. Had it not been for an ankle injury in 1944, Robinson might now be known as a former professional football player. Had it not been for Kenny Washington’s success in pro football from 1940 to 1945, Robinson might not be known for breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. These back stories form a fascinating, inter-twined chain of events upon which depended the signing of Washington and Robinson.
Key words: integration, pro football, major league baseball, NFL, Kenny Washington, Jackie Robinson
Kinematic Analysis of the Slap Hitting Technique in Division I Softball Players
Submitted by Robin Lund1, Ph.D.*, Travis Ficklin2, Ph.D.* Mr. Johnathan Faga3*, Ms. Cassie Reilly-Boccia4*
1* Assistant Professor of Physical Education at University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614
2* Assistant Professor of Physical Education at University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614
3* B.A. in Movement and Exercise Science from the University of Northern Iowa.
4* Director of Research and Development at Athletes Warehouse in Pleasantville, NY.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to provide a kinematic description of the phase parameters of the slap hitting technique and the interrelationships that may exist in Division I softball players. Video data were collected for all swings during a 15-game softball tournament in which six NCAA Division I teams played. A high-speed video camera filming at 300 Hz was located along the third base line recording every pitch. Only data from trials in which a slap swing attempt was made were kept, resulting in 200 trials. Three phases were identified; preparatory step, wind-up and swing. The duration of each phase (tPREP, tWIND-UP and tSWING, s) as well as the duration of the entire technique (tTOTAL, s), the forward velocity of the hips (vHIP, m/s) during the wind-up phase and the velocity of the bat at contact (vBAT, m/s) were obtained for each trial. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each of the variables and Pearson product moment correlations were used to examine the relationships among the variables. Several significant relationships were identified (p<0.05). The duration of the preparatory step phase has a direct effect on vHIP and vBAT. The duration of the wind-up and swing phases appear to be related to the timing of each individual trial and do not appear to play a role in vHIP and vBAT. Coaches should consider the role of the preparatory step phase on vHIP and vBAT when coaching different techniques such as the soft slap and the power slap.
Key words: softball, kinematic, slap hitting. (more…)