ARCAA Contents & Abstracts Volume 30, 2015

Anniversary Edition Issue #1
ISBN 978-0-89641-544-7

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    Editorial: The Birth and Evolution of a Journal Warren K. Simpson (1-5)

  • A Tribute to a Scholar Arnold LeUnes, Duane Crider, Peter Titlebaum, Kayla Peak, Veronica Snow, Allyn Byars, Jerry Lyons, Steve Picou, Malcolm J. Fox (6-14)

  • Critical Comment on the Current Athletic Sprint Start and a New Pose Sprint Start Technique Graham Fletcher, Roger Bartlett, Nicholas Romanov — Athletic sprinting success relies on an effective sprint start, which currently concerns the ability to create a large impulse (force of feet on the blocks x time the feet are on the blocks) on the starting blocks. This paper suggests a new Pose® sprint start technique is more effective while critiquing the current sprint start. Currently, sprinters are taught to drive (push) out of the starting blocks, which is the extent of the teaching commands. The Pose® sprint start technique however, explains how impulse is created on the starting blocks and provides two clear teaching commands. The first is removing the hands from the ground at the gun and the second is that the rear foot is immediately pulled from the starting blocks toward the buttocks. The Pose® sprint start potentially offers are more effective start and provides the coach with a clear teaching method. (15-39)

  • Effect of First Pitch Type and Outcome on Hitter Success in High School BaseballGrant M. Hill, Ralph Rozenek, Jill Crussemeyer, Scott Glasser — The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a first pitch ball or strike on both batting average and on-base percentage for a high school team throughout an entire season. Frequency of first pitch fast ball vs. non-fastball was determined as well as batting average of first pitches that were hit into fair territory. Participants were male varsity baseball players from Southern California High Schools with student populations over 2000. Five pitchers from one team faced 706 batters over the course of 30 regular 2011 season games with two independent, trained observers recording first pitch type and at-bat outcome for each batter. Data were compared with 2003 major league baseball data in order to determine differences in at-bat outcome based on results of first pitch. Non-parametric statistical comparisons revealed high school pitchers are more likely to throw a first pitch fastball than major league pitchers. In addition, a first pitch ball at the high school level is more likely to result in an on-base at-bat than at the major league level. The results are discussed in relation to Mixed Strategy Nash Equilibrium Theory (MSNE). (40-55)

  • An Examination of Football Helmet Fit and Players’ Helmet Air Maintenance Habits in Relation to Concussion in High School Football ProgramsCaroline E. Faure, Aaron Armstrong — This study examined the fit of football helmets on high school football players from within the Intermountain West, determined the habits these players exhibited towards maintaining their helmets’ inflatable bladders, and investigated the relationship between improperly fitted or maintained helmets and the presence of concussion or concussion-like symptoms. Participants were 261 high school football players representing 12 different teams in the Intermountain West. Descriptive statistics were calculated and Chi square tests were performed to determine whether or not statistically significant correlational relationship between helmet fit, helmet maintenance habits, and concussion or concussion-like symptoms were present. Nearly 20% of high school football players were wearing football helmets that were not of proper fit and more than 43% of players acknowledged never putting air in their helmets. Twenty percent of players had experienced at least one diagnosed concussion during the 2013 season, but the presence of concussion symptoms was acknowledged by more than 87% of the players. Loose fitting helmets were shown to have a statistically significant relationship with the presence of concussion or three or more concussion symptoms. A lack of proper education of helmet design and a general disregard for helmet air maintenance needs appeared to be primary reasons why players did not maintain their helmets. This study exposed a need for better educational programming directed towards football helmet fitting and football players’ roles in regular helmet maintenance, and on concussion recognition. (56-84)

  • Old School, New School, or Both: A Qualitative Analysis of NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Coach’s Perceptions on Leadership Ben Freakley, Daniel R. Czech, Brandon Harris, Glenn Trey Burdette, David Biber — Leadership is ubiquitous. In all aspects of society the ability to lead can impact group outcomes in a variety of ways. More specifically, in the world of NCAA Division I men’s soccer, the opportunities for coaches to lead their players, teams and programs ultimately begin and end with the coach’s individual leadership ability. Thus, the purpose of the study was to examine NCAA division I men’s soccer coaches’ perceptions on leadership from experienced and less experienced based perceptions from a semi structured qualitative perspective. Eight major themes emerged from the data: 1) passion, 2) integrity (role modeling), 3) knowledge of the game / job, 4) organization / responsibility, 5) clear communication, 6) situational task orientation, 7) situational relationship orientation, and 8) emphasis on the ability to develop and maintain good interpersonal relationships. Similarities between experienced and less experienced coaches were present in this study and consistent with past research. Coaches may be able to utilize this research while reflecting on their own leadership styles and abilities. (85-117)

  • Social Support and Professional Volleyball Players on International Teams Janna LaFountaine — Social support has been shown to be an important aspect of athletes' sport experiences (Rees & Hardy 2000). This qualitative study describes the type of social support available to American professional volleyball players playing in Switzerland. Interviews were conducted in person with 14 American professional volleyball players. Five key themes emerged: 1) support from other players, 2) support from one key individual, 3) support from family and friends, 4) frustration with volleyball experience, and 5) cultural challenges. The results indicated that parents, family, and friends provided key support via the internet. Fellow American teammates were also essential and provided social support. The athletes did not mention their coaches in regard to any type of social support. This research points to the need to help athletes learn how to maximize the social support available, and ask for assistance from club personnel when needed. (118-149)

  • Speed Training for Peak Performance in Soccer Jin Wang, Mac Powell — Soccer is a competitive sport in which speed plays a critical role in determining which team wins or loses in high-level competitions. Slight delays in taking actions result in unsuccessful consequences in competitive environments. Many athletes who perform well at the competitive level are unable to perform well at the elite level despite excellent technique, physical abilities, and mental strength. One such cause for performance discrepancy between normal and high competitive environments is speed (Wang, 2010). Defining the elements of speed training and maximizing training outcomes to prepare athletes for competitive performance requires understanding the sport science and psychology behind its use in competition. This paper will (1) explain why speed training is important; (2) elaborate what types of speeds should be trained; (3) depict which factors affect speed; and (4) introduce strategies to develop various speeds. With a comprehensive understanding of speed training, coaches can effectively design programs to help soccer athletes increase their various types of speed in competitive situations. (150-170)

  • Measuring Talent in Female Adolescent Basketball Players—Do Objective Tests and Coaches’ Subjective Assessment Have Equal Weight Yaniz Ashkenazi, Michal Arnon, Ronnie Lidor, Gal Zliv, Yoram Cohen — The purpose of the current study was twofold: (a) to profile the abilities and skills of seventh and eighth grade female basketball players, based on achievements assessed by a number of physical, motor, and skill tests as well as on their coaches' assessment, of seven aspects related to their general playing ability, and (b) to examine which assessment variables contributed most to the differentiation between the best five players and the rest of the players on the players' teams. The players underwent a series of physical, motor, and skill tests, and were also assessed by their coaches, on two different occasions, 12 months apart. The main findings of this study were that (a) the eighth grade players performed better than the seventh grade players when strength (i.e., the medicine ball throw and seated basketball throw tests) and ball-handling (i.e., the 30-m dribbling slalom test) were required; (b) the best five players performed better than the rest of the players on each team in at least four out of the eight physical, motor, and skill tests, as well as in all seven aspects of the coaches' assessment; and (c) the prediction of the player's ranking on each team did not differ greatly according to the physical, motor, and skill tests or the coaches' assessment. It is proposed that both objective and subjective assessments should be performed in early phases of talent development in sport. (171-191)

  • Member Turnover among Intercollegiate Athletic Conferences: A Contributing Factor to Competitive Imbalance between Football-Playing Institutions Martin M. Perline, Jeff Noble, G. Clayton Stoldt — The realignment of intercollegiate athletic programs among conferences has been prevalent among various institutions within Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over the past decade, particularly among institutions that sponsor football. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if turnover in conference membership, often referred to as churning, is a relevant determinant of decreasing competitive balance, i.e., inequality, among football playing conferences. Specifically, institutions that announced changes in conference membership between 2010 and 2012 were examined. Based on mean winning percentages, as well as top 25 and top 50 finishes in football during the two-year and five-year periods prior to their announcements, the authors concluded these realignment decisions did contribute to decreasing competitive balance among conferences. (192-206)

  • COACHES' CORNER

  • Creating a Model for Student Support Groups Daniel Brito, Jared Dvorsky, Kevin Weingarz, Peter Titlebaum — The purpose of this exploratory study is to understand college student support groups. This under-studied group could affect the collegiate experience and student support of athletic departments. The goal is to identify trends and evaluate how student support groups organize, raise funds, communicate, attract, and retain membership. These groups both build loyalty and further enhance the college experience. Student sections across the United States vary in size, structure, organization, and participation. The conferences studied were the Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10, Horizon League, West Coast, and Colonial Athletic Association. Athletic departments can effectively organize student sections or clubs by creating a successful plan targeted at enhancing the student experience. (207-223)

  • The Benefits of Recruiting International Student-Athletes in College Juliane Vieira — Athletes are coming from all around the world to America, for a chance to not just compete in athletics, but also to earn a scholarship and obtain a college degree. They are known as international student-athletes (ISAs) (Abbey-Pinegar, 2010). Job security and pressure to win are two of the main factors for recruiting ISAs because they do allow their teams to compete at a higher level (Ridinger & Pastore, 2000). Because of that, coaches must be aware of all the rules and regulations about international recruiting. (224-235)

  • BOOK REVIEWS

  • Pure Sport, Practical Sport Psychology Reviewed by Veronica Snow (236-237)
  • The Handbook of College Athletics and Recreation Administration Reviewed by Warren K. Simpson (238-240)
  • Inexpensive Experience: Champions Tell All Reviewed by Jennifer Wilder (241-242)
  • The Best Season (The First Ninety Games): Honoring Black Ball through Baseball Game Simulation Reviewed by Warren K. Simpson (243-244)

  • A Call for Papers and Subscriptions (245-246)


Anniversary Edition Issue #2
ISBN 978-0-89641-550-8

  • Editorial: The Birth and Evolution of a Journal Warren K. Simpson (1-5)

  • A Tribute to a Scholar Arnold LeUnes, Duane Crider, Peter Titlebaum, Kayla Peak, Veronica Snow, Allyn Byars, Jerry Lyons, Steve Picou, Malcolm J. Fox (6-14)

  • A Preliminary Investigation of Leadership Style and Team Cohesion in NCAA Division II Swimming Teams Jennifer Parsons, Lance P. Kaltenbaughm Ken Brubaker, Alexander Sheil — This study examined a potential relationship between a coach's leadership style and the level of team cohesion using correlations between the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) and the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). The participants consisted of 168 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II male and female swimmers from a Midwestern athletic conference in the United States. The data analysis was used to determine if there were LSS items that were good predictors of GEQ items. LSS items within decision making, training and instruction were correlated with the GEQ dimensions of Individual Attractions to the Group-Task (ATG-T) and Group Integration-Task (GI-T) with the intent to explore any relationships between a coach’s training and instruction, decision making style and team cohesion elements related to individual and team performance. (15-40)

  • High School Athletic Director Opinions of the Value and Desired Content of a Collegiate Coaching Science Minor Timothy Baghurst, Trish Hughes, Jason Bishop — Unfortunately, some states require little or no education in order to qualify as a public school athletic coach. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of public high school athletic directors (ADs) regarding the value and desired content of a collegiate coaching education program in a state where required education is minimal. Participants were 155 ADs (37% response rate) from one state in the Southern United States who completed an online survey designed for the study by an expert panel. Participants believed first year teachers to be unprepared for their coaching duties, were supportive of a collegiate education program, more likely to hire someone with such a qualification, and believed they could work better him or her. There was less support for the suggestion that coaches with a kinesiology background were better coaches and that an online program was equally effective as one conducted face-to-face. All courses that were suggested as important for a coaching education program received significant support (>70%) with the exception of motor learning (40%). Crosstabulation analyses revealed that those with greater AD experience were less likely to support motor learning, exercise physiology, and sports administration as required courses for the program. Findings indicate that the development of collegiate content specific to coaching rather than a general kinesiology program would be well-received by public high school ADs in states where such an education is not a mandated requirement. (41-58)

  • Visibility and Recognition of the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games Lawrence W. Judge, Brianna Leitzelar, Elizabeth Wanless Jeffrey C. Petersen, David Bellar, Erin Gilreath — The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the latest addition to the Olympic sport festival platform with the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), held in Singapore in the summer of 2010. IOC leaders intended for the event to expand the direct influence of the Olympic movement on youth sport, and saw potential for the YOG to have significant positive impact on the world’s youth. Despite this potential, prior research results noted low levels of event awareness among American youth coaches, figure skating coaches, Greek athletes and coaches, and among international physical education and sport practitioners. A survey of graduate students in kinesiology (n = 76), conducted in the United States approximately 30 days prior to the YOG, found significant differences in two factors related to the YOG: awareness and perceived impact. Significant differences were found for Local Administrative Experience and Familiarity with the IOC initiative (χ2 = 11.996, p = .0348) and for the preference of the image selected as the logo of the YOG (χ2 = 14.159, p = .0068). Although YOG has claimed to be potentially beneficial to the development of youth sport, awareness and attitude levels amongst this representative sample are not meeting the stated goals of the initiative’s mission. (59-82)

  • Nice Guys Finish First: How Instrumental Character and Life Skills Facilitate Competitive Performance M. Ryan Flett, Amanda L. Paule-Koba — This study examined the following questions: Do university coaches in Western Canada believe that the instrumental character/life skills (C/LS) and performance of their players are related? If so, what is the nature of the relationship in competitive sport? Semi-structured 90-135 minute-long interviews were conducted with 10 highly trained and successful university coaches from Western Canada. Three coders conducted hierarchical content analyses. Coaches described a strong positive relationship between C/LS and performance, explaining that C/LS intangibles enhance work ethic and long-term development, teamwork, and performance under pressure. Better performance can help develop C/LS because the coach has a credible voice with more buy-in from players, and because performance success reinforces positive C/LS changes. Coaches also explained that dedicating too much time to developing C/LS could undermine performance. Coaching educators could frame developmental sport objectives in terms of competitive advantages in order to appeal to coaches who might not otherwise prioritize the development of C/LS. (83-112)

  • Motivatng Athletes: A New Model of Motivation Megan Parietti — Coaches often look for ways to motivate their athletes to do their best. Motivation has been a well-researched topic in relation to sports. The most heavily used motivation theories in sport fall under the umbrella of achievement motivation theories. This paper examines two of those theories: achievement goal theory and self-determination theory (SDT). Achievement goal theory looks at why people work to reach certain goals. SDT also looks at why people engage in an activity, but it considers different levels of motivation from amotivation to extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation. This paper also attempts to further the research done by Ntoumanis (2001) by creating a model that combines achievement goal theory and SDT. Finally, the implications of the model and future research options are discussed. (113-134)

  • Athlete Performance in a Team Context: A Multidimensional Examination of Performance Processes Erwin Karreman, Harold A. Riemer, Sebastian Harenberg — Within the context of elite team sport (e.g., intercollegiate athletics), performance is of crucial importance. Although various social psychological constructs that contribute to increased levels of performance are often well developed (e.g., cohesion, self-confidence), the description and consequent operationalization of performance is typically unsophisticated, lacks conceptual development, and is often represented solely as an outcome variable (e.g., win/loss record). However, the construct of performance is best evaluated when performance inputs and processes, that take place before the outcome is reached, are also taken into account. This paper focuses on the role performance processes play in the context of team sport. Individual athlete performance processes (motor skills, decision making skills, effort, attention) as well as team integration processes (communication, interplayer coordination) are discussed.(135-165)

  • Motivations for Athletic Giving: Examining Non-Renewed Donors Jordan R. Bass, Rebecca Achen, Brian S. Gordon— With the current debates surrounding the finances of NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics increasing in volume, understanding donor behavior is becoming vitally important. Previous examinations of athletic donors have focused on current or prospective supporters. In this study, the authors used an online questionnaire to examine the motivations of a previously unexplored group: non-renewed donors. A number of themes developed within the responses. Reasons for both originally donating and discounting giving activity to the university athletic department are discussed. Finally, limitations and directions for future research are presented. (166-186)

  • A Case Study of Sport Management Students’ Experiences during a Short Term Study Abroad Trip to the 2012 London Olympic Games Karen M. Appleby, Caroline E. Faure — Sport management is becoming an increasingly international field. Learning to function effectively in an international context will be helpful for students pursuing sport management as a profession. One way to encourage the establishment of international competencies is through short-term study abroad trips. Using a qualitative case study approach, the purpose of this study was to describe the personal and professional impact that a short-term, study abroad experience to the Olympic Games had on four university sport management majors. The findings of this study suggest that this experience created opportunities for meaningful professional development, the application of curricular knowledge related to sport management, and personal transformation for students. (187-219)

  • COACHES' CORNER

  • Sales with a Touch of Philanthropy: Opening Doors for Sports Careers Peter Titlebaum, Brian Crow — Selling is an integral part of the sport management curriculum, as many students first gain entry into the sport industry through positions in ticket sales. Through these salesmanship courses, sport management faculty members can expose students to the nonprofit world, opening more internship and employment opportunities and creating life-long philanthropists. This case study shows how faculty members in one sport management program have chosen to embrace philanthropy, equipping students with an understanding of how to leverage knowledge of philanthropy and leave a legacy for future students. (220-223)
  • BOOK REVIEWS

  • The Essential Elements of Successful Coaching Reviewed by Warren K. Simpson (234-235)
  • The Mental Game of Football: Playing the Game One Play at a Time Reviewed by Jordan A. Daniel (236-237)
  • The Mental Game of Soccer Reviewed by Warren K. Simpson (238-240)

  • A Call for Papers and Subscriptions 241
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