Search Results (786)

Background: Youth with intellectual disabilities are often marginalised and discriminated against regarding skills development and work opportunities as society seems to place high value on an individual’s intellect. Unemployment levels for youth with intellectual disabilities are significantly higher than youth in the general population, yet youth with intellectual disabilities can become valuable employees. This paper explores the untapped potential for youth with disabilities to access skill development opportunities through participation in sports organisations and events that enable them to become economically active. Methodology: A critical ethnographic approach was adopted as the research design. The sample included six youth with intellectual disabilities, five parents, two vocational trainers, two sports coaches, and two golf managers. Data was gathered through participant observations, semi structured interviews, and reflective journaling. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The theme “Hidden treasures in a disabling environment” emerged, highlighting the untapped potential of youth with intellectual disabilities to engage in livelihood activities through participation in sports events. One subtheme was “Invisible and well-hidden resources” reflecting remote training centres leading to missed work opportunities. Research findings highlighted that youth with intellectual disabilities possessed marketable skills, alongside the discovery of substantial unexplored livelihood opportunities in the workforce of sports events. Full article

Participation in organized sport is widely encouraged for youth development, yet positive outcomes are not guaranteed. Parents play a pivotal role in shaping young athletes’ experiences, requiring emotional support, interpersonal skills, and self-regulation. This study examines the meanings parents attribute to their children’s sports participation and how young athletes construct their experiences under parental and coaching influences. An interpretive phenomenological methodology involved semi-structured interviews with coaches, focus groups with parents, and open-ended questionnaires to young athletes. Seventeen players (M = 11.2 years, SD = 0.59), nineteen parents (M = 47.6 years, SD = 3.61), and two coaches from the same football club volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a homogeneous experience. The findings reveal that parental involvement balances support and pressure, while trust-building between parents and coaches significantly impacts the athletes’ experiences. The evolving role of technology and the importance of social dynamics within teams also emerged as critical factors. Intrinsic motivation, fostering emotional bonding through the sport, and adopting a developmental rather than purely competitive framework were emphasized factors identified as supporting positive youth sport experiences. These findings offer insights into how interconnected relationships among parents, coaches, and athletes influence children’s sports engagement and development. Full article

Coach development is typically considered to consist of a complex mix of experiences, including formal, informal and non-formal. Elements of the early research in this area led to the production of a model of long-term coach development (LTCD) over a decade ago, consisting of three core categories of experience: athletic, coaching and education, later published in a number of significant coaching documents. Whilst this model has clearly been of benefit in providing a framework to consider long-term coach development, it can also be considered to have its limitations in focusing on a somewhat narrow coaching context (typically Olympic sports in North America) and lacking currency. This study therefore attempted to consider and update this model to a professional team sport context away from North America by investigating the life stories of head coaches in English rugby league. Data collection consisted of a novel life story approach, whilst analysis utilised elements of constructivist grounded theory. Though supporting elements of the original LTCD model, results here provide an additional category of experience occurring prior to athletic experience, childhood, consisting of a number of sub-themes, alongside several other novel elements with implications for both research and practice. This work points towards a need to further understand coaches’ lifelong developmental journeys across a range of sports and contexts. Full article

Soccer, as a high-intensity sport, places significant physical demands on athletes and is associated with a high risk of injury. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), a training and rehabilitation technology, has gained attention for its potential benefits in sports settings. This systematic review, conducted under the PRISMA guidelines, rigorously assessed the effectiveness of EMS in improving muscle strength, promoting post-exercise recovery, and facilitating injury rehabilitation among soccer players. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases identified 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Among these, six studies demonstrated a significant improvement in athletic performance following local or whole-body EMS application. Four studies provided evidence supporting EMS’s efficacy in enhancing post-exercise recovery and reducing recovery time after injuries, with observed reductions in recovery time. However, the majority of the included studies were not double-blind, which limits the strength of the evidence. None of the included studies reported EMS-related adverse effects. Overall, the current results suggest that EMS may be a useful adjunct to improve athletic performance and facilitate recovery in soccer players. This review offers actionable insights for coaches and athletes regarding the safe and effective application of EMS in soccer training and rehabilitation programs. Full article

Objectives: The aim of this study was to indicate which variables are the most important determinants of swimming results in the 50 m front crawl among non-elite pre-pubertal female swimmers. Methods: The study group consisted of 14 female swimmers (at the time of the research commencement—biological age: 10.52 ± 0.37 years; body mass: 34.99 ± 2.77 kg; height: 146.00 ± 3.05 cm). The study was conducted over three years. The swimmers performed capacity training recommended by the British Swimming Federation. Every 6 months, in the participants the following parameters were measured: percentage of body fat; anthropometric measurements; aerobic and anaerobic capacity; and respiratory parameters: vital capacity—VC, forced expiratory volume—FEV1, and forced vital capacity—FVC. Additionally, a 50 m front crawl swim test was performed. Results: After adjusting for multicollinearity, the most influential determinants of swimming performance were anthropometric measures: shoulder width was the most influential predictor, with a regression coefficient of −0.66, followed by foot length (with a beta of −0.15) and chest depth (with a beta of 0.008). The remaining anthropometric and physical predictors did not contribute to the prediction of 50 m freestyle performance. Conclusions: These research results suggest to coaches and trainers that sports performance in sprint distances in pre-pubertal girls is not determined by aerobic and anaerobic capacity or body fat but is based on the somatic build of the swimmer. Full article

Sport injury recognition is rapidly evolving with the integration of new emerging technologies. This systematic review aims to identify and evaluate technologies capable of detecting injuries during sports participation. A comprehensive search of PUBMED, Sport Discus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024608964). Inclusion criteria focused on prospective studies involving athletes of all ages, evaluating tools which are utilised to identify injuries in sports settings. The review included research between 2014 and 2024; retrospective, conceptual, and fatigue-focused studies were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool. Of 4283 records screened, 70 full-text articles were assessed, with 21 studies meeting the final inclusion criteria. The technologies were grouped into advanced imaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DFI), and Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM), with biomarkers (i.e., Neurofilament Light (NfL), Tau protein, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), Salivary MicroRNAs, and Immunoglobulin A (IgA), and sideline assessments (i.e., the King–Devick test, KD-Eye Tracking, modified Balance Error Scoring System (mBESS), DETECT, ImPACT structured video analysis, and Instrumented Mouth Guards (iMGs)), which demonstrated feasibility for immediate sideline identification of injury. Future research should improve methodological rigour through larger, diverse samples and controlled designs, with real-world testing environments. Following this guidance, the application of emerging technologies may assist medical staff, coaches, and national governing bodies in identifying injuries in a sports setting, providing real-time assessment. Full article

The rapid proliferation of wearable sensors and advanced tracking technologies has revolutionized data collection in elite sports, enabling continuous monitoring of athletes’ physiological and biomechanical states. This study proposes a comprehensive big data analytics framework that integrates data acquisition, processing, analytics, and decision support, demonstrated through synthetic datasets in football, basketball, and athletics case scenarios, modeled to represent typical data patterns and decision-making workflows observed in elite sport environments. Analytical methods, including gradient boosting classifiers, logistic regression, and multilayer perceptron models, were employed to predict injury risk, optimize in-game tactical decisions, and personalize sprint mechanics training. Key results include a 12% reduction in hamstring injury rates in football, a 16% improvement in clutch decision-making accuracy in basketball, and an 8% decrease in 100 m sprint times among athletes. The framework’s visualization tools and alert systems supported actionable insights for coaches and medical staff. Challenges such as data quality, privacy compliance, and model interpretability are addressed, with future research focusing on edge computing, federated learning, and augmented reality integration for enhanced real-time feedback. This study demonstrates the potential of integrated big data analytics to transform sports performance optimization, offering a reproducible and ethically sound platform for advancing personalized, data-driven athlete management. Full article

Background/Objectives: Injury prevention programs (IPPs) are evidence-based interventions that reduce musculoskeletal injuries in youth sports. Despite their proven benefits, the adoption of IPPs by coaches remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness, usage, and perceptions of IPPs among youth sports coaches in Poland and to identify factors associated with their implementation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey tailored to youth sports coaches in Poland. Coaches of athletes aged 9–17 were recruited through targeted outreach to clubs and professional networks. The survey assessed IPP awareness, implementation, perceptions, and sources of information. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, non-parametric comparisons, Firth’s logistic regression, and cluster profiling. Results: Only 54.6% of coaches (59 out of 108) were aware of IPPs, and among them, just 47.5% reported using them. No significant associations were found between IPP use and demographic variables such as gender, sport, or place of residence. Coaches who were aware of IPPs were significantly younger than those who were unaware (p = 0.029). The information source was the strongest predictor of IPP implementation: coaches trained via formal courses were over 20 times more likely to use IPPs compared to those learning from peers (OR = 20.4, p < 0.001). While coaches generally perceived IPPs as beneficial for fitness and recovery, 28.6% expressed doubts about their effectiveness in reducing injury risk. Conclusions: Despite broadly positive beliefs, only 47.5% of coaches who were aware of IPPs reported using them. Formal training significantly enhances the likelihood of adoption. These findings emphasize the need for structured educational efforts and improved dissemination strategies to promote evidence-based injury prevention in youth sports settings. Full article

This study develops two machine learning models to predict the medal performance of countries at the 2028 Olympic Games while systematically analyzing and quantifying the impacts of the host effect and exceptional coaching on medal gains. The dataset encompasses records of total medals by country, event categories, and athletes’ participation from the Olympic Games held between 1896 and 2024. We use K-means clustering to analyze medal trends, categorizing 234 nations into four groups (${\alpha }_1$, ${\alpha }_2$, ${\alpha }_3$, ${\alpha }_4$). Among these, ${\alpha }_1$, ${\alpha }_2$, ${\alpha }_3$ represent medal-winning countries, while ${\alpha }_4$ consists of non-medal-winning nations. For the $\alpha$1, $\alpha$2, and $\alpha$3 groups, 2–3 representative countries from each are selected for trend analysis, with the United States serving as a case study. This study extracts ten factors that may influence medal wins from the dataset, including participant data, the number of events, and medal growth rates. Factor analysis is used to reduce them into three principal components: Factor analysis condenses ten influencing factors into three principal components: the event scale factor (F1), the medal trend factor (F2), and the gender and athletic ability factor (F3). An ARIMA model predicts the factor coefficients for 2028 as 0.9539, 0.7999, and 0.2937, respectively. Four models (random forest, BP Neural Network, XGBoost, and SVM) are employed to predict medal outcomes, using historical data split into training and testing sets to compare their predictive performance. The research results show that XGBoost is the optimal medal predicted model, with the United States projected to win 57 gold medals and a total of 135 medals in 2028. For non-medal-winning countries (${\alpha }_4$), a three-layer fully connected neural network (FCNN) is constructed, achieving an accuracy of 85.5% during testing. Additionally, a formula to calculate the host effect and a Bayesian linear regression model to assess the impact of exceptional coaching on athletes’ medal performance are proposed. The overall trend of countries in the $\alpha$1 group is stable, but they are significantly affected by the host effect; the trend in the $\alpha$2 group shows an upward trend; the trend in the $\alpha$3 group depend on the athletes’ conditions and whether the events they excel in are included in that year’s Olympics. In the $\alpha$4 group, the probabilities of the United Arab Republic (UAR) and Mali (MLI) winning medals in the 2028 Olympic Games are 77.47% and 58.47%, respectively, and there are another four countries with probabilities exceeding 30%. For the eight most recent Olympic Games, the gain rate of the host effect is 74%. Great coaches can bring an average increase of 0.2 to 0.5 medals for each athlete. The proposed models, through an innovative integration of clustering, dimensionality reduction, and predictive algorithms, provide reliable forecasts and data-driven insights for optimizing national sports strategies. These contributions not only address the gap in predicting first-time medal wins for non-medal-winning nations but also offer guidance for policymakers and sports organizations, though they are constrained by assumptions of stable historical trends, minimal external disruptions, and the exclusion of unknown athletes. Full article

The current study investigates effects from a non-formal coach education program based on mentorship on the coach–athlete working alliance (CAWA), perceived coach performance (PCP), coaches’ perceptions of self (CPS), and social resources in sport (SRS). Fifty-four elite coaches from a variety of sports who participated in a non-formal coach education program based on mentorship over a period of 18 months, and 21 coaches from a control group, completed data collection at both the pre- and post-test. The results from regression analyses show that the group variable significantly explained the variance in the PCP and SRS at the post-test, whereas the group variable did not significantly explain any variance in CAWA and CPS at the post-test. Thus, the results in the current study indicate positive results from the coach education program on PCP and SRS. The current results are discussed based on the effect mentorship might have on coaches’ self-reflections based on their own experiences, and the importance of building social networks among their peer coaches. Full article

Maximal and explosive strength—defined as the ability to rapidly generate high levels of force—are widely recognized as critical for performance in strength–power sports such as track and field throwing. However, their interrelationship remains insufficiently examined, particularly in the upper body of elite athletes. This study examined the relationship between early force production (≤250 ms, subdivided into early phase: 0–100 ms; late phase: 100–250 ms) and peak isometric upper-body push and pull force in elite Swedish track and field throwers. A total of 30 athletes (17 females, 13 males; aged 18–34 years), all competing nationally or internationally in discus, hammer, shot put, or javelin, participated in a cross-sectional assessment. Isometric force was measured during bench press (push) and supine bench row (pull) using a custom-built device. Force output was recorded at 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ms, along with peak force. The results showed a progressive increase in the correlation between force at early time points and peak force. Associations were weak to moderate at 50–100 ms (r = 0.07–0.55) and became strong to very strong at 150–250 ms (r = 0.64–0.92). These patterns were consistent across sexes and test types. The findings suggest that maximal strength becomes increasingly important as force production time extends beyond 100 ms. Coaches may benefit from assessing both early and peak force characteristics to inform strength profiling and guide training focus, though further research is needed to determine their impact on performance. Full article

This study examines perceptions of sexual harassment in sports 25 years after the enactment of Israel’s prevention of sexual harassment law, building upon a 1999 study by Feigin and Negbi. Utilizing feminist and power relations theories, this research investigates how perceptions have evolved across genders, competitive levels, and coaching statuses. A total of 361 participants, including non-competitive, competitive, and Olympic athletes, completed a questionnaire assessing perceptions of potentially harassing behaviors. The results reveal significant shifts in awareness, particularly among female athletes, across all four factors of sexual harassment examined. The most substantial change was observed in the “Between concern and interest” factor, indicating increased sensitivity to ambiguous behaviors. Olympic athletes and coaches demonstrated heightened awareness compared to non-competitive athletes. Gender disparities persisted, with female participants consistently showing higher sensitivity to potentially harassing behaviors. These findings underscore the need for tailored educational programs, policy revisions, and increased representation of diverse perspectives in sports leadership. Full article

Esports is a global industry, with coaches widely regarded as having a pivotal role in facilitating player development and enhancing performance. Despite this, limited research has investigated the developmental experiences of esports coaches and how they are valued by diverse stakeholder groups. Consequently, the aim of this research is to explore global stakeholders’ perspectives towards the developmental experiences of esports coaches. Data were collected via a qualitative online survey completed by 98 participants, representing 28 nationalities, across six esports stakeholder groups (head coach, assistant coach, player, team manager, performance staff, analyst). Following a reflexive thematic analysis process, three themes were generated: (1) Speaking the same language: the importance of playing and knowing the game; (2) Walking the walk: the need for coaching experience to demonstrate competency; and (3) Formal professional learning and development: a bone of contention. By understanding how diverse stakeholders value different developmental experiences, the findings offer unique insights into the contested nature of coach development in esports. This research contributes to the esports coaching literature and provides a foundation for future empirical research into this emerging area, with recommendations and implications for esports coach education and practice discussed. Full article

Background: Sports scientists have increasingly used point-of-care methods for training load management, and blood gas analysis has shown promise in this area. However, the reproducibility of this method in high-performance athletes remains unproven. Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the reliability of acid-base variables at rest in high-performance Paralympic sprinters. Methods: Seven athletes participated, including four with visual impairments (class T12 and T13) and three with physical impairments. Approximately 500 µL of capillary blood was obtained from the fingertip and analyzed in triplicate (Samples 1, 2, and 3) using the Epoc System^® (Ottawa, ON, Canada) to measure pH, carbonic dioxide partial pressure (pCO₂), bicarbonate ion (HCO₃⁻), base excess (BE), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), creatinine (CRE), and urea concentration (URE). Results: No differences were found for any parameter (p > 0.05). The imprecision of the method ranged from 0.1% for blood pH to 6.1% for BE. Pearson’s analysis showed strong and significant relationships between all variables analyzed (p < 0.05). The degree of consistency among samples also indicated excellent reliability of measurements, ranging from 0.88 for Hb to 1.00 for URE. Conclusions: These results indicate that acid-base status measurements using point-of-care demonstrated excellent reliability in high-level athletes, supporting sports scientists and coaches for athlete training and management. Full article

Attempts towards achieving gender equality are widely considered to be ‘wicked’ problems and continue to be a global priority in line with other United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In sport, longstanding gender inequities are reproduced and perpetuated through problematic heteropatriarchal, ableist, and colonial sporting structures and cultures. These negatively impact women and girls and gender expansive people, as well as their access to quality sporting experiences across different pathways. As key actors within sporting ecosystems, sport coaches have a critical role to play in terms of supporting the development of inclusive, ethical, and equitable sporting environments and, more broadly, in the mainstreaming of quality sporting experiences for all. Therefore, the development of a gender and diversity-sensitive, -responsive, and -transformative coaching workforce should be a critical concern. This position paper builds on previous empirical work which has identified gaps in coaching knowledge alongside a range of problematic understandings and assumptions which currently shape coaches’ ‘gender-responsive’ coaching practices. It does so by identifying challenges and ways forward for enhanced coach learning and development strategies targeting the development of a more gender and diversity-responsive coaching workforce. Full article