The use of seed-propagated bermudagrasses [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.], particularly for athletic fields, is rapidly increasing. Recently developed seeded cultivars have been bred for improved turfgrass quality (finer texture, darker green color, etc.) and for increased cold tolerance, but their ability to tolerate wear has not been investigated. This study was conducted to determine if three seeded cultivars could tolerate simulated athletic wear as well as one vegetative cultivar commonly used in Kentucky. The seeded cultivars, Riviera, Princess 77 and Yukon were planted at 24.4 and 48.8 kg PLS ha-1 and the vegetative cultivar Quickstand was sprigged at 1250 and 2500 bu ha-1 in the second week of June. Beginning at the end of August each year (in conjunction with the Kentucky high school football season), simulated wear treatments equivalent to either three, two, one or zero football games wk-1, using a Brinkman traffic simulator, were imposed. Plots were then evaluated for turfgrass quality (TQ) and percent turfgrass cover (PC) through mid-November. The possibility that precipitation amounts and timing may have been a factor is the large end of season PC means is also examined. Final PC means for each season under the highest wear treatment were mixed with Princess 77 having a statistically greater mean (Pandlt;0.0001) of 42% than any other cultivar in 2002, where the 2003 results showed Riviera to have the statistically higher (Pandlt;0.0001) mean (71%) over the other cultivars. TQ ratings were inconsistent when used as a measure of wear tolerance. Stolon fresh weights were also measured between the cultivars as an examination of morphological characteristics that could be associated with wear tolerance, but were not statistically correlated (Pandgt;0.05) to a given cultivars wear tolerance ability.

Muscle dysmorphia is a relatively new psychological disorder primarily affecting males who engage in weightlifting or bodybuilding. Individuals with this disorder are obsessed with the idea that their body is not sufficiently lean or muscular when compared to others and engage in several, risky behaviors (i.e., frequent exercise sessions, anabolic steroid use, structured diets) to increase muscularity. As obtaining and maintaining a muscular physique is so important to his or her self-worth, an individual may have little insight to how their behaviors are affecting their social and occupational lives and are reluctant to seek out psychological treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess obligation to exercise, motivation and reason to exercise, athletic identity, and behaviors of muscle dysmorphia and examine their relationship to insight and recognition of criteria for muscle dysmorphia through correlation and regression tests. Participants (N = 85) completed a series of questionnaires to assess the independent variables and were then administered two questionnaires designed for the study to assess insight to any criteria participants might be experiencing and recognition of criteria in a case vignette also designed for the study. Analyses of results showed that participants with a higher athletic identity and more behaviors of muscle dysmorphia had a higher level of insight than participants with low athletic identity and fewer behaviors of muscle dysmorphia; on the other hand, individuals with more behaviors of muscle dysmorphia had a lower recognition of criteria of muscle dysmorphia than those with fewer behaviors. These findings support the notion that individuals participating in athletics and exercises to enhance muscularity have varying levels of insight to their preoccupation with improving their body shape.

The purpose of this study was to assess Head Athletic Trainers (ATC) of NCAA Division I collegiate institutions perceived adequacy of professional preparation in implementing injury-related sport psychology skills and strategies. A survey instrument was developed and sent to all Head ATCs at NCAA Division IA institutions. Descriptive statistics were computed for information regarding educational background,. years of experience, number of varsity sports served, sport psychology backgrounds, specific sport psychology management strategies used and related perceived competence. Also, independent t-tests were conducted to examine differences in responses between professional preparation/backgrounds of the respondents and their perceived adequacy of preparation when utilizing sport psychology management strategies. Results indicate that 48% of NCAA Division IA Head ATCs have completed a formal course in sport psychology, and that perceived confidence when utilizing sport psychology skills and strategies are higher for this group. Better understanding of the role sport psychology plays in injury rehabilitation will allow ATCs to enhance their athletes' physical recovery from injury. / School of Physical Education

The position of director of intercollegiate athletics represents the highest administrative position in athletics in colleges and universities. During the days of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), 90% of the women's programs were coached and administered by women. Shortly after the implementation of Title IX in 1972, this trend began to change and most women's programs began to fall under the leadership of male coaches and administrators. During the summer of 1982, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) took control of the AIAW forcing women administrators to take a backseat to their male colleagues. This lack of administrative and coaching representation has also resulted in fewer role models for female athletes.This study was designed to compare the qualifications of men and women directors of intercollegiate athletics to determine if the women must be more qualified than theirmale counterparts to hold the same position. This study may also serve as a blueprint for women in athletics as to the qualifications and experiences necessary in their attaining a position of director of intercollegiate athletics.The results of a survey questionnaire to 200 male directors of NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA colleges, with a return rate of 52.3%, were compared to an early study conducted on female directors to determine if the qualifications between the two genders were different. The educational results were very similar between the two genders, with both maintaining that a master's degree was extremely important in attaining their positions. Both genders also confirmed that at least one year of experience in athletic administration was crucial to their appointment as director of athletics.In examining the qualifications of both men and women who hold athletic administrative positions, it was not conclusive that educationally or professionally, the women were more qualified than their male colleagues. The responses to the survey by both men and women were very similar in their beliefs of what was important in attaining their current positions. / School of Physical Education

The purposes of this study is to determine: (a) the relationship between the dependant variables, (b) the relationship between the Borg pain scale and the performance tests, (c) the difference in performance between involved and uninvolved extremities, and (d) the effects of the three different therapeutic exercise treatments on selected performance tests and pain free isometric strength testing. Fifty subjects with physician diagnosed anterior knee pain (AKP), completed initial performance testing and 14 subjects completed initial testing, therapy and six weeks later final performance testing. The 14 subjects were randomly assigned to one of three therapeutic exercise treatment groups. The performance tests included; pain free isometric strength tests (90, 60, 45, and 15 degrees knee flexion), stair test, timed hop, triple hop, crossover hop, Figure 8 and Borg pain scale rating for each performance test. The results indicated a significant correlation between performance tests and pain free isometric strength tests. There was no relationship indicated between the performance tests, Borg pain scale ratings. The contrast between the injured and uninjured extremities performance test values of the fifty subjects that completed the initial testing indicated no significant (p< 0.05) difference. The results of this study indicated that there was no significant difference between the therapeutic exercise treatment groups. In conclusion, the three anterior knee pain treatments had no effect on strength and performance. / School of Physical Education

There are many choices of specialists to be utilized in a sport medicine support staff. The effectiveness of any athletic training program depends on the organization and utilization of these specialists. The purpose of this investigation was to review current practices of accessibility, utilization, and compensation of sports medicine support staff at NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions. A random sample of 225 NCAA institutions equally stratified by level (Division I, II, 111) was obtained from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) directory. A questionnaire was sent to 75 head athletic trainers in each of three NCAA divisions levels. Of the 225 questionnaires mailed, 178 were returned representing a 79% response rate.The accessibility and utilization of support staff was equally distributed with respect to gender and sports at all division levels. When examining the support staff, Division I had consistently higher accessibility and utilization rates than Division II and Ill. This study may assist athletic trainers to evaluate or update their program by reviewing current practices of accessibility utilization, and compensation of support staff. / School of Physical Education

This study examined gender differences in the leadership styles of Division I athletic directors. Perceptions of coaches and the athletic directors, themselves, regarding these styles were assessed. Ten Division I athletic directors (five male, five female) and six coaches (three male, three female) from each of the 10 schools completed a demographic questionnaire and a revised form of the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire - Form XII.Six separate independent groups t-test indicated no significant differences between the self-perceptions of male and female athletic directors on any of the six factors of leadership. A 2 x'2 x 3 (AD Gender x Coach Gender x Coach) ANOVA with repeated measures on the final two factors showed no significant difference in the perceptions of all coaches of male athletic directors versus all coaches of female athletic directors. The results did demonstrated that the perceptions of male coaches were significantly different from female coaches on the leadership factors of structure, production emphasis, and integration, regardless of the gender of the athletic director. / School of Physical Education

As early as 1994, and with transformation in mind, the African National Congress (ANC) identified the development of the previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa as a national priority. In so doing, sport, among others, was used in this strategy as a medium to improve and change the circumstances of people in disadvantaged communities. Sports development in disadvantaged communities is essential, if taken into consideration that without such further support of the sport talent of some of these children, the needs of these talented children cannot be met and their potential will remain undeveloped. Talent identification (TID), which is based on scientific principles and forms the first step in sports development, still is relatively new in South Africa. Historically, coaches used their own knowledge and experience of the characteristics, which should lead to success in sport as well as participation in competitions in order to do TID. To date, very little research has been done on talent identification and development in sprints and long-jump, especially pertaining to young boy and girl athletes, and in particular concerning athletes from disadvantaged communities. The first and second objectives of this study were to implement sport specific athletics development programmes aimed at improving sprinting and long-jump ability and to determine its effect on the abilities and skills of talented 10 to 15 year-old girls and boys with talent for sprints and long-jump. The third and fourth objectives of this study were to establish which kinanthropometric, physical and motor components will play such a role in 10 to 15 year-olds that it can predict performance ability in sprints and long-jump in girls and boys at this age. The "Australian Talent Search" protocol was used to identify general sport talent in the children (66 girls and 62 boys) who were identified for the study. The talented children (19 girls and 21 boys) from the initial group of were then subjected to a sport specific test battery for sprints and long-jump. The maturation level of the boys was determined by means of a maturity questionnaire, based on the 5 Tanner stages. By using the Statistica and SAS computer programmes, independent t-testing, covariance analyses, correlation coefficients, effect sizes, descriptive statistics as well as a stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data with regard to the above-mentioned objectives. A p-value smaller than or equal to 0.05 was accepted as significant. From the results of the study it is evident that the development programmes contributed to the improvement of physical and motor abilities and skills important for performance in both sprints and long-jump in girls (n=19) and boys (n=21) respectively. Among the girls, flexibility, explosive power, muscle endurance, reaction time, speed, speed endurance, acceleration and long-jump showed statistically significant improvement, while abdominal muscle strength and stride length showed no improvement. Secondly, it was established that the development programme contributed statistically significantly to an improvement in flexibility, muscle endurance, 0-40 metres speed and long-jump ability in boys. However, some components did not show improvement, among them explosive power, reaction time, speed endurance, acceleration and stride length. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the third and fourth objectives. It indicated that, in respect to the 100 metres sprint, 7 variables, namely long-jump, push-ups to the point of exhaustion, 7-level abdominal strength, 0-5 metres speed, ankle dorsiflexion, body length and age contributed 84.0% to the total variance in girls. As for long-jump, 7 variables, namely 0-100 metres speed, body length, 7-level abdominal strength, push-ups, ankle dorsiflexion, standing long-jump and body mass proved to be the most important contributors to performance in these items with a total contribution of 79% to the total variance. The fourth objective indicated that average anaerobic power output, acceleration and body mass contributed statistically significantly to performance in the 100 metres sprint in boys with a contribution of 86.5% to the total variance. Horizontal jump, age and acceleration contributed statistically significantly to long-jump performance with a contribution of 81 5% to the total variance. It is evident from this study that sport specific development programmes can successfully be implemented on girls and boys at ages 10-15 in order to improve sprinting and long-jump ability, regardless of poverty-stricken circumstances and poor infrastructure. Furthermore, the study brought to light that specific kinanthropometric, physical and motor abilities exist which can be used to predict performance in sprints and long-jump in girls and boys separately at ages 10 to 15. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

The study’s purpose was to describe a handball ATDE (Athletic Talent Development Environment) in the south of Sweden and to examine and derive the success factors of the ATDE, and within this context explore the motivational climate and autonomy support as perceived by members of the ATDE. The study is based on three theories: the Holistic ecological approach, Self Determination theory and Achievement Goal theory. The study’s participants all represented a club in the south of Sweden and consisted of players in the age of 15-19, the club manager, coaches and parents. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews, observations and analysis of documents surrounding the club's vision and training/match policies. A total of seven interviews with four players, two coaches and the manager were conducted. Five observations at a minimum of 90 minutes gave the authors a broader view of the ATDE. An analysis of content and a triangulation with the supervisor were conducted in order to interpret the empirical data. The study revealed that the club is under re-organization, and its enthusiasm to evolve and become even better. The study found the ATDE to have a mastery oriented and autonomy supportive climate which in many ways contributed to the successful features of the ATDE. The study confirms earlier research regarding ATDE success factors as well as connections between SDT and AGT. The results also provide a deeper understanding of how successful factors, relationships, motivational climate and the autonomy support in an ATDE, affects young handball player’s motivation to evolve and reach their full potential. Implications with a basis in the theories used are presented.

This study investigated the degree to which girls' artistic gymnastics clubs of Quebec are meeting the expectations currently held of them. Parents of participants and coaches from three clubs in each of three different geographic regions were asked to fill out questionnaires. Respondents were asked to rate the degree to which they felt clubs were meeting participants' needs in four categories of objectives. The categories were: Participation, Program, Instruction and Development. Comparisons were made between groups of respondents and geographic regions. An analysis of variance was done on the data in each of the four categories. While the percentage of returns from both parents and coaches was discouraging, it was found that, in general, both instructors and parents are satisfied with what their clubs are providing. In all categories of objectives the ratings obtained were high. The analysis showed a significant difference between parents and coaches in the Participation category as well as between geographic regions for the Instruction category. It was found that coaches have a more favorable opinion than do parents of their clubs' abilities to meet Participation needs. It was also determined that respondents from the urban area had more positive attitudes toward their clubs' abilities to meet participants' Instruction needs than did those from the rural region.