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The purpose of this study was to determine in what ways the mentees’ behavior changed during a formal mentoring and coaching program conducted during the 2006-2007 school year in Virginia and what accounted for the change(s). Because a sharp increase in responsibilities in recent years has made the job of the principal more demanding and stressful, it is imperative that principals get help from a mentor coach to sharpen the leadership skills that they need to be successful. Information obtained in this study pertaining to a formal mentoring and coaching program and whether or not it changed the leadership behavior of mentees can be used to develop future mentoring and coaching programs for high school principals. This qualitative study took a collective case study approach that focused on collecting information regarding the leadership skills of high school principals who had worked with a mentor coach during the 2006-2007 school year. This study involved six high school principals who formed three dyads during the formal mentoring and coaching program. Triangulation of data sources included interviews with participants, data from the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) 360 Self and Observer Assessments, reflection log protocols of the mentor coaches, and mentee shadowing protocols. Data were analyzed using a logical analysis approach which included coding data, finding patterns, labeling themes, and developing category systems. Results of this study were presented as categories and discussed using both the conceptual framework and the 10 leadership skill dimensions identified by NASSP and closely related to the standards endorsed by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC). This collective case study reveals that the three mentees who participated in a formal mentoring and coaching program in Virginia experienced change, meaning improvement, in the following eight of the ten NASSP leadership skill dimensions: (a) setting leadership direction, (b) teamwork, (c) sensitivity, (d) organizational ability, (e) judgment, (f) results orientation, (g) developing others, and (h) understanding own strengths and weaknesses. Two mentees improved slightly and one not at all in the two leadership skill dimensions, oral communication and written communication. The history of the mentee, some characteristics of the mentor coaches, and several variables pertaining to the administrative mentoring and coaching program accounted for their change in leadership behavior. / Ph. D.

The dual role of classroom teacher and athletic coach is commonly combined in public school systems, often resulting in job related conflicts. The purpose of this study was to examine the job attitudes of teacher-coaches as perceived by teacher-football coaches (n=283) and high school principals (n=43) and identify areas where role preference occurred. The teacher-coaches and principals responded to a job attitude instrument designed to measure attitudes concerning job related tension, participation in decision making, job involvement and job satisfaction during the roles of teaching and coaching.

The purposes of this study are (1) to make a comparison of the stipulated, assigned, and acquired duties of the head football coaches of Class AA high schools within a radius of 115 miles of Grand Prairie, Texas; and (2) to make a comparison of the stipulated, assigned, and acquired duties of the assistant football coaches of Class AA high schools within a radius of 115 miles of Grand Prairie, Texas.

This study aims to describe and analyse the actions of the school coaches at the National sport upper secondary schools in light of the conditions that govern and shape the activities at those schools. The theoretical standpoints are based on Lave and Wengers' (1991) theoretical concept community of practice, and as an explanatory theoretical framework Scott's (2008) interpretation of new institutional theory is used. In the analysis of the coaches’ space for actions given the current conditions, Berg's (2014) free space theory is used. The study has a qualitative approach and the design is based on four case studies, where interviews and document analyses have been used to produce the data. The main findings can be summarized in that the cultural-cognitive conditions are very strong, whereas the regulatory and normative conditions play a less significant role. The coaches belong to a community of practice, where the sport’s inherent culture becomes the reference point for how the practice will be run, even though they are part of the school.

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the level of nutrition knowledge and degree of competitiveness in high school wrestlers and their coaches and to look at the differences between groups. Twelve schools participated in the study and a total of 180 wrestlers and 29 coaches (12 head and 17 assistant) completed the nutrition knowledge and Sports Orientation (competitiveness) questionnaires. The results indicate that nutrition knowledge increases significantly with increasing age or grade level in the athletes (p=.0001), but significant increases were not seen for each year. The mean score for nutrition knowledge was 53.9% for the athletes and 67% for the coaches, both very low scores overall when compared with previous research, indicating a strong need for improved nutrition education in both populations. The coaches' mean nutrition knowledge levels were found to increase significantly with increasing years of coaching (p=.0001), suggesting that some knowledge is gained through experience. Team nutrition scores varied significantly, with a range of 50 to 63%, suggesting that some schools may have higher quality nutrition education programs than others. Results of the nutrition knowledge scores also demonstrate that a significant similarity exists between the head coaches' nutrition score and the teams' mean score (p=.0001), suggesting the possibility that the head coaches can have a greater impact on their teams' level of nutrition information than can other possible sources. Competitiveness scores were very high for this population as compared to previous studies completed with high school students, with the mean scores being 58.5 out of a possible 65 points for the wrestlers, and 59.4 for the coaches. Average competitiveness scores previously seen in the high school athletic population are approximately 20% lower than the scores found in these wrestlers, with a mean of 47. Competitiveness was found to significantly increase with increasing years of participation in wrestling (p=.02), but no other significant interrelationships were found to exist with regard to competitiveness levels in this population. There are many factors that were unable to be researched in this study due to inconsistent weight records that were to be kept by each team. Not 1 of the 12 schools kept consistent nor complete weight records throughout the season, making much of the planned research impossible. In conclusion, there exists much speculation regarding the possible consequences of weight cutting during adolescence, especially when the perceived benefits of the practice are not scientifically based. Research has suggested that there are many changes that need to be considered within the sport of wrestling such as minimal weight standards along with strict enforcement of those standards. As demonstrated with the results of this study, nutrition knowledge is low in the wrestling population, wrestlers and coaches alike, and therefore, additional education regarding nutrition and unsafe weight loss practices in high-risk populations such as the high school wrestler is needed. / Graduation date: 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a one-hour in-service nutrition education workshop for high school coaches in Corvallis, Eugene and Salem, Oregon. The objectives were to determine: 1. if the workshop can make positive changes in nutrition knowledge; 2. which type of participant benefits most from the workshop in terms of an increase in knowledge; and 3. how high school coaches feel about the usefulness of this type of workshop. Eighty-one coaches participating in the study completed a pre-questionnaire immediately prior to and then a post-questionnaire immediately following the workshop. The questionnaire was designed to measure the nutrition for fitness and sport knowledge of coaches. A 17 minute slide/tape program (Nutrition in the Fast Lane) was the major educational component of the workshop. Statistically significant differences were found between pre- and post-questionnaire scores indicating that coaches increased their nutrition knowledge as a result of attending the workshop. Similar results were found for a group of student athletic trainers, teachers and parents of young athletes. It was also found that the age of the coach, academic degree, number of years of coaching, completion of a college level nutrition course or attendance at a nutrition education workshop within the past two years did not have a significant effect on the overall knowledge score. However, female coaches had significantly greater overall knowledge scores than male coaches. Nearly all coaches (95%) found this workshop either very or somewhat useful and 97.5% would recommend it to their colleagues. The conclusions are that within the framework of a one-hour in-service nutrition education workshop coaches are able to achieve significant increases in nutrition knowledge and that with the exception of female coaches, no one type of participant benefited most in terms of an increase in knowledge. / Graduation date: 1986

There is great controversy regarding the methods in attenuating the epidemic of being overweight and obese among our population. For years, low-fat diets have been prescribed as the best approach to solving this problem, however, low-carbohydrate diets have become increasingly popular despite the widespread opinion that they result in large reductions in muscle tissue and function. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a Step-I and carbohydrate-restricted (ketogenic) diet on changes in body mass (BM), fat mass (FM), lean body mass (LBM), and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Eight overweight men (>25% body fat) consumed Step-I (<30% fat) and ketogenic (<10% carbohydrate) diets for 6 weeks in a randomized cross-over design. Body composition (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and RMR were examined before and after each diet. Energy intake was significantly reduced during the Step-I (1506 kcal/day) and ketogenic (1766 kcaL'day) diets compared to habitual dietary intake (2443 kcal/day). The following changes in body composition were observed during the Step-I and ketogenic diets, respectively: BM -4.1 and -5.9 kg, FM -3.5 and -4.4kg, LBM +0.1 and -1.7kg. The changes in RMR for the Step-I and ketogenic diets respectively were -155 and -26 kcal/day, relative RMR -0.68 and +0.81 kcal/kg BM. Although changes in BM, LBM, and FM tended to be greater during the ketogenic diet and changes in both absolute and relative RMR tended to be greater during the Step-I diet, no significant differences were noted between diets. These data indicate that hypoenergetic diets greatly differing in macronutrient distribution result in similar changes in body composition and that very low-carbohydrate diets do not result in significant losses in LBM and metabolic rate. / School of Physical Education

This thesis investigated the development and effectiveness of a perceptual training programmes for coaches and judges in gymnastics. Study one examined the variability of visual search for coaches and judges when viewing handspring vaults. The study found that there were no significant differences between the mean number of fixations, fixation duration and number of areas fixated across two time-points four weeks apart. In addtion, the natural range of variation of the number of fixations, fixation duration and number of area fixated was found to be 9/7%, 5.7% and 14.2% (expressed as coefficient of variation). Study two examined differences between expert and novice gymnastics coaches' and judges' visual search. Analysis of gaze behaviour showed that experts make significantly more fixations of significantly longer duration to significantly fewer areas than novies. There was no significant difference between the outcome juddgements made by the expert and novice coaches and judges. These findings suggest that visual search may be a contributing factor to expert performance in judgement formation. Study three explored the visual search pattern and knowledge used by expert coaches and judges when making decisions. Data were gathered through the used of eye-tracking and semi-structered interviews. Analyses established that experts tend to fixate on the torso and shoulders of gymnasts throughout the vault, and that there are three to four specific areas which are explored during each phase of a vault. Study four examined the effectiveness of a perceptual training programme for a perceptual traning and control group. Fixation number, fixation duration, number of areas fixated and outcome judgement were recorded at baseline, immediently after the programme and four weeks after it had been withdrawn. 2 (control vs. perceputal training) x 3 (intervention phase) ANOVA's with repeated measures showed that the perceptual training group produced significantly less error at the retention stage for number of fixations (F (2,6) = 12.57, p = 0.01, effect size n2 = .81), at the post-test for fixation duration (F (2,6) = 7.49, p = 0.02, effect size n2 = .71). However post-hoc analyses could not detect the difference for number of areas fixated. In study five, four participants that took part in the experiental condition watched a perceptual training DVD twice a week for six weeks. The case study data showed that the expert and novices who watched the perceptual training DVD made changes to their visual search variables and judgements and therefore became more analogous to the experts from study three to baseline to the post-test. However, only the novices retained the beneficial effects of the intervention. To conclude, this programme of research examinaed the development and effectiveness of a perceptual training programee for coaches' and judges' in gymnastics. This thesis suggests that a perceptual training programme based on the visual search and declarative knowledge of expert coaches and judges is effective at altering visual search and enhancing decision making for noveice coaches and judges. This research programme therefore promotes the use of perceptual training programmes for novice coaches and judges in sport.