The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of attentional focus on football performance. 20 junior elite football players participated in a repeated measure experiment where the effects of external focus and internal focus (compared to a control condition with no instructions regarding attentional focus) in a football related performance was investigated. The participants got to do an obstacle course three times, one with no instructions regarding focus of attention, one with internal focus and one with external focus. Significant effect of focus was found in two out of three dependent variables, passing points and cone touches, but no effect on time taken to finish the obstacle course. The participants got more points in passing and touched less cones in the obstacle course when having an external focus (with medium to strong effect sizes) compared to both internal focus and no instructions regarding focus. There were no differences in performance between internal focus and no instructions. The result in this study indicates that having external focus could enhance performance for junior elite football players, even though more research is needed on the subject for senior football players.

Please read the abstract (Summary) in the 00front part of this document / Dissertation (MA (HMS))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

Formerly, football was just a hobby to many people but because of the commercialization and professionalization the sport has now become a work where people get payed. There is a questioning if those players can be considered as employees and receive a protection from labor law. It is a big risk to become injured as a football player compared to other jobs. The purpose of this essay is to elucidate the terms of employment for Swedish professional football players considering a perspective of equality. The essay has a comparative approach for the possibility to compare the two collective agreements that are in force for female and male professional football players in Sweden. In addition to that, the legal dogmatic method, a document analysis and a qualitative part is included to make it possible to answer both the research questions.    The professional football players in Sweden are today considered as employees. Considering this, they receive the same protection regarding labor law just like other employees with more common jobs. The protection that they provide during illness or an injury is regulated in law and in their collective agreements. It appears that both male and female professional football players in Sweden has a good protection when illness or an injury takes place even if the collective agreements regulates the protection in different ways. The male players have a better solution due to the insurance, but the recurring reason is the difference between the salaries.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between aggression, as measured by various personality questionnaires, and competitive anxiety, as measured by the Illinois State Competitive Anxiety Questionnaire, among the intercollegiate football players at the University of the Pacific. A sub-purpose of the study was to determine the relationship of aggression scores among intercollegiate football players as measured by the selected personality questionnaires.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine what practices and policies were being used in the training and conditioning programs for football, the similarities and differences of the training and conditioning programs for football, and to recommend a training and conditioning program for football in colleges based upon the present practices of colleges and universities of Texas.

The deregulation of snacks by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) permits institutions to provide enhanced snacks incidental to participation. Athletes may now have the opportunity to improve their diet quality. The purpose of this research was to assess the consumption of fruits and vegetables as well as body composition of Division I collegiate athletes. The sample included 19 American football players and 8 volleyball players. Paired t-tests were performed to compare fruit intake, vegetable intake, and body fat percentage pre- and post-deregulation of snacks. Linear regression models were used to determine correlations between change in fruit intake and change in body fat percentage and change in vegetable intake and change in body fat percentage. There were no significant differences in the paired t-tests; however, there was a significant correlation in increasing fruit intake, vegetable intake, and decreasing body fat percentage among football players. Results suggest that regular contact with a Registered Dietitian may improve diet quality, and providing nutrient-dense foods planned by a Registered Dietitian to college athletes may improve body fat percentage.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current study was an investigation into the moral development amongst rugby players in residence at the University of Stellenbosch. An adapted version of the Ethic of Care Interview was applied on thirty participants, 15 rugby players and 15 non-rugby players. Results were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test and indicated that there was no significant difference in moral reasoning between the two groups. However, there was a significant difference (p<O.05) between the two groups when considering a sport specific moral dilemma. The rugby players employed a higher level of moral reasoning than the non-rugby players on this measure. These findings are viewed within the context of the theoretical frameworks of Pia get, Kohlberg, Gilligan and Haan. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige studie was 'n ondersoek oor die morele ontwikkeling van koshuis rugbyspelers aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. 'n Aangepaste weergawe van die Ethic of Care Interview is op dertig deelnemers toegepas. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 15 rugbyspelers en 15 nie-rugbyspelers. Resultate is deur die Mann-Whitney U toets ontleed, en het aangedui dat daar geen beduidende verskille tussen die twee groepe se vlak van morele redenering was nie. Daar was wel 'n beduidende verskil (p<O.05) tussen die twee groepe wanneer 'n sport spesifieke morele dilemma in gebruik was. Die rugbyspelers het 'n hoër vlak van morele redenering as die nie-rugbyspelers op hierdie maatstaf gebruik. Hierdie bevindinge word in konteks geplaas van die teoretiese raamwerke van Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan en Haan.

Thesis (M Sport Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Stress and recovery plays an important role in the performance of semi-professional rugby players. Physiological and psychological markers have been established as reliable indicators of the recovery-stress state in athletes. Monitoring changes in the recovery-stress state enables the coaching staff to adapt training sessions to enhance performance. The aim of this study was to monitor changes in stress and recovery states among U-20 rugby union players during a training year. Relationships regarding monitoring variables and differences in stress and recovery between playing positions were examined. 55 Players between the ages of 18 and 20 were monitored for 27 weeks, over a training year. The training year was divided into 5 training phases: Developing phase (week 1 – 7), Transitional phase (week 8 - 11), Early Competition phase (week 12 - 17), Performance phase (week 18 – 24), and High Performance phase (week 25 - 27). Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) for sessions were reported on a daily basis. The Heart-rate Interval Monitoring System (HIMS) test was run every week. The Stellenbosch Mood Scale (STEMS) and Self-Report questionnaires were completed on a weekly basis, and the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire (RESTQ-76-Sport) was completed once a month. Backline players physically recovered better and faster than the forwards throughout the training year, while the forwards exhibited better psychological coping methods. The backline players had significant higher scores for the Depression (p = 0.03), Anger (p = 0.009), and Confusion (p = 0.01) scales of the STEMS. The Total Mood Disturbance scores were also significantly higher (p = 0.03) for the backline players than the forwards during the Performance phase. The backline players experienced increased stress and decreased feelings of well-being during the competitive phases when compared to the forwards. The backline players had better physical recovery than the forwards after the high intensity and high volume Developing phase. Correlations were evident between the HIMS test and the RESTQ-76-Sport questionnaire. Additional correlations were found between training load, as well as training monotony and training strain, and scales of the RESTQ-76-Sport and STEMS questionnaires. Lack of psychological skills-training might also have resulted in the players not knowing how to properly handle stressful situations and how to regulate their stress and recovery states. The lack of an educational system regarding recovery strategies, and the reinforcement thereof, especially during the Developing phases might play a role in the later increased fatigue and injury rates among the players. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stres en herstel speel 'n groot rol in die prestasie van semi-professionele rugby spelers. Fisiologiese en sielkundige merkers is vasgestel as betroubare aanwysers ten opsigte van die stress-herstel toestand van atlete. Die monitoring van veranderinge in hierdie toestand kan die afrigtings-personeel help om die oefensessies aan te pas om optimale prestasie te verseker. Die doel van hierdie navorsingstudie was om veranderinge in stres en herstel toestande in O/20 rugby unie spelers, oor 'n oefenjaar, te moniteer. Verhoudinge in monitering veranderlikes en moontlike verskille in die stress en herstel toestand tussen die voorspelers en agterspelers is ondersoek. 55 Spelers tussen die ouderdomme van 18 en 20 is vir 27 weke, oor 'n oefenjaar, gemonitor. Die oefenjaar was onderverdeel in vyf oefenfases nl. die Ontwikkelingsfase (week 1 – 7), die Oorskakelingsfase (week 8 – 11), die Vroeë Kompetisiefase (week 12 – 17), die Prestasiefase (week 18 – 25), en laastens die Hoë Prestasiefase (week 25 – 27). Spelers het daagliks hul “Rate of Perceived Exertion‟s” aangedui vir elke oefensessie. Die “Heart-rate Interval System” toets (HIMS) was een keer 'n week gehardloop. Die “Stellenbosch Mood States” (STEMS) en Selfrapporteringsvraelyste was op 'n weeklikse basis ingevul en die “Recovery-Stress Questionnaire-Sport” (RESTQ-76-Sport) was een keer 'n maand ingevul. Agterspelers het deur die jaar fisies beter en vinniger as die voorspeler herstel, terwyl die voorspelers beter sielkundige beheer getoon het. Die agterlyn se tellings vir die Depressie (p = 0.03), Woede (p = 0.009), en Vervanging (p = 0.01) skale van die STEMS was betekenisvol hoër as die telling van die voorspelers. Die Totale Gemoedsversteuringstellings was ook betekenisvol hoër vir die agterlyn as die voorspelers tydens die Prestasiefase (p = 0.03). Die agterspelers het toenemende stres tydens die kompetitisie fases ervaar, sowel as 'n afname in die gevoel van Welsyn. Die agterlyn het beter fisiese herstel na die hoë intensiteit en hoë volume Ontwikkelingsfase as die voorspelers getoon. Korrelasies is gevind tussen die HIMS en die RESTQ-76-Sport. Verdere korrelasies is ook tussen “training load”, sowel as “training monotony” en “training strain”, en sekere skale van die RESTQ-76-Sport en STEMS vraelyste gevind. Die tekort aan sielkundige tegniek-ontwikkeling kon bydrae tot die spelers se verwardheid rondom die hantering van stresvolle situasies en hoe om hul stres en herstel toestande te reguleer. Die afwesigheid van „n opvoedkundige sisteem rondom herstel strategieë, en die toepassing daarvan, veral tydens die Ontwikkelingsfases, mag moontlik 'n rol speel in latere toenames in vermoeienis en getal beserings onder die spelers.

<p>Predmet istrživanja ove doktorske disertacije predstavljaju morfo-funkcionalni i motorički status fudbalera, odnosno specijalno programirani sistem treninga u letnjem pripremnom periodu kod fudbalera seniorskog uzrasta različitih rangova takmičenja. U okviru rada na disertaciji sprovedeno je inicijalno i finalno merenje morfo-funkcionalnih i motoričkih sposobnosti fudbalera kao i efikasnost efekata tretmana. Imajući u vidu da se na fudbalskim utakmicama ostvaruju mnogobrojni zadaci, a koji se odnose na različite segmente psihosomatskog statusa, u centar ovog istraživanja postavljena je problematika koja je vezana za iznalaženje puteva za efikasniju realizaciju fudbalske igre.<br />U metodologiji fudbalskog treninga postoji veliki broj vežbi. Važno je odabrati najpotrebnije od njih. Još je važnije da se te vežbe međusobno kombinuju i povežu na takav naćin koji će omogućiti da se kompleksno rešavaju potrebni zadaci, odnosno da uče igrače komponentama na kojima se temelji fudbal. Ona adaptacija koja se stvara kod fudbalera u pripremnom periodu pomoću određenog modeliranja tokom treninga, treba da se prenese na utakmicu i da se u njoj ispolji. Dakle treba težiti da fizički trening koji se primenjuje u pripremnom periodu daje momentalne i trajnije efekte, a strateški cilj celokupnog trenažnog procesa je uspešnost u takmičenju. Neposredni značaj ovog istraživanja ogleda se u mogućnosti stručne, teorijske i praktične nadgradnje fudbalskih trenera u pogledu modifikacije treninga. Dalje značaj rada ogleda se u traganju za novim sredstvima i metodama kako bi inovirali trenažni proces, u cilju ostvarenja što boljih vrhunskih rezultata.</p> / <p>The topic of this PhD thesis are morpho -functional and motoric status of football players specially programmed system of training in summer preparation period with professional football players in different levels of competition. Initial and final measuring of morpho-functional and motoric capabilities of football players are given as a part of this thesis, also as the efficiency of treatment effects. Considering the fact that many tasks are completed during football matches and many of them are related to different segments of psycho somatic status, the care of this research are problems connected to finding solutions to more efficient football play. There are many exercises in methodology of football training. It is very It important to choose those that are the most needed. The more important is to combine and connect those exercises in the way that will ensure complex solution of needed tasks and therefore to teach players all components of<br />football. The adaptation achieved with football players in training period using specific modeling should be transferred to the match and shown during it. The aim of physical training in preparation period is to give longer effects. The strategic goal of training process is success in competition. Immediate significance of this research is in it&acute;s ability of professional, theoretical and practical upgrade of football couches concerning modification of training process. Further significance of the research is in the search for mew methods and assets for innovation of training process in order to achieve best results.</p>