Cricket has evolved from a traditional and conservative sport to a fast-paced, vigorous game. As a result of this the physical conditioning programmes of players have changed drastically with regular fitness tests that are now an integral part of these programmes. In spite of this, no studies have made an attempt to determine the exact relationship between the physical and motor ability parameters of batsmen and their performance. The purpose of this study was, therefore, firstly to determine which physical and motor ability parameters discriminate between successful and less successful provincial academy batsmen and secondly, to determine how much these parameters contribute to the batting performance of provincial academy batsmen. Twenty-two batsmen from the Gauteng and North-West cricket academies in South Africa were used in this study. Thirteen batsmen (20.15 +- 1.41 years) participated during the 2004 season whilst nine batsmen (21.11 +- 1.83 years) took part during the 2005 season. The players were subjected to 23 physical and motor ability tests, whilst 72 isokinetic measurements were also taken. The data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics, cluster analyses, forward stepwise discriminant analyses and finally forward stepwise multiple regression analyses. The discriminant analyses showed that right (RKEPT) and left knee extensor peak torque (LKEPT), right knee extensor average power (RKEAP), left knee extensor total work (LKETW) and left knee flexor peak torque (LKFPT) (all at 30°/sec), as well as LKEPT, RKEPT and L.KEAP (all at 24O°/sec ), left (LIRAP) and right shoulder internal rotator average power (RIRAP). right shoulder external/internal rotator peak torque ratio (REIRPTR) and right shoulder internal rotator peak torque (RIRPTJ (all at 24O°/sec) as well as left shoulder internal rotator total work (LIRTW) (60°/sec) discriminated non-significantly between the successfu1 (top 5 ranked batsmen of both seasons) and less successful academy batsmen. The physical and motor ability parameters which were identified as discriminators were left 505 agility, shuttle run aerobic endurance and IRM (repetition-maximum) hack squat strength (all significant) (p 5<= 0.05) whilst left grip strength and abdominal muscle strength discriminated non-significantly. The forward stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that RKEPT 30' (16%). LKEPT 30' (7%), RKEAP 30' (7%), LKFPT 30' (7%), LKEAP 240" (6%), RKFPT 240" (5%). LKETW 30" (5%) and LKEPT240° (4%) were the isokinetic knee strength parameters which contributed non-significantly to batting performance. The isokinetic shoulder strength parameters which also contributed non-significantly to batting performance were: RIRPT240° (28%). LIRAP 240' (16%), REZRPTR 240' (8%). LIRTW 60° (5%) and RIRAP 240' (4%). Vertical jumping power (13%) (p 50.05), left 505 agility (9%) (p 50.05), abdominal muscle strength (5%) (p 50.05), aerobic capacity (10%). IRM bench press strength (7%), IRM hack squat strength as well as left shoulder internal rotation flexibility (4% each) were the physical and motor ability parameters which contributed to batting performance. The conclusion that can, therefore, be drawn is that physical and motor ability parameters contribute to the performance of provincial academy batsmen and that these components should be included in the physical conditioning programmes of batsmen / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Currently one-quarter of Canadian children are meeting the minimal Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) daily. These alarming data suggest there is an urgent need to examine factors associated with children’s engagement in physical activity. Motor skill proficiency is associated with time spent in MVPA and predictive of participation in organized sport among adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between motor skills and physical activity of children in their first year of school. As gender-based differences in motor skill proficiency and physical activity are common, the influence of gender was also examined. Motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development – 2 and physical activity measured with accelerometers (Actigraph GT1M). Of the 106 (mean age = 6y3m) consented kindergarten children, 58% met the accelerometer wear-time inclusion criteria of 10 hours per day on at least 4 days. A MANCOVA revealed no significant gender based differences in motor skills or physical activity; therefore subsequent analyses included all children. Mastery of individual components of each skill as a percentage, were 54.1% of locomotor and 42.3% of object control skills. Using a cut-point of 4 metabolic equivalents, all of the children achieved 60-minutes of daily and weekday MVPA, and 82% of children achieved 60-minutes per day on the weekend. Both object control and locomotor skills were significantly related to the intensity of recorded activity. However, linear regression revealed that total motor skills predicted more variance in MVPA (9%) than either locomotor skills or object control skills independently. The findings of this study reveal that the kindergarten children engaged in MVPA at a rate equivalent to, or higher than, the minimum recommendations for Canadian children. However, motor skill proficiency was somewhat low. Children’s motor skill proficiency predicted a small, but significant, proportion of children’s physical activity. / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to explore perceived physical competence and participation in physical activity of children with physical awkwardness. Children with physical awkwardness are those without known neuromuscular problems but who have difficulty in learning and performing motor skills. Participants were 135 children, 31 with physical awkwardness and 104 without any motor deficiency. The age ranged from 5 to 11 years. It was hypothesized that children with physical awkwardness would have lower levels of perceived physical competence and would participate less in physical activity than their nonawkward peers. Finally, a positive relationship between motor performance and perceived physical competence was expected. / There were no significant differences found in perceived physical competence between the two groups. However, nonawkward children participated significantly more in community sports and were significantly more active during free play than children with physical awkwardness. The results also indicated that the relationship between motor performance and perceived physical competence was very low in both groups. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of mood lability on anticipation timing performance. The influence of gender and stimulus speed on timing error was also analysed. Spectral analysis was used to quantify frequency of mood change. The within-subjects standard deviation was calculated as a measure of intensity of mood change. Thirty-eight physical education students (18 men; M = 23.8 yrs, SD = 2.1 and 20 women; M = 20.4 yrs, SD = 1.6) participated in this study. Mood changes were measured along the Pleasantness and Energetic dimensions of the Affect Grid. Performance was assessed using the Bassin Anticipation Timer. It was hypothesized that: the fast mood changers would incur greater timing errors than the slow mood changers, men would perform with less error than women, and stimulus speed would have a significant influence on timing error. / Mixed factorial ANOVAs with repeated measures on the last factor were utilized to compare mean timing error scores: constant error, absolute error, variable error, and total error, over two levels of frequency of mood change (fast/slow) and intensity of mood change (high/low) groups, two levels of gender (men/women) and four levels of stimulus speed (5/10/15/25 mph). Alpha was set at the.05 significance level for all statistical comparisons. Results showed that intensity of mood change had a significant influence on anticipation timing performance, frequency of mood change factor did not have a significant effect on timing error, men performed with less variability than women and stimulus speed had a significant influence on anticipation timing. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) results, showed that women scored lower on the negative mood states than men. Total mood disturbance for both men and women showed no significant relationship to the timing error scores.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 220-228).

Thesis (Ph.d.) - Swinburne University of Technology, 2001. / Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Swinburne University of Technology, 2001. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-169).

Thesis (MHSc--Health Science) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2005. / Also held in print (93 leaves, 30 cm.) in Akoranga Theses Collection (T 615.85153 HIN)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. / Committee Chair: Thomas J. Burkholder; Committee Member: Lena H. Ting; Committee Member: Roman O. Grigoriev; Committee Member: Shawn Hochman; Committee Member: T. Richard Nichols.

Thesis (MSpor)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.