Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The importance of sport psychological skills training is emphasized by the contention that the knowledge obtained through observing an athletes' behaviour within a sporting environment could be used to explain, predict and change behaviour, thereby, enhancing sport performance. Sport psychological factors are being recognized as one of the most significant contributors to sport performance. Three hundred and fourteen provincial netball players (average age = 20.30 ± 3.88 years) from 33 teams who participated in the 2004 South African Inter-Provincial Netball tournament completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2), Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) and Psychological Skills Inventory (PSI). Results from the first article revealed that this population had limited prior exposure to sport psychological skills (SPS) and sport psychological skills training (SPST) programmes in general. The skills to which these players have primarily been exposed to are self-confidence, positive self-talk, team cohesiolspirit, goal-setting and concentration skills. The players further perceive SPST to be very important and expressed a need thereof, especially since 26.43% of the players perceive their ability to be psychologically well prepared for competitions as average or below average. A comparative study between more successful and less successful groups of u/19 and u/21 netball players showed that the more successful group to have significantly better values for cognitive state anxiety (direction), state self-confidence (direction) and peaking under pressure. The more successful group obtained better results in 13 of the 19 tested variables. Eight of these variables (of which three significantly so) are able to accurately (69.44% effective) discriminate between these two groups. Collectively, the SPS levels. information on SPST and the extent to which SPS contribute to performance necessitate a collaborated effort by sport psychologists and netball coaches to develop and implement a consistent, systematic sport-specific SPST programme. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 2000. / Also available online.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / Sportsmen and –women, professional and amateur alike, are faced with multiple pressures that often poses an ultimate hindrance on their performance. Some of these pressures include performance anxiety, fatigue and burnout, and negative physiological arousal resultant of performance and perfectionism. The latter, is often a construct that is misunderstood by athletes, coaches, sport managers and spectators, to have a purely negative consequence on an athlete’s performance and sports career. Theory (Flett & Hewitt, 2005; Gotwals, Stoeber, Dunn & Stoll, 2012; Hamachek, 1978) suggests, however, that perfectionism does not only have a negative consequence, but very often, it has a positive influence on a sporting performance. Thus, it is assumed that in the sporting society, perfectionism holds a false ideology. The constructs of perfectionism and personality often correlates with one another, particularly because of the theoretical link between the personality trait Neuroticism, and perfectionism. This ideology is no different among athletes. Sportsmen and -women often strive for perfection within their performance, which is known to most as a debilitating phenomenon in which they need to understand and reduce. However, Gotwals et al. (2012) have found this ideology to be a controversial issue as they have found that in sport, perfectionism is less of a debilitating phenomenon and more of an adaptive phenomenon. In order to better understand the entire construct of perfectionism, it becomes necessary to analyse the relationship it has with personality.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Background: The South African government has taken a stance to prioritise sporting codes within South Africa that report high participation and is inclusive of the population demographic of South Africa. Netball has been highlighted as one of these sixteen named sporting codes. Linked to the high participation of netball players in the sport is a high prevalence of injuries, which is well documented throughout the literature. Injury management within a South African context presents a number of challenges due to the current environment of health care in the country as well as an array of barriers that directly impact the netball players themselves as well as netball as a federation. Injury prevalence results in a need to both manage and prevent sporting injuries. The purpose of this study was to develop an injury prevention programme for netball players in South Africa and to establish the feasibility of such a programme for implementation. Method: The study took place under the auspices of Netball South Africa and the injury prevalence data was collected at a national netball tournament at the University of Pretoria. Sequential mixed methods was used as a framework to guide the study, and included a range of research methods as part of that process. The problem was identified in two phases using a cross sectional self-administered questionnaire and a qualitative aspect using semi-structured interviews. The design of the injury prevention programme that aimed to address the problem was informed by a systematic review of literature. The process that guided the development of the injury prevention programme was intervention mapping. This process led to the development of an injury prevention programme that included a coach’s educational booklet, an injury prevention exercise protocol and an administrative structure of a National Physiotherapy Association. The evaluation for feasibility for the implementation of the injury prevention programme was evaluated via a Delphi study.

Thesis (MScSportSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Netball is a fast and skilful team sport in which players need to be "quickthinking", because they are required to make fast and accurate decisions in ever-changing situations. Netball is a highly tactical game. Therefore the game has to be analysed on all levels of play. During every game or training session the coach has to look for those factors that influence performance and determine success. Methods of games analysis have been improved through the development of video and computer technology, in order to help coaches gather critical data. This study will utilise games analysis as a method for gaining insight into what kinds of "critical incidents" on a netball court lead a team to either score a goal, or to allow the opponent to score against them. Four expert coaches analysed game play from three top-level international netball matches in order to identify the reasons for success/failure during game play. A computer-based games analysis system was used to identify the reasons for losing ball possession during the same games analysed by the experts. The results of computer-based games analysis was compared to the analysis provided by elite coaches in order to determine the value of the technology in providing relevant information. These identified key performance indicators were then ranked according to frequency. Additional games statistics were generated, using games analysis. This knowledge will not only contribute to an understanding of how technology can support coaching, but it will also expand our understanding of the tactics of netball and thus contribute to coaches' efforts to teach players how to make "good decisions". An important by-product of this study was the identification of the key performance indicators that influence success/failure in netball. This knowledge should help coaches determine what kinds of tactical learning situations are important to include in practice sessions. It is the coach's responsibility to develop thinking players. On court - during a game - it is the players' responsibility to read the game and make instant decisions. Also during the game - during time outs and half time- it is the coach's responsibility to give the players feedback on their decision-making and to make suggestions for improvements. Both roles require effective analysis of the game. Keywords: netball; games analysis; technology / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Netbal is 'n vinnige vaardigheidspel. Spelers moet oor die vermoe beskik om in aanhoudende veranderde situasies en spel vinnige, akkurate besluite te neem. Dit is 'n uiters taktiese spel en daarom moet dit op alle vlakke geanaliseer word. Gedurende elke oefensessie en wedstryd moet die aftigter fokus op faktore wat die sukses en prestasie van 'n speier of span kan beinvloed. Met behulp van die verbeterde rekenaar- en videotegnologie is verskillende metodes van wedstrydanalises ontwikkel - met die doel om afrigters te fasiliteer om kritiese informasie te versamel. Die doel van hierdie studie is om wedstrydanalise as 'n metode te beskryf om kritiese situasies te identifiseer wat tot gevolg het dat 'n span 'n doel wen of afstaan. Vier topvlak afrigters het drie internasionale wedstryde geanaliseer om sodoende die redes vir sukses of rnislukte pogings in die wedstryd te identifiseer. In dieselfde drie wedstryde is 'n rekenaar wedstrydanalise stelsel gebruik om die redes vir balbesit of -verlies te identifiseer. Die resultate van die rekanaar-gebaseerde spelanalises en die vier afrigters is vergelyk om die waarde van die verskil in informasie te vergelyk en te bepaal. Die kern prestasiefaktore wat deur bogenoemde geidentifiseer is, is volgens rangorde geplaas op grond van die frekwensie waarop dit voorgekom het. Hierdie inligting sal as 'n bydrae dien tot die wyse waartoe tegnologie afrigting kan ondersteun. Dit brei ook die verstaanbaarheid van taktiek in netbal uit en bevorder besluitnerning meer spesifiek. 'n Belangrike resultaat van die studie is die identifikasie van die kern prestasiefaktore. Hierdie inligting kan afrigters in verskeie taktiese leer-situasies ondersteun. Die ideaal is dat elke afrigter sy verantwoordelikheid sal besef om onafhanklike, selfdenkende spelers te ontwikkel. Op die baan is dit gevolglik die speier se eie verantwoordelikheid om die wedstryd te lees en besluite te neem. Gedurende halftyd en na die wedstryd is dit die afrigter se verantwoordelikheid om aan spelers terugvoering te gee, asook aanbevelings te maak ten opsigte van besluitneming. Beide rolle, as afrigter of speier, vereis effektiewe wedstrydanalise. Sleutelwoorde: netbal; wedstrydanalise; tegnologie / jfl201407

This thesis investigates how sports organisations and discourses have impacted on the sports participation of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Australia. A series of national participation studies have documented that women from minority ethnic backgrounds have significantly lower participation rates in sports and physical activity than Anglo-Australian women. However, the explanations and dimensions of this difference have not been examined in previous research. The experiences of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are used in this thesis to explore sports discourses and organisation and the embodiments of their interrelationship. The present research proposes that sports organisations and discourses within Australia have historically served to marginalise women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The arguments for this position are explored using a local narrative which details the situated nature of women????s experiences of sports. These experiences are located within a historical context that traces migration policies, the growth and development of sports and women????s social relations since white settlement of Australia. It is argued that contemporary sports discourses and organisation are inextricably tied to Australia????s colonial and imperialist past. Theories of ethnicity, gender and sports are analysed. The theoretical perspective taken in this thesis builds on feminist ideologies and ethnicity studies. Empirical analysis is undertaken using gender relations to situate sport as a site of cultural struggles best understood through investigations of history and diversity. Aspects of power, control and influence are central to this thesis. The empirical component of this thesis uses secondary data sources, surveys and interviews to investigate the research proposition. This is achieved on two levels. The first level interrogates existing data to create a macro level analysis of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in sports. A survey of 972 schoolgirls was undertaken to collect information on sports participation and attitudes to sports. This was followed by 30 interviews with women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds that explored individual sports experiences and perspectives on sports. The second level of investigation employed the case study of netball to examine the research question as it related to a specific sports organisation. The case study component of the research involved document and archival analysis, a survey of 372 netball players and interviews with 18 women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and former and current netball administrators. The thesis analyses the empirical data as it relates to the organisation and discourse of sports in Australia. The principal conclusion reached is that sports organisation and discourses are located within a societal power structure that places women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds on its margins. Sports participation is predicated on conformity to existing cultural practices and expectations and it does little to facilitate cultural diversity. The women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who participated in the research did not perceive sports as particularly inclusive of gender and culture. The examination of netball demonstrated that netball has not been concerned with ????other???? women, rather it has focussed its efforts on appealing to ????mainstream???? women. While netball has not explicitly excluded the involvement of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, neither has it actively encouraged cultural diversity. This thesis makes a contribution to knowledge in the field of sports studies with its empirical research and through the ensuing development of a framework for locating the implications of inclusion or exclusion in sports organisations and discourses. This understanding can be used to assess and inform future sports policy development and practice. Principally, the thesis seeks to acknowledge and legitimise the sports experiences of women from diverse backgrounds and in doing so provides insights into a better theoretical understanding about the nexus of gender, ethnicity and sports.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Netball, a popular team sport in New Zealand, has seven on-court players per team who individually occupy positions with specific roles and boundaries. V-ball is a modified netball game in which five on-court players per team gain experience in three varying roles due to the implementation of positional rotation. This study investigates players’ perceptions of self-satisfaction and team cohesion in netball, a modified netball game (V-ball) or both games. Self-satisfaction has been viewed in terms of individuals’ basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS). Team cohesion has been considered in light of youths’ perceptions of task and social cohesion as identified in previous research. In the current study a mixed methodology was implemented and a process of purposive sampling was used to recruit 63, 11-12 year old participants from Whangarei, New Zealand. Participants had varying degrees of experience in either sport, which determined their placement in one of three groups; netball, V-ball or both games. All participants completed a quantitative questionnaire, results of which were analysed using a one-way ANOVA. A total of 12 questionnaire participants, representative of each group, then took part in a one-on-one semi-structured qualitative interview. Interview data was transcribed verbatim and analysed through a manual coding process. Three key findings have emerged: the extent of game structure was found to affect the fun experienced by youth participants, the presence of external regulation (from significant others) was identified to contribute to orientations of extrinsic motivation and winning orientations were found to have a negative effect on participants’ perceptions of team cohesion. These findings provide new information regarding players’ perceptions as a result of participation in netball and V-ball in New Zealand. These findings also contribute to those of previous research on the perceptions of youth as a result of participation in traditional and modified games.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.