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Background: Soccer players, independent of positions, perform high-intensity movements such as agility for short periods and have longer periods of low-intensity and rest during a soccer game. Agility is considered to be dependent on perceptional and decision-making factors and physical factors related to changes in directions. Most research has displayed no differences in different preplanned agility test within playing positions. However, no studies have been done on reactive agility within different positions on the soccer field. Aim: The purpose of the study was to compare if soccer players ́ reactive – and preplanned agility performance differs between their positions in the team. The study will also examine the level of correlation between results from reactive agility and preplanned agility. Methods: Thirty male soccer players, 17-19 years old, were tested in reactive agility and preplanned agility. The subjects were divided into three groups depending on their playing position, including defenders (n=10), midfielders (n=10) and forwards (n=10). Mean scores for both agility tests were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the criterion level for significance was set at 5 % (p ≤ 0.05). Correlations were performed to study the relationship between reactive agility and preplanned agility. Following limits were used to determine the strength of the value of Pearson correlation; r=.10 to .29 small, r=.30 to .49 medium, r=.50 to 1.0 large. Results: No statistical significant differences between defenders, midfielders and forwards in neither reactive agility (p=0.624) or preplanned agility (p=0.481) were perceived. There was a small correlation (r=0.24) between all studied results from the reactive – and preplanned agility test. When positions were correlated within the two test, the highest correlation between reactive agility and preplanned agility was found in midfielders with a medium correlation (r=0.47) while small correlations appeared within defenders (r=0.28) and forwards (r=-0.11). Conclusions: The findings of this thesis showed no statistical significant differences between playing positions in reactive agility nor in preplanned agility. The impact of the soccer players’ integration with different soccer coaches could be an explanation to the reactive agility results where some coaches may focus on developing perceptual skills more than other coaches. The absence of differences in preplanned agility may suggest that the physical abilities needed to perform the Zig-Zag test did not differ among defenders, midfielders or forwards. It can also be suggested that reactive agility and preplanned agility are two independent variables who do not share characteristics. Future research should focus on incorporating a more valid reactive agility test for soccer players and study larger samples who are specialized in their positions.

The subject of this thesis is the diffusion of the game of football, tracing its development back to the more prestigious English public schools, through the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and into adult society. Early club formation and the gradual nationalisation of the game throughout Britain, with particular reference to England and Scotland, is studied in detail. Careful examination is made of the initial meetings of the Football Association leading to the bifurcation of the sport into soccer and rugby. From that point the study concentrates on the Association form, looking especially at the emergence of professional players. The global diffusion of Association Football from the United Kingdom is also analysed. The underlying task of this study, however, is to test Eric Dunning's theory of status rivalry between the English public schools of Eton and Rugby, a rivalry which was partially expressed through the promotion of their particular styles of football.

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Lorsque les joueurs de football réalisent plus d’un match par semaine, la durée de récupération entre deux rencontres successives pourrait être insuffisante, ce qui entraînerait une augmentation du nombre de blessures et/ou une diminution de la performance en match. L’objectif principal de cette thèse était d’identifier les facteurs (environnementaux, intrinsèques, position sur le terrain) susceptibles d’influencer la fatigue et les cinétiques de récupération de joueurs de football professionnels après un match. La présente thèse comprenait quatre études ayant pour objectifs d’analyser l’influence des courses et actions de jeu réalisées au cours d’un match (duel, saut, frappe/centre, tacle, changement de direction) ainsi que la surface de jeu (herbe naturelle contre surface synthétique) sur les cinétiques de récupération de marqueurs de performance physique, cognitive, subjectifs et biochimiques. Nos résultats ont montré que les courses réalisées au cours d’un match de football ne sont pas la cause principale de la fatigue générée par le match. Cette fatigue est également fonction des actions de jeu (duel, saut, frappe et changement de direction) réalisées au cours du match. La fatigue générée par le match est fonction de la position occupée sur le terrain (gardiens de but contre joueurs de champ). La surface de jeu n’influence pas les cinétiques de récupération de joueurs habitués à la surface synthétique. Ces résultats devraient permettre d’optimiser dans le futur les stratégies de récupération réalisées après le match. / During periods when the schedule is particularly congested (i.e. two matches per week over several weeks), the recovery time allowed between two successive matches may be insufficient. As a result, players may experience underperformance and/or injury. The overall aim of the present thesis was to identify underlying factors (environmental and intrinsic factors, playing position) that contribute to fatigue and recovery time of professional soccer players after a match. Four experimental studies were conducted to investigate the influence of soccer running activity profile, playing actions performed during a match (i.e. contact, jump, shot/long pass, tackle, change of direction) and playing surface (natural grass versus artificial turf) on the recovery kinetics of physical performance, cognitive performance, subjective ratings and biochemical parameters. Results showed that soccer running performance does not appear to be the main cause for post soccer match-induced fatigue. Post-match fatigue and recovery time depend on playing actions performed during the match (contact, jump, shot/long pass and change of direction). Post-match fatigue depends on playing position (goalkeepers versus outfield players). Playing surface does not impact recovery kinetics among regular artificial turf players. Present results may promote the prescription of more efficient and individualized recovery practices after soccer match.

by Hung Hing Kwan. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references. / Questionnaire also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.v / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- OBJECTIVES --- p.3 / Chapter III. --- RELATED LITERATURE --- p.4 / Sport Culture in Hong Kong --- p.4 / What is Sport Culture? --- p.4 / Sport Culture in Hong Kong --- p.6 / Spectator Sports in Hong Kong --- p.8 / Chapter IV. --- CONSTRAINSTS OF THE HKFA IN PROMOTIING LOCAL SOCCER --- p.10 / Lack of Funds --- p.10 / "Distinct Characteristics of the “Soccer Circle"" in Hong Kong" --- p.12 / Lack of Training Ground --- p.12 / Soccer as a Unprofitable Business --- p.13 / """Professional Soccer"" of Hong Kong" --- p.14 / On the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) --- p.14 / Value of Soccer to Society --- p.16 / Players' Attitude --- p.16 / Competition --- p.17 / Chapter V. --- RESEARCH METHOD --- p.19 / Research Objective --- p.19 / Information Needed --- p.19 / Research Design --- p.20 / Questionnaire Design --- p.20 / Sampling / Data Collection Method --- p.24 / Interview --- p.25 / Limitations --- p.26 / Chapter VI. --- FINDINGS / ANALYSIS --- p.27 / The Respondent Profile --- p.27 / Attitude of Present Spectators Towards Local Soccer --- p.29 / The Findings --- p.29 / Interpretation --- p.31 / Attitude of Non-spectators Towards Local Soccer --- p.33 / The Findings --- p.33 / Interpretation --- p.35 / Attitude Towards Television Soccer --- p.37 / The Findings --- p.37 / Interpretation --- p.40 / Attitude Towards Some Improvement on Local Soccer --- p.42 / The Findings --- p.42 / Chapter VII. --- RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.45 / The Success of Soccer Promotion in Other Countries --- p.45 / Soccer Promotion in Fanatic Countries --- p.45 / Professional Soccer in Japan --- p.46 / Recommendations for the HKFA (Short Term) --- p.49 / Product --- p.49 / Price --- p.55 / Promotion --- p.61 / Place --- p.65 / Recommendations for the HKFA (Long Term) --- p.68 / Product --- p.68 / Price --- p.74 / Promotion --- p.75 / Place --- p.78 / Chapter VIII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.79 / APPENDIX --- p.82 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.112

Thesis (D.Min.)--Liberty Theological Seminary and Graduate School, 2007. / Access restricted to one year per author's request; currently, only abstract can be viewed.

<p><font face="Arial"> <p align="left">Literature has described soccer as the most popular sporting code in the world. South Africa heralds a registry of 1.8 million players. The purpose of the study was to conduct a detailed analysis of soccer injuries sustained in South African professional soccer team over one competitive season. The study utilized a questionnaire to collect quantitative data assessing age of players injures, playing position, site of injury, mechanism of injury, injury management, physiotherapy access and prevention measures which was administered by a physiotherapist at competitive matches. The study defined injury as any injury sustained during competitive matches where a player received medical attention. The study sample consisted of 26 male soccer players ranging from 17-39 years with a mean age of 23.77 years (SD=5.233). Injury prevalence was reported as 58% with a significance (p&lt / 0.05) in the ages of players injured compared to the non-injured. The majority of injuries were sustained by the 20-24 year old players coupled with midfielders being the most predominant position encountering injury (40%). The lower limbs were the most affected (67.1%) with the knee being reported as the most affected joint (21.4%). Defenders and midfielders were significantly more likely to sustain a lower limb injury compared to goalkeepers and forwards who were seen to incur more trunk injuries. The majority of injuries were the result of being tackled (27.2%). A significance was reported with mechanism of injury and playing position (Fisher&rsquo / s Exact=41.118, p&lt / 0.05). Injurymanagement was predominantly self treatment followed by physiotherapy treatment (30%). The main contributor to the decrease in physiotherapy treatment received by players the absence of the service at the club (65.7%) and financial reasons (54.3%). The results of the study confirm that many SouthAfrican professional soccer players are prey to sustaining injury during one competitive soccer season. The study highlighted the need to start prevention efforts at club level in order to curtail the high injury prevalence at professional <font face="Arial">levels.</font></p> </font></p>

Previous research in the activity area has found that descriptive norms can influence individual activity (Crozier, 2014; Priebe & Spink, 2014; 2015). While important, studies examining other important outcomes in the activity area have not been conducted. For example, no research has examined whether normative information can be used to influence athletes' intentions to intervene with other teammates. In an effort to address this gap in the literature, the purpose of the current experiment was to examine whether descriptive norms, that were either supported by a coach or not, would influence a player’s intentions to intervene when teammates made technical errors or did not exert enough effort. Canadian adult soccer players (N = 106) were recruited to participate in this online experimental study. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions: normative (teammates intervene)/coach support, normative (teammates intervene)/coach not support, or attention control. Participants in both of the normative conditions read two short vignettes describing how the players and coach on a hypothetical soccer team responded to a teammate’s technical mistakes and lack of effort, respectively. While imagining themselves as a member of this hypothetical team, participants then rated their intentions to intervene with other members of this team. Results from ANCOVAs (controlling for previous intervening behaviour) revealed different results for intentions to intervene following technical mistakes versus lack of effort. Results for technical mistakes revealed a significant main effect for condition F(2, 102) = 4.98, p < 0.01. Post hoc results revealed that those in the normative condition that was supported by the coach reported greater intentions to intervene in the future than those in the control condition (p < 0.05, adj Cohen's d = 0.71). Conversely, intention to intervene did not differ between those in the normative condition that was not supported by the coach and those in the control group (p > 0.05, adj Cohen’s d = 0.13). There was no significant main effect for condition with respect to teammates exhibiting a lack of effort F(2, 95) = 1.82, p > 0.1). Results from this experiment provide initial evidence that descriptive norms supported by a coach may influence players' intentions to intervene when a teammate makes a mistake.

Background: Physiotherapists are part of the medical team involved in prevention and management of football injuries in Malawi. However, in Malawi no physiotherapist is currently involved in prevention and management of football injuries in the Malawi Super League. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the need for physiotherapy intervention in prevention and management of football injuries. Methodology: A concurrent mixed method study design was used to collect data. A self administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from football players. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews from team doctors and coaches respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS version 20.0. Descriptive data was presented in the form of percentages, means, ranges, standard deviations, and frequencies using tables, figures and graphs. A chi-square test of association and Fischer’s exact test were used to study the factors associated with football injuries against prevalence of injury. Audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim and expressed ideas were read several times, coded and reduced into categories and themes. Ethical clearance was granted by the University of the Western Cape and relevant authorities in Malawi. Results: A response rate of 67.5% was obtained. The mean age of football players was 21.73 (SD=3.295) years. The injury prevalence was 68.9% with 64% of injuries occurring during matches and 37% during training. The majority (84%) of the injuries were sustained in the lower limbs and 52.7% of the players who reported to have incurred an injury had recurring injuries with the ankle joint (33.3%) being the most affected part. Ligament sprain was the most common type of injury (36%) and most of the injuries (36.5%) reported were severe. No medical professional is available to manage injuries during training while team doctors are always available during matches. Recurrent injury was significantly associated injury prevalence (P=0.000). Use of protective gear was also significantly associated with injury prevalence both at training (P<0.01) and matches(P<0.05). Both coaches and team doctors reported that recurrent injury, psychological, player fitness, and lack of equipment were factors contributing to injury prevalence. Regarding injury management, coaches and team doctors reported sprains and strains as the most common injuries seen in the league. Furthermore, their views regarding injury prevention were sought. Team doctors perceived use of protective equipment as the main strategy of injury prevention while coaches regarded warm up as the main injury preventative strategy. Conclusion: There is need for physiotherapy intervention in prevention and management of football injuries in Malawi. / Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio)