Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to provide a holistic understanding of how Facebook is used by professional team sport organizations to strengthen customer based-brand equity and how these attempts are perceived by the customers with a focus on the derived benefits. Frame of reference: Customer-based brand equity is conceptualized, modified and employed to the realm of Facebook. Moreover, a communication model is modified in order to link marketing communications in a hypermedia environment with customer-based brand equity.  Methodology: An abductive approach is chosen and a collective case study applied as research strategy. The selected cases are Manchester United and Arsenal London. Firstly, quantitative content analysis is used to analyze the Facebook pages of both cases. Secondly, eleven semi-structured interviews are conducted to understand the customer’s perception of and values associated with the respective club’s Facebook page. Conclusions: The findings of this thesis show that a firm’s usage of Facebook as a medium of communication can strengthen customer-based brand equity. While in both cases most Facebook content evolves around product related posts, it is found that the clubs communicate slightly different. Arsenal posts significantly more non-product related content involving fans than ManU. The communication tool that is most intensively used by both organizations is the link, forwarding users to the official website. The identified benefits on behalf of the interviewees embrace fan identification and peer-group acceptance as well as socializing/companionship, emotions and entertainment. Visuals have been identified as important among the sample. Customers strongly value content that evolves around non-product related posts that focus on fans, while fan integration is generally demanded in a more qualitative manner

This study explored the value of team sport in the lives of seven urban living/playing Indigenous women attending three open talking circles to discuss the influence of personal sport stories, definitions and experiences of wellness, and, prioritizing sport into adulthood. With a strengths-based approach and guided by the Indigenous methodologies that reflect the often-transformative journey of the Indigenous re-searcher, seven themes emerged from the stories, capturing the resilient and relational stories of these women: (1) Cgwesgwsénk (Sunny side of the mountain), acknowledges the overarching benefits of team sport participation and the strength-based perspective that the women shared. (2) Ec k yúcwementwecw-ep (Take care of each other), reflects the connectedness present in all of the women’s stories, thus woven throughout the following five themes as well. (3) Ye⁊éne ren ú⁊q̓wi (This is my sister), recognizes the sisterhood created through team sport in the city. (4) Cnéwelc (Follow the trail), captures the role model relationships the women shared as well as their feelings about being a role model. (5) Letwílc (Healthy once again), shares the views of wellness and how continually pursuing sport directly influences our wellness. (6) Ct̓éxelc (Swim up-stream) acknowledges the many adversities for sport participation. Yet, the narrative revealed how women continue to overcome barriers in pursuit of sport. Finally, (7) Ct̓̓íxwtsnem (Raise one’s voice loudly), poses the question ‘who needs to hear about this work and these stories of strength and sisterhood in sport in the city?’ This work contributes to the relatively sparse body of literature acknowledging Indigenous women and sport, and creates space for the voices of Indigenous women, both in the game and in the academy. / Graduate

The main aim of this study is to explore and determine the effect of an organisation team sport intervention on a number of diversity constraints in two financial organisations. The diversity constraints relevant in this study are race, ethnicity, generation gaps, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, parental status, education and income. The main aim is to determine whether organisation team sport interventions impacted on the participating employees’ relationships, trust and respect towards one another, despite their differences in culture, age, gender and religion. The study was conducted among 26 employees of the two financial organisations that participate in organisation team sport. The data were collected by means of focus group interviews and individual interviews. The results indicated that a strong bond is established between employees in the organisation during organisation team sport. Employees are encouraged to share information, which leads to increased productivity. Business relationships can be created whilst talking sport, attending sport events or playing sport. The conclusions was made that organisation team sport is therefore a vehicle for creating opportunities to share goals and visions, improving individual commitment, improving cohesion, increasing trust and respect in a workforce, improving communication between employees and enhancing employees’ knowledge of other employees. The contributions that organisation team sport makes to an organisation are all requirements for effective diversity management in the workplace. Copyright 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Joubert, YT 2010, Organisation team sport interventions to minimise diversity constraints in the workplace, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02222012-111732 / > C12/4/194/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Background: A high injury-incidence in the world of youth team sports requires athletes, teams and healthcare to invest big amounts of money and time. There is a need to find implementable time- and cost-effective strategies that can highlight youth athletes at increased risk of sustaining injuries, to inform the physiotherapist’s/coach’s training plan for training load adjustments. Aim: The primary aim of this report is to investigate whether the rebound jump test (RJ) can be used to detect neuromuscular fatigue, to try minimize the risk of sustaining injuries in youth team sports. The secondary aim is to investigate how the reactive strength index (RSI) in the RJ correlate with the drop jump test (DJ), to try establish concurrent validity of the RJ. Method: In total, 46 male youth soccer players (17,1 ± 1,2 years old) were recruited. RJ were performed in a non-fatigued state and in a fatigued state after a hard football session, whilst the DJ was performed in a non-fatigued state only. Results: RSI-RJ was strongly correlated with the RSI-DJ (r=0,83, r²= 0,69, p&lt;0,01) and there was a significant -12 % difference between RSI-fresh and RJ-fatigue in the RJ (p&lt;0,01). Conclusion: RJ is a valid test to measure neuromuscular fatigue and could inform the physiotherapist/coach about each athletes’ readiness to train on a weekly basis.

O objetivo da presente dissertação foi comparar os efeitos agudos de diferentes métodos de alongamento sobre a performance em testes motores e parâmetros neuromusculares. Para tanto, foram realizados dois estudos. Participaram do estudo 1, doze jogadores de futebol treinados, sendo submetidos a 5 condições experimentais: alongamento ativo (AT), balístico (BA), passivo (PA), facilitação neuromuscular proprioceptiva (FNP) ou condição controle (CO), em ordem randomizada e com intervalo mínimo de 48 h entre cada condição. Foram avaliados a altura de salto (H), potência pico (PP) e potência relativa (PR) no squat jump (SJ) e countermovent jump (CMJ), amplitude de movimento (ADM), tempo (s) nos 10-20-30 m durante o sprint e percepção subjetiva de esforço (PSE). Os métodos de alongamento AT e BA não promoveram alterações agudas na performance nos 10, 20 e 30 m, e na H, PP e PR em ambas as técnicas CMJ e SJ. Por outro lado, os métodos PA e FNP promoveram efeitos negativos (p<0.05) na performance na H, PP e PR no CMJ e SJ. Além disso, escores significativamente superiores de PSE foram relatados após as sessões de alongamento PA e FNP em comparação a AT e BA. Foram encontrados aumentos significativos em ADM após todos os métodos de alongamento. Portanto, os métodos AT e BA podem ser utilizados previamente a atividades de salto vertical e sprint, com o objetido de aumento de flexibilidade. Já os métodos PA e FNP devem ser evitados, em função das maiores intensidades alcançadas nestas condições e pela extensa possibilidade de efeitos negativos posteriores na performance do salto vertical. Para o estudo 2, os jogadores de futebol foram submetidos as mesmas condições experimentais (CO, AT, BA, PA e FNP). Porem, foram avaliados a força máxima por meio do teste de uma repetição máxima (1 RM) para o exercício agachamento completo, e parâmetros neuromusculares através da técnica do twitch interpolation. Foram monitorados as variáveis força pico, taxa de desenvolvimento de força, amplitude da twitch superimposed e twitch potentiated, e percentual de ativação voluntária referentes ao sinal de força, e a root mean square, M-Wave e razão RMS/M-Wave referentes ao sinal eletromigráfico (EMG) (músculos: vasto lateral e reto femoral), durante contrações voluntária isométrica máxima (CVM) de extensão de joelho. Não foram encontradas alterações significativas na performance do teste de 1 RM e CVM após as condições CO, AT, BA, PA e FNP. Além disso, também não foram encontradas alterações significativas nas variáveis relativas ao sinal EMG. Dessa forma, sessões de alongamento semelhantes a do estudo [3 séries x 30 s de alongamento à 100% do point of discomfort (POD)], independente do método de alongamento, parecem não promover efeitos negativos posteriores na performance da força máxima e em parâmetros neuromusculares em atletas treinados. / The aim of this dissertation was to compare the acute effects of different stretching methods on motor tests performance and neuromuscular parameters. For this, two studies were conducted. Participated in the study 1, twelve trained soccer players, being submitted to 5 experimental conditions: active stretching (AC), ballistic (BA), passive (PA), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) or control condition (CO), in random order and with a minimum interval of 48 h between each condition. It was evaluated the jump height (H), peak power (PP) and relative power (PR) in squat jump (SJ) and countermovent jump (CMJ), range of motion (ROM), 10-20-30 m sprint time and rating of perception exertion (RPE). The AC and BA stretching methods did not promote acute changes in performance at 10-20-30 m sprint time, and in H, PP and PR in both CMJ and SJ techniques. On the other hand, PA and PNF methods promoted negative effects (p <0.05) on H, PP and PR performance in CMJ and SJ. In addition, significantly higher RPE scores were reported after the PA and PNF stretching sessions compared to AC and BA. Significant increases were found in ROM after all stretching methods. Therefore, AC and BA methods can be used prior to vertical jump and sprint activities, with the aim of increasing flexibility. On the other hand, the PA and PNF methods should be avoided, due to the higher intensities reached in these methods and the extensive possibility of subsequent negative effects on vertical jump performance. For study 2, soccer players underwent the same experimental conditions (CO, AC, BA, PA and PNF). However, maximum strength was assessed by a maximal repetition test (1 RM) for the full squat exercise, and neuromuscular parameters using the twitch interpolation technique. The variables peak force, rate of force development, amplitude of superimposed twitch and potentiated twitch, and percentage of voluntary activation referring to the force signal, and root mean square, M-Wave and RMS/M-Wave ratio referring to the Electromyographic (EMG) signal (muscles: vastus lateralis and rectus femoris), during maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of knee extension. No significant changes were found in the 1 RM and CVM performance after CO, AC, BA, PA and PNF conditions. In addition, no significant changes were found in the variables related to the EMG signal. Thus, stretching sessions similar to the study [3 series x 30 s of 100% point of discomfort (POD) stretching], independent of the stretching method, do not seem to promote posterior negative effects on maximum strength performance and on neuromuscular parameters in trained athletes.

In any competitive sporting environment, it is crucial to a team's success to have the maximum number of their players free from injury and illness and available for selection in as many games as possible throughout the season. The training programme of the club, and therefore training load, can have an impact on the incidence of injury and illness amongst the players. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the training load and the incidence of injury and illness over an entire pre-season at an Australian Football League (AFL) club. Sixteen players were subjects; all full time professional male AFL players (mean + or - standard deviation; age 23.8 + or - 5.1 years; height 188.9 + or - 7.4 m; weight 90.9 + or - 9.2 kg). A longitudinal research design was employed, where training load, injury and illness were monitored over a 15 week pre-season and Pearson Correlation Coefficients were used to examine relationships.

<p>Individens tro på den egna förmågan benämns self-efficacy och är en viktig del vid avgörandet av hur en uppgift ska lösas, samt av hur resultatet blir. När individer presterar spelar feedback en central roll för om det kommer att skapas motivation att uppnå målen eller inte. Ovan nämnda begrepp är även centrala för den kollektiva self-efficacy som är gruppens tro på sin förmåga. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur en individs self-efficacy påverkas vid ett negativt utfall inom ett prestationsområde. En enkätundersökning med 81 lagidrottsspelare genomfördes i Västmanlands län. Resultatet visade att det fanns en nedgång i skattad self-efficacy efter ett negativt resultat på en match. Studien visade även på sänkningar i skattad motivationen och kollektiv self-efficacy samt en höjning i upplevd feedback. Slutligen diskuteras vad anledningen till de sänkningar berodde på samt hur vidare forskning kan undersöka saken djupare.</p>

Föreningsidrott är en stor del av många barns liv och idrottsledarna är en viktig del inom föreningsidrotten. Idrottsledare har betydelse för barns hälsa, såväl den fysiska som den psykiska och sociala hälsan. Det finns idag negativa hälsotrender hos barn när det gäller till exempel övervikt, stillasittande och psykisk ohälsa. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur ledare för barnidrottslag upplever att de kan påverka sina utövares hälsa. Studien syftar även till att söka förståelse för hur en ledare inom föreningsidrotten genom sitt bemötande och agerande kan skapa en hälsofrämjande miljö för barn. Detta kan i sin tur ligga till grund för det fortsatta hälsofrämjande arbetet inom idrottsrörelsen. Metoden som användes vid datainsamlingen var individuella kvalitativa intervjuer. Det genomfördes tio intervjuer med ledare i lagidrotter för barn i tio till tolvårsåldern. Resultatet av studien visade att idrottsledarna upplevde att de hade möjlighet att påverka barnens hälsa, såväl den fysiska som den psykiska och sociala hälsan. De områden som idrottsledarna upplevde som påverkningsbara var bland annat fysisk aktivitet, kost och sömn, delaktighet och inflytande, självförtroende och självkänsla, krav och stress, motivation, kommunikation och klimat. Det framkom även att idrottsledare bör föregå med gott exempel, vara ett socialt stöd samt se och bekräfta alla barn för att gynna barnens hälsa. Utifrån resultatets användbarhet i folkhälsopedagogiska sammanhang drogs slutsatsen att det krävs ökad förståelse för hur en idrottsledare har möjlighet att påverka barns hälsoutveckling för att stärka barnens hälsa och vända de negativa hälsotrenderna. / Organized sports are a main part of many children's lives and sport leaders are an important part of organized sports. Coachesare important for children's health,physical as well as mental and social health. Today, there are negative health trends amongchildren, for example, obesity, sedentaryand mental illness. The purpose of thisstudy was to examine how theleaders of children’s sports teams experience that they caninfluence their practitioner’shealth. The study also aims toseek an understanding of how a leader in organized sports through attitude and behavior can create a healthy environmentfor children. This may serve asthe basis for future healthpromotion within the sports movement. The method used for data collection wasindividual interviews. Teninterviews with leaders in teamsports for children of ten totwelve years old were conducted. Theresult of thestudy showed that sports leadersfelt that they had the possibility toinfluence children's health, physicalas well as mental and social health.The sports leaders experienced that theycould influence physical activity, diet and sleep,participation and empowerment, confidence and self esteem,demands and stress, motivation, communication and the atmosphere. The result also showed that sportsleaders should lead by example,be a social support and acknowledge all children to benefit children's health. Based on the result's usefulnessin public health context,the conclusion wasthat greater understanding of howsports leaders can influence children's health development to enhance children's health and reverse the negative health trends.

Individens tro på den egna förmågan benämns self-efficacy och är en viktig del vid avgörandet av hur en uppgift ska lösas, samt av hur resultatet blir. När individer presterar spelar feedback en central roll för om det kommer att skapas motivation att uppnå målen eller inte. Ovan nämnda begrepp är även centrala för den kollektiva self-efficacy som är gruppens tro på sin förmåga. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur en individs self-efficacy påverkas vid ett negativt utfall inom ett prestationsområde. En enkätundersökning med 81 lagidrottsspelare genomfördes i Västmanlands län. Resultatet visade att det fanns en nedgång i skattad self-efficacy efter ett negativt resultat på en match. Studien visade även på sänkningar i skattad motivationen och kollektiv self-efficacy samt en höjning i upplevd feedback. Slutligen diskuteras vad anledningen till de sänkningar berodde på samt hur vidare forskning kan undersöka saken djupare.

O objetivo da presente dissertação foi comparar os efeitos agudos de diferentes métodos de alongamento sobre a performance em testes motores e parâmetros neuromusculares. Para tanto, foram realizados dois estudos. Participaram do estudo 1, doze jogadores de futebol treinados, sendo submetidos a 5 condições experimentais: alongamento ativo (AT), balístico (BA), passivo (PA), facilitação neuromuscular proprioceptiva (FNP) ou condição controle (CO), em ordem randomizada e com intervalo mínimo de 48 h entre cada condição. Foram avaliados a altura de salto (H), potência pico (PP) e potência relativa (PR) no squat jump (SJ) e countermovent jump (CMJ), amplitude de movimento (ADM), tempo (s) nos 10-20-30 m durante o sprint e percepção subjetiva de esforço (PSE). Os métodos de alongamento AT e BA não promoveram alterações agudas na performance nos 10, 20 e 30 m, e na H, PP e PR em ambas as técnicas CMJ e SJ. Por outro lado, os métodos PA e FNP promoveram efeitos negativos (p<0.05) na performance na H, PP e PR no CMJ e SJ. Além disso, escores significativamente superiores de PSE foram relatados após as sessões de alongamento PA e FNP em comparação a AT e BA. Foram encontrados aumentos significativos em ADM após todos os métodos de alongamento. Portanto, os métodos AT e BA podem ser utilizados previamente a atividades de salto vertical e sprint, com o objetido de aumento de flexibilidade. Já os métodos PA e FNP devem ser evitados, em função das maiores intensidades alcançadas nestas condições e pela extensa possibilidade de efeitos negativos posteriores na performance do salto vertical. Para o estudo 2, os jogadores de futebol foram submetidos as mesmas condições experimentais (CO, AT, BA, PA e FNP). Porem, foram avaliados a força máxima por meio do teste de uma repetição máxima (1 RM) para o exercício agachamento completo, e parâmetros neuromusculares através da técnica do twitch interpolation. Foram monitorados as variáveis força pico, taxa de desenvolvimento de força, amplitude da twitch superimposed e twitch potentiated, e percentual de ativação voluntária referentes ao sinal de força, e a root mean square, M-Wave e razão RMS/M-Wave referentes ao sinal eletromigráfico (EMG) (músculos: vasto lateral e reto femoral), durante contrações voluntária isométrica máxima (CVM) de extensão de joelho. Não foram encontradas alterações significativas na performance do teste de 1 RM e CVM após as condições CO, AT, BA, PA e FNP. Além disso, também não foram encontradas alterações significativas nas variáveis relativas ao sinal EMG. Dessa forma, sessões de alongamento semelhantes a do estudo [3 séries x 30 s de alongamento à 100% do point of discomfort (POD)], independente do método de alongamento, parecem não promover efeitos negativos posteriores na performance da força máxima e em parâmetros neuromusculares em atletas treinados. / The aim of this dissertation was to compare the acute effects of different stretching methods on motor tests performance and neuromuscular parameters. For this, two studies were conducted. Participated in the study 1, twelve trained soccer players, being submitted to 5 experimental conditions: active stretching (AC), ballistic (BA), passive (PA), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) or control condition (CO), in random order and with a minimum interval of 48 h between each condition. It was evaluated the jump height (H), peak power (PP) and relative power (PR) in squat jump (SJ) and countermovent jump (CMJ), range of motion (ROM), 10-20-30 m sprint time and rating of perception exertion (RPE). The AC and BA stretching methods did not promote acute changes in performance at 10-20-30 m sprint time, and in H, PP and PR in both CMJ and SJ techniques. On the other hand, PA and PNF methods promoted negative effects (p <0.05) on H, PP and PR performance in CMJ and SJ. In addition, significantly higher RPE scores were reported after the PA and PNF stretching sessions compared to AC and BA. Significant increases were found in ROM after all stretching methods. Therefore, AC and BA methods can be used prior to vertical jump and sprint activities, with the aim of increasing flexibility. On the other hand, the PA and PNF methods should be avoided, due to the higher intensities reached in these methods and the extensive possibility of subsequent negative effects on vertical jump performance. For study 2, soccer players underwent the same experimental conditions (CO, AC, BA, PA and PNF). However, maximum strength was assessed by a maximal repetition test (1 RM) for the full squat exercise, and neuromuscular parameters using the twitch interpolation technique. The variables peak force, rate of force development, amplitude of superimposed twitch and potentiated twitch, and percentage of voluntary activation referring to the force signal, and root mean square, M-Wave and RMS/M-Wave ratio referring to the Electromyographic (EMG) signal (muscles: vastus lateralis and rectus femoris), during maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of knee extension. No significant changes were found in the 1 RM and CVM performance after CO, AC, BA, PA and PNF conditions. In addition, no significant changes were found in the variables related to the EMG signal. Thus, stretching sessions similar to the study [3 series x 30 s of 100% point of discomfort (POD) stretching], independent of the stretching method, do not seem to promote posterior negative effects on maximum strength performance and on neuromuscular parameters in trained athletes.