This dissertation is comprised of three main sections. The first chapter is a historical overview of the coach-athlete relationships literature within sport. The review was conducted to consider as much empirical evidence as possible concerning coach-athlete relationships. This chapter examines and provides a comprehensive overview of past and current literature examining the coach-athlete relationship. Historical origins, contemporary models, other influences on the relationship, and coach-athlete interactive behaviours were examined. The second chapter is a qualitative study, guided by a phenomenological method of research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and recorded with 10 of the most successful team sport coaches within Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) from 2002-2012. Following in depth coach interviews, interpretive research and bracketing and themes were used to identify key components from the interviews. A final thematic structure disclosing five major dimensions contributed to common factors the role relationships play in coach-athlete success, identified as: recruitment, communication, caring, culture, and trust. Findings resulted in the creation of a tool that assists in visualizing the reciprocal relationships between revealed dimensions and themes within a coach-athlete relationship (R-CART; Reciprocating Coach-Athlete Relationship Tool). Finally a qualitative longitudinal case study was conducted examine the evolution of the CAR over a season and to assess the impact of a visual tool to help guide coaches in enhancing the CAR. Two post-secondary teams and head coaches were chosen, one female and one male. The process of the study included an initial modification process of the R-CART, initiating the R-CART through a multiple qualitative case study, data analysis of case studies and further amendment of the R-CART. Team athletes were provided with an 11-item Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) and additional comments to evaluate the coach-athlete relationship. Results from the CART-Q were considered and cross-referenced with the R-CART, coach interviews and interventions ensued based on the student-athlete feedback. The findings suggested subtle amendments to the model and the R-CART potentially is a trustworthy tool for coaches developing, maintaining, and repairing the coach-athlete relationship. Collectively, this dissertation has expanded the current knowledge of coach-athlete relationships, providing coaches with a prospective tool for advancement in the area of coach-athlete relationships. Future research should aim to examine the role coach-athlete relationships in different context, such as grassroots sport, and look at the potential impact of the R-CART in those areas. / Graduate / 2017-04-21

Les ressources techniques, tactiques, physiques et mentales sont autant d’éléments à prendre en compte pour accéder à la performance en compétition. Pour autant, la spécificité du rugby à 7 attribue à la dimension physique une place particulière. La planification de l’entraînement, et en particulier la façon de gérer la charge à l’approche d’une compétition, devient ainsi une préoccupation permanente. Le but de cette thèse était d’étudier la réponse de joueurs internationaux de rugby à 7 à une gestion stratégique de la charge d’entraînement à l’approche d’une compétition. Notre première étude a consisté à décrire la distribution de la charge de travail sur une saison et caractériser différents modèles de périodisation. Ce travail a permis d’identifier l’affûtage comme une stratégie largement utilisée avant chaque tournée pour optimiser la performance physique des joueurs. Notre deuxième étude a consisté à montrer les effets d’une période d’affûtage sur les qualités physiques. L’observation des cinétiques de surcompensation des qualités de force, de vitesse et de répétition de sprints a démontré qu’une fenêtre comprise entre 9 et 16 jours constituait une durée optimale pour maximiser les gains. Enfin, notre dernière étude a porté sur une stratégie de pré-conditionnement mise en œuvre le jour de la compétition. Il s’agissait d’expérimenter les effets d’une séance d’entraînement, réalisée 2 heures avant le premier match du tournoi, sur les réponses physiques et psycho-physiologiques des joueurs. La capacité à répéter des sprints et l’activité physique en match n’ont pas été améliorées mais l’état psychophysiologique a été positivement influencé par cette séance. A travers cette thèse, nous avons donc essayé de dessiner une image générale d’une saison internationale de rugby à 7 et de questionner la pertinence de stratégies de périodisation mises en œuvre par les entraîneurs de l’équipe de France à l’approche des compétitions. Les conclusions scientifiques issues de ces études doivent être appréhendées comme des orientations qui guident les entraîneurs dans la construction de leurs scénarios d’entraînement. / The technical, tactical, physical and mental resources of a team are key factors to access to the performance in competition, and the Rugby-7’s specificity attributes a particular place to the physical dimension. Training periodization and in particular the way to manage training load prior to competition, is a permanent concern. The aim of this thesis was to study the response of international Rugby-7s players to strategic training load management in the pre-competition phases. Our first study examined the workload distribution over a season and identified different periodization models. This work helped identify the tapering phase as a strategy widely used before each competition to optimize players’ physical performance. The second study investigated the effects of a tapering period on physical qualities. The supercompensation kinetics of strength, speed and repetition of sprints qualities showed that a window between 9 and 16 days was an optimal duration to maximize physical performance. The final study focused on a preconditioning strategy implemented on the day of the competition. The aim was to examine the effects of a morning training session, completed 2 hours before the first match of the tournament, on the physical and psycho-physiological responses of the players. The repeated sprinting ability and physical activity in match was not improved, but the psychophysiological state was positively influenced by this session. Through this thesis, a general picture of a Rugby-7s international season was drawn and the relevance of periodization strategies implemented by the French team coaches in the approach of competitions was questioned. The scientific findings from these studies could be used as guidelines for coaches in building their training programs.

Les données ont massivement investi le monde du sport de haut niveau. Les sports collectifs comme le football et le rugby à 15 qui sont parmi les sports les plus médiatisés sont particulièrement concernés par ce phénomène. De plus, les performances dans un sport collectif sont multifactorielles et multidimensionnelles et sont étroitement liées à la survenue de blessures. Les sport scientists cherchent à comprendre et à contextualiser au mieux ces performances. Pour se faire, ils demandent et consomment énormément de données dont les sources sont multiples car émanant de la concertation des différents membres du staff entourant les athlètes. La participation de l’ensemble du staff, et des joueurs, fait des sciences du sport une thématique de recherche pluridisciplinaire. Dans ce contexte, les biostatistiques trouvent naturellement leur place en collaboration directe avec les sport scientitsts, à l’interface entre les données produites et les problématiques posées par le staff afin d’aider à la prise de décision.Les sports collectifs impliquent des individus qui jouent en équipe. Par définition, analyser ces sports nécessite un regard à la fois individuel et collectif. C’est cette double analyse qui a été réalisée au cours de cette thèse. L’individualisation du suivi des performances et de l’état de santé des joueurs est clairement indispensable et il implique l’élaboration d’outils statistiques adaptés aux problématiques soulevées. Le développement de méthodes basées sur le z-score pour l’analyse de marqueurs biologiques issus d’un suivi longitudinal est un exemple de l’apport réciproque qu’une collaboration entre biostatistiques et science du sport peut produire : une meilleure compréhension de l’état de santé des joueurs indispensable à l’optimisation de leur performance et à la minimisation de l’exposition aux facteurs de risques de blessure et les perspectives d’optimisation d’outils statistiques existants. La correction d’un test largement utilisé, le test de Mann-Whitney trouve aussi sa place dans la volonté de comparer des performances individuelles évoluant au cours du temps, problématique rencontrée dans la détection, la sélection ou encore les protocoles de soins. C’est ensuite la dimension collective qui a été investiguée. L’individualisation des suivis permet de comprendre ce qu’il se passe au sein de chaque joueur et de personnaliser les prises en charges par le staff. Mais qu’en est-il de la gestion du collectif ? Comment la gestion d’une équipe, d’un groupe peut optimiser sa performance et impacter la survenue de blessures ? A travers deux études sur le rugby à XV, nous avons montré à travers l’application d’outils statistiques adaptés que la dimension collective de l’analyse de la performance était indispensable à sa compréhension. En effet une gestion de groupe optimisée, favorable à la création d’expérience collective, de cohésion, répartissant intelligemment le temps de jeu entre les joueurs participe à la réalisation de meilleures performances. Les perspectives soulevées par ces analyses quantitatives de l’expérience collective dans un sport collectif ont été discutées. Dont l’impact sur la survenue des blessures qui est une problématique majeure soulevée par les staffs car impactant directement la performance du groupe. Mais les relations entre gestion d’effectif et blessures sont à ce jour peu analysées.Les études présentées dans cette thèse illustrent certaines étapes de l’échange nécessaire entre les différentes disciplines rassemblées autour des sciences du sport et montrent comment les biostatistiques s’inscrivent dans le processus de décision des staffs. / Data has massively invaded the world of high-level sport. Team sports such as football and rugby union, which are among the most publicized sports, are particularly concerned by this phenomenon. In addition, performance in a team sport is multifactorial and multidimensional and are deeply linked to the injuries. Sports scientists seek to understand and contextualize these performances as well as possible. To do so, a lot of data are needed and consumed. Those data are coming from many sources as they are the results of a global thinking between staff members surrounding the athletes. The participation of all the staff, and players, makes sports science answering the call of interdisciplinary research. In this context, biostatistics naturally find their place in direct collaboration with sports scientist, at the interface between data produced and the issues raised by the staff in order to help decision-making.Team sports involve individuals who play as a team. By definition, analyzing these sports requires both individual and collective assessment. It is this double analysis that was carried out during this thesis. The individualization of performance monitoring and health condition of players is clearly essential and it involves the development of statistical tools adapted to the issues raised. Z-score-based methods development for the analysis of biomarkers derived from longitudinal monitoring is an example of the reciprocal contribution that a collaboration between biostatistics and sports science can produce: a better understanding of players' state of health, which is essential for optimizing their performance and minimizing exposure to injury risk factors, and the prospects for optimizing existing statistical tools. The correction of a widely used test, the Mann-Whitney test also finds its place in the will to compare individual performance evolving over time, an issue encountered in detection, selection or rehabilitation protocols.Then, the collective dimension has been investigated. The individualization of the monitoring makes it possible to understand what is happening within each player and to personalize support by the staff. But what about team management? How can managing a group optimize its performance and impact the occurrence of injuries? Through two studies on rugby union, we have shown through the application of adapted statistical tools that the collective dimension of the analysis of the performance was essential to its understanding. Indeed, an optimized group management, favorable to the creation of collective experience, cohesion, and cleverly spreading playing time between the players contributes to better performance. The perspectives raised by these quantitative analyzes of collective experience in a collective sport were discussed. Including the impact on the occurrence of injuries which is a major issue raised by staffs because directly impacting the performance of the group. But the relationship between workforce management and injuries is poorly analyzed.Studies presented in this thesis illustrate some stapes of the necessary exchange between the different disciplines gathered around sports sciences and show how biostatistics fit into the decision-making process of the staffs.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine seasonal changes in training load (TL), neuromuscular performance, subjective recovery, and stress state, and to investigate the relationships between acute and chronic TL and neuromuscular performance in competitive female soccer players. Nine competitive female soccer players (20.0 ± 1.7 years; 60.3 ± 6.3 kg; 164.0 ± 5.8 cm) completed the Short Recovery and Stress Scale and the countermovement jump (CMJ) with polyvinyl chloride pipe (CMJ0) and 20 kg barbell (CMJ20) at 2-3 h before 1st match (NC), 6th match (NC), 9th match (C), and 15th match (C) of the competitive season. TL included total distance, high-speed running, and PlayerLoad. Acute and chronic TL was calculated by using the average of 2 days (D), 7 days (D), and 21 days (D) prior to four different match play. Significant decreases were found from NC to C in D total distance [ = 0.03, Cohen's effect size (d) = 1.40]. D total distance and PlayerLoad significantly decreased from NC to C and C ( = 0.001-0.01, d = 1.40-1.72). Significant increases were observed from NC to C in CMJ0 jump height ( = 0.03, d = 1.40), ( = 0.021, d = 1.44), and peak power ( = 0.03, d = 1.32). Significant negative correlations were observed for D total distance and CMJ0 jump height ( = 0.02, = 0.79) and peak power ( = 0.03, = 0.71) at C, while significant positive correlations were observed at C for D PlayerLoad and CMJ0 jump height ( = 0.02, = 0.80). Polyvinyl chloride pipe CMJ0) jump height and peak power may increase from preseason to the midcompetitive season. Seasonal variations may affect the relationships between D TL and CMJ0 performance.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Volleyball as a part of P.E. lesson at grammar schools Summary The aim of this thesis is to summarize issues about teaching volleyball during P.E. lessons at grammar schools. The core of this work lies in the empirical part, whose goal is to answer research questions about the form and the extent of teaching volleyball, students' preferences concerning this sport, and determining a methodical model of teaching volleyball. In the theoritical part you can find basic rules, six basic skills, information about formations and combinations, which are used in the game. The research part deals with determining of various hypothesis and they are either confirmed or disproven. The research methods used in this section are a questionnaire and an experiment itself. The last methodical part analyses training units of the experiment. As a result, voleyball lessons for boys at grammar schools are covered. The main contribution in this part is the elaboration of a model program consisting of 12 training units, which can be used by teachers in P.E. lessons. Key words: Grammar school, team sport, volleyball, physical education, basic skills

The aim of the thesis is to perform a content analysis of professional literature dealing with floorball, sports training and age of top performance of athletes. Furthermore, to find out and analyze the age structure of teams at the World Floorball Championship and Czech elite league. Team roasters of the three best foreign teams and the Czech national team at the World Championships and three best teams of Czech elite league were collected for this objective. A lower age of male and female players of the Czech team was found in comparison with the best placed foreign teams in the World Championship. In the male category, the average age of the three best foreign teams is 26.7 years, the Czech national team is 25.1 years and the three best teams of Czech elite league is 24.8 years. The increasing value of the average age of the teams at the World Championships was observed, but not in Czech elite league. In the female category, the average age of the three best foreign teams is 25.3 years, the Czech national team is 23.6 years and the three best teams of Czech elite league is 23.4 years. The increasing average age over the years has not been observed.

A tomada de decisão diz respeito a um componente essencial para o desempenho de inúmeras habilidades motoras, principalmente aquelas que envolvem julgamentos e escolhas. Duas correntes teóricas se destacam nesse âmbito: uma, com foco nos níveis de experiência e conhecimento dos indivíduos e, outra, na percepção de variáveis físicas que refletem a coordenação interpessoal. No presente estudo ambas foram consideradas conjuntamente. Investigou-se como indivíduos de diferentes níveis de experiência, conhecimento e habilidade decidiam sobre o passe de bola com base em relações interpessoais angulares. Ângulo foi escolhido como variável coletiva em razão de capturar as relações interpessoais em situações de passes e interceptação de passes. Foram filmados dois jogos de futsal com jogadores experientes e inexperientes entre 13 e 14 anos de idade. As relações interpessoais angulares foram compostas por: ângulo A, interação de vetores ligando o portador da bola com seu marcador e seu companheiro de time; e, ângulo B, interação de vetores ligando o portador da bola com seu companheiro de time e o marcador dele. Essas relações angulares também foram consideradas em relação à taxa de mudança com base em velocidade e variabilidade. Todas as medidas foram calculadas com base nos deslocamentos dos jogadores adquiridos por meio do software TACTO, em relação às coordenadas x e y, numa frequência de 25 Hz. Os dados foram analisados através do teste U de Mann-Whitney, considerando-se o nível de significância de p<=0,05. Os resultados obtidos referentes aos níveis de experiência e de conhecimento não revelaram diferenças significativas em nenhuma das variáveis angulares. Já com relação ao nível de habilidade, diferenças significativas foram encontradas somente para a velocidade angular (B). No que diz respeito à efetividade do passe, os resultados revelaram que independente dos níveis de experiência, conhecimento e habilidade, os passes efetivos foram realizados com base no ângulo (B). Os resultados permitem concluir que os jogadores, independente dos níveis de experiência e de conhecimento, utilizaram as mesmas relações interpessoais angulares para realização do passe, e que o ângulo (B) foi aquele que influenciou na eficiência do passe / The decision-making is an essential component for the performance of a number of motor skills, meanly for those that involve judgments and choices. Two theoretical perspectives highlight in this context: one focusing on the levels of experience and knowledge of individuals, and another, on the perception of physical variables that reflect the interaction between individuals and their environments. In the present study both of them were considered together. We investigated how individuals with different levels of experience, knowledge and skill decided on the pass of the ball based on angular interpersonal interactions. The angle was chosen as collective variable due it be able to capture the interpersonal relationships in situations of passing and intercepting of passing. Two futsal games were filmed with experienced and inexperienced players between 13 and 14 years old. The angular interpersonal relationships were: angle A, passing vector angle to the ball carriernearest defender\'s vector; and angle B, vector angle to the ball carrier-teammate\'s nearest defender\'s vector. These angular relationships were also considered in relation to their rate of change based on velocity and variability. All measures were calculated based on the displacements of the players relative to the x and y coordinates, which were acquired through the TACTO software in a frequency of 25 Hz. The data have been analysed by the U teste of Mann-Whitney considering the level of significance p<=0.05. The results obtained related to the levels of experience and knowledge haven´t revealed significant differences in none of the angular variables. But considering the level of skill, significant differences have been found only towards the angular velocity (B). Regarding the effectiveness of the pass the results showed that despite the levels of experience, knowledge and skill, the effective pass been carried out based on angle (B). The results allow concluding that players, regardless of level of experience and knowledge, used the same angular interpersonal relationships for performing the pass. In addition, that the efficiency of passing was influenced by the angle (B)

The objective of this dissertation was to examine the action profiles of elite field hockey players in relationship to the 2015 FIH rule change. The following are major findings of the dissertation: The following are major findings of the dissertation: Study 1 – Relative action profiles before the rule change revealed that defenders work at a lower meter per minute (m/min) when compared with all other positions, and that forwards, midfielders, and screens perform similar m/min during a game. Examination of pre rule change difference from the 1st to the 2nd half play showed that elite level field hockey players are able maintain high-intensity actions in zone 6 throughout the game by increasing actions in zones 1 and 2, and decreasing actions in zones 4 and 5. Study 2 – Action profiles after the rule formatting change revealed the team was unable to match the percent of distance covered in zones 4 and 5 during the 1st quarter all in subsequent quarters. The low intensity actions in zone 1 and 2 gradually increased, while m/min gradually declined. However the percent of distance covered in zone 6 showed no statistically significant change. When positional differences were examined forwards covered the greatest percent of distance in zones 5 and 6, followed by midfielders, screens, and defenders. This pattern varies for zone 4, within which the midfielders possesses the greatest percent distance covered. 3 Study 3 – Relative action profile comparisons for the team, pre to post the 2015 rule change did not indicate a significant change in zones 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. However zone 1 experience a statistically significant decrease. Positional analysis showed statistically significant changes for midfielders only. The changes were a decrease in zone 1, and increase in zone 5 and 6 during the first half of the game, and decrease in zone 1 and m/min during the second half of the game. A major focus of the US Women’s National Team is to develop the athletes’ physical capacity to maintain and repeat high intensity actions. The combination of physical preparation and tactical strategies allow the team to express high m/min and numerous high intensity actions throughout a match.