O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar traços de personalidade em atletas brasileiros, de diferentes modalidades esportivas, por meio da teoria de personalidade dos Cinco Grandes Fatores. Os atletas foram submetidos ao teste Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade - BFP. Participaram do estudo 613 atletas, de 7 modalidades, entre elas, Atletismo, Futebol, Futebol de base, Rugby, Rugby olímpico, Tênis de mesa olímpico e paraolímpico. Os resultados demonstraram que o teste apresentou nível satisfatório de precisão na maioria de suas variáveis relacionadas aos cinco grandes fatores, com exceção do fator Abertura. Já em relação as facetas, das variáveis investigadas, apenas 4 facetas apresentaram níveis satisfatórios de precisão, quanto a amostra geral esportiva. Também foram verificadas alterações da confiabilidade dos resultados quando do agrupamento por modalidades, alternando fatores e facetas com níveis de precisão satisfatórios. Foram realizados estudos de diferenças de média por t de Student, análise de variância ANOVA e Tukey da diferença honestamente significativa HSD. São apresentados estudos de comparação entre as modalidades investigadas e uma pesquisa em um processo de seleção de um programa de atletismo. As análise sugeriram não haver um perfil comum de personalidade do atleta, sendo verificado variáveis investigadas no teste que se diferem em amostras de atletas se comparado à normatização do teste, e também fatores e facetas da personalidade que se diferem entre modalidades esportivas. De maneira que são encontrados traços em comum no grupo de esportistas, tais como, rebaixada instabilidade emocional, índices medianos mais baixos em socialização e também rebaixado em abertura para novas experiências. No outro sentido, os atletas apresentaram médias mais elevadas em extroversão e interações sociais e também no fator Realização, apesar da baixa magnitude de diferença, porém significativas estatisticamente. Concluiu-se que os achados não foram suficientes para a afirmação da existência de um perfil comum de atleta, nem para o sentido de um perfil médio em razão das diferenças entre modalidades. Sugere-se que mais estudos sejam realizados com instrumentos de investigação de personalidade em esportistas, buscando uma maior compreensão psíquica e emocional dos atletas, considerando os determinantes das modalidades esportivas, em situações específicas de jogo, treinos e em momentos de competição, de maneira a contribuir com treinadores, equipes técnicas e sobretudo com os próprios atletas / The aim of this study was to assess personality traits in Brazilian athletes of different sports, through the theory of the Big Five Personality Factors. The evaluation of athletes in these factors and their facets was performed using the Battery Factor Personality Test. 613 athletes participated in the study, divided into seven types of sport, including, Athletics, Football, grassroots Football, Rugby, Rugby Olympic, Paralympic and Olympic Tennis table. The results showed satisfactory level of confiability in most of its variables related to the Big Five factors, with the exception of Opening factor. Regarding the facets of the variables investigated, only 4 facets showed satisfactory levels of confiability in the sport overall sample. Changes in the reliability of the results when the grouping arrangements were also verified by alternating factors and facets with satisfactory levels of confiability. Were performed studies of mean differences by Student t test, ANOVA and Tukey\'s honestly significant difference variance. Studies comparing certain modalities and a research in the process of selecting an athletics program are presented. The analysis not suggested that there a common personality profile athlete, confirmed the test variables investigated that differ in samples of athletes compared to the standardization of the test, and also the personality factors and facets that differ between types sports. So that traces are found in common in the group of athletes, such as lower median rates in emotional instability, lower median rates in socialization and also relegated in openness to new experiences. In another sense, the athletes had higher means on extroversion and social interactions and also the Conscienctiousness factor, despite the low magnitude of difference, though statistically significant. It was concluded that the findings were not sufficient to affirm the existence of a common profile athlete, nor the sense of an average profile due to differences between types of sports. It is suggested that further studies be carried out with instruments of investigation of personality in sports, seeking greater mental and emotional understanding of athletes, considering the determinants of sports in specific game situations, and training in times of competition, so that contributing coaches, technical staff and especially with athletes

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if a periodized strength and conditioning program resulted in long-term adaptations in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball athletes, and if these changes related to the team’s competitive performance. Specifically, this dissertation serves to: 1.) describe the changes in body composition and performance variables of 2 female volleyball athletes over a 4-year collegiate career, 2.) determine the degree and magnitude of change in performance variables after about 1, 2, and 3 years of periodized resistance training, and 3.) infer if volleyball performance characteristics are related to a team’s competitive success. The following are major findings of this dissertation. 1.) Positive changes in vertical jump height, strength, and explosiveness may be possible throughout 4 years of collegiate volleyball training even with increased body mass and percent body fat. Moreover, impaired ability to perform heavy lower-body resistance training exercises due to chronic injury negatively impacts long-term physical performance adaptations over 4 years. 2.) A combination of traditional resistance training exercises and weightlifting variations at various loads, in addition to volleyball practice, appear to be effective at increasing maximal strength by 44% and vertical jump height by 20%-30% in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball athletes after about two and half years of training. Furthermore, these characteristics can be improved in the absence of additional plyometric training outside of normal volleyball-specific practice. 3.) A rating percentage index RPI ranking ratio and unweighted match score ratio appear to be better predictors of overall team competitive season success than a weighted match score ratio. On the contrary, a weighted match score ratio may be better for determining an association between team match performance and volleyball-specific fitness. A considerable amount of research is needed to develop a volleyball-specific performance index that best quantifies team performance and whether or not a measurable association exists between improved fitness characteristics and increased overall team competitive success. The findings of this dissertation provide evidence that analyzing and monitoring volleyball-related performance variables over time can assist the sport performance group in making training based decisions as well as promote the successful development of an athlete.

Athletic programs within Division I-A universities and colleges have maintained a unique relationship with both the NCAA and their governing academic institutions. Resources in support of academic, social, and athletic services for student athletes vary across the country for Division-I collegiate athletes. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and opinions of student athletes concerning academic, athletic, and social services provided to them at numerous Division-I athletic programs. Student athletes have not been assessed through a questionnaire concerning their own perceptions and opinions of the specific services (athletic, academic, and social) provided to them at their designated university. Is there a relationship between the attitudes and opinions of student athletes on academic, athletic, and social services and the amount of money spent per student athlete at their Division-I institutions? Four Division-I universities were viewed, individually, according to the athletic academic budget designated for each scholarship student athlete. As a result of the findings, the following summary and conclusions were drawn regarding student athletes' attitudes and opinions toward athletic academic services provided at their designated university. The researcher concluded that overall gaps between expectations and experiences do exist at all target universities. There is a realistic value in identifying expectation-experience gaps at individual universities as a means for internal evaluation and potential improvement for services provided to student athletes. Identification of areas in need of change or improvement would be the first step toward creating a more holistic environment for the student athletes at each targeted university.

There is a need for reliable analysis techniques for kinetic data for coaches and sport scientists who employ athlete monitoring practices. The purpose of the study was: (1) to determine intra- and inter-rater reliability within a manual-based kinetic analysis program; and (2) to determine test-retest reliability of an algorithm-based kinetic analysis program. Five independent raters used a manual analysis program to analyse 100 isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) trials obtained from previously collected data. Each trial was analysed three times. The same IMTP trials were analysed using an algorithm-based analysis software. Variables measured were peak force, rate of force development from 0 to 50 ms (RFD50) and RFD from 0 to 200 ms (RFD200). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV) were used to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability. Nearly perfect reliability was observed for the manual-based (ICC > 0.92). However, poor intra- and inter-rater CV was observed for RFD (CV > 16.25% and CV > 32.27%, respectively). The algorithm-based method resulted in perfect reliability in all measurements (ICC = 1.0, CV = 0%). While manual methods of kinetic analysis may provide sufficient reliability, the perfect reliability observed within the algorithm-based method in the current study suggest it is a superior method for use in athlete monitoring programs.

The purposes of this study were to examine the effectiveness of an athlete monitoring program in managing athlete neuromuscular fatigue across a men's collegiate soccer season as measured by changes in squat jump (SJ) height and to compare possible changes with the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) training load (TL). Eighteen outfield Division I men's college soccer players performed SJ testing before each game of the fall season in addition to a baseline measurement at the start of preseason. The athletes provided sRPE values after all training sessions, weight-training, and games. Linear mixed modeling was used to compare changes in SJ height across the season with the baseline, and a correlation coefficient and single-lag cross-correlation coefficient were calculated between TL and changes in SJ height. No statistically significant decreases in SJ height occurred across the season, although a moderate practical decline occurred after the preseason (−1.6 cm, effect size = −0.70). The correlation between TL and changes in SJ height was statistically nonsignificant, whereas the cross-correlation was significant (r = 0.18, p = 0.48 and r = 0.55, p = 0.02, respectively). The athlete monitoring program was successful in managing the athletes' neuromuscular fatigue across the season as evidenced by the maintenance of SJ height and positive relationship between TL and changes in SJ height. Thus, SJ monitoring may serve as a useful fatigue monitoring tool for collegiate soccer athletes. Future study is needed, relating changes in vertical jump performance to other markers of athlete preparedness and performance.

The present article addresses issues within U.S. collegiate sport as it pertains to the physical preparation and health and well-being of intercollegiate athletes. Specifically, the sport coach is often perceived as “all knowing” about every facet of their sport when, in fact, they typically are not formally educated or well-trained in current methods of enhancing sport performance. Often strength and conditioning coaches, who may also be poorly trained, are tied directly (financially and administratively) to the sport coach—a situation which has led to a subservient role heavily influenced by the wishes of the sport coach. This has unfortunately resulted in the multidimensional well-being of the athlete clearly not being a primary objective in many programs.

The purpose of this study was to compare the phase characteristics of the countermovement jump (CMJ) force-time (F-t) curve between athletes based on jumping ability. An initial sample of one-hundred fifty Division-I collegiate athletes were ranked based on CMJ height. Three performance groups were then formed by taking the top, middle, and lower 30 athletes (15 men and 15 women) from the sample. Phases of the CMJ F-t curve were determined and then characterized by their duration, magnitude, area (impulse), and shape (shape factor). A series of 3-way mixed analysis of variance were used to determine statistical differences in phase characteristics between performance groups as well as between male and female athletes. Statistically significant phase-by-performance group interactions were observed for relative phase magnitude (p < 0.001), relative phase impulse (p < 0.001), and shape factor (p = 0.002). Phase-by-sex interactions were statistically significant for both relative phase magnitude (p < 0.001) and relative phase impulse (p < 0.001). Post hoc comparisons indicated that higher jumpers exhibited larger relative magnitude and impulse in the phases contained within the positive area of the F-t curve. Similarly, relative phase magnitude and impulse were the only phase characteristics to be statically different between men and women. Finally, the relative shape of the phase representing the initial rise in force was found to relate to jump height. These results provide some information regarding the diagnostic value of qualitative analysis of the CMJ F-t curve.

A four-year retrospective analysis of injury data was conducted on a collegiate (NCAA Division I) women’s volleyball team. Twenty athletes (Year 1: age = 19.4 ± 0.9 y, height = 175.2 ± 5.1 cm, body mass = 70.5 ± 10.2 kg; Year 2: age = 20.1 ± 1.0 y, height = 175.7 ± 4.7 cm, body mass = 69.5 ± 10.1 kg; Year 3: age = 20.1 ± 1.4 y, height = 173.8 ± 6.3 cm, body mass = 69.9 ± 10.8 kg; Year 4: age = 19.5 ± 1.4 y, height = 174.4 ± 8.6 cm, body mass = 72.7 ± 10.8 kg) participated in this study, accounting for 1483 total training exposures. Injury was defined as any damage to a body part, incurred during volleyball or strength and conditioning-related activities, which interfered with training and/or competition. Injury rate was normalized to the number of athletes and exposure and expressed as injuries per 1000 exposures. A total of 133 injuries were recorded. The most common injury was to the knee (left = 7.5%, right = 12.0%). Injuries occurred most often in volleyball practice (75.2%), followed by competition (20.3%), and strength and conditioning-related activities (4.5%). Non-contact injuries (upper body = 26.3%, lower body = 53.4%) were more common than contact injuries (upper-body = 13.5%, lower-body = 6.8%). An examination of injury rates relative to the training year revealed patterns in injury occurrence. Specifically, spikes in injury rate were consistently observed during periods of increased training volume that were preceded by breaks in organized training, such as the early pre-season and off-season training periods.

This study addresses the media depiction of professional athletes involvement in protest and its impact for public consumption. This paper will further seek to analyze the role of social media and its framing of political protest specifically within professional sports. The purpose of this research is to study the progression in professional athletes’ participation in protest and through textual analysis aim to understand how newspapers frame an athlete’s message. The more recent study that will be used as a frame of reference is the newspaper coverage on the Kaepernick protest and the dual relationship that the local/national media and social media had in its framing and impact on sports and society. There is existing work that has focused on the up’s and down’s for African Americans in sports, but those sources only highlight small political protest in professional sports without highlighting newspaper coverage. This study will display through three top nationally circulated newspaper companies (and the top circulated newspaper in San Francisco where the Kaepernick protest started) how the media illustrates protest and the reaction to protest through the lens of social media.

ABSTRACT The Development of an Online Interactive Resource for Enhancing Motivation in Swimmers Richard Judson Clark Research pertaining to motivation in athletics and the link that it has to continued participation in sport is widespread. Despite the resources available, adolescents continue to drop out of sports at alarming rates. The purpose of this project was to create an online tool and resource center to enhance motivation in swimmers that participate in a year-round swim program in San Luis Obispo, California. The development of the site http://athletenet.net was created based on research linked to the Self-Determination, Cognitive Evaluation, Reversal, and Achievement Goal Theories. Swimmers can login to the website to set a variety of goals including practice/technique goals, short-term goals, long-term goals, and dream goals. More importantly, swimmers have the option to share these goals with their coaches via the website. Additional features for swimmers include daily practice ratings, daily journals, team blog, and performance charts for practice and meet results. The tools that have been created for the swimmers on the website are based on research that supports an athlete-directed environment in which coaches empower their athletes to define their own success. Future research could include empirical studies in which researchers examine the extent to which these interactive tools enhance intrinsic motivation and decrease dropouts among swimmers.