O objeto deste estudo é a verificação das propriedades métricas (validade de construto e consistência interna) do "Inventário de Preocupações de Carreira de Adulto - versão para Atletas" (IPCAAt 0 - 61) (Balbinotti e Balbinotti, 2008). Trata-se de um inventário de 61 itens (15 itens por dimensão, sendo 5 para cada subdimensão mais um item que avalia os projetos de uma provável mudança de carreira). O inventário analisa quatro dos cinco estados de desenvolvimento de carreira (a primeira foi excluída em razão da idade) conforme a teoria de Super (1957). Estes 4 estados e seus subestados se apresentam, em ordem, como segue: exploração (cristalização, especificação e realização); estabelecimento (estabilização, consolidação e avanço profissional); manutenção (manter posição, atualizar-se e inovar); e desengajamento (desaceleração, planificação da aposentadoria e vida de aposentado). Participaram desta pesquisa 336 atletas, brasileiros, de ambos os sexos (masculino, 255; feminino, 81) com idades variando de 16 a 56 anos, de 16 modalidades esportivas. Cuidados éticos foram tomados de forma que se obteve o consentimento de todos os sujeitos participantes da pesquisa. Primeiramente, foram analisadas as estatísticas de consistência interna do instrumento, de cada dimensão e subdimensão das preocupações de carreira. Os índices de média e de correlações item-item e item-dimensão (e subdimensão) apresentaram-se satisfatórios. O resultado do alpha de Cronbach apresentou índices considerados desejáveis (superiores a 0,80), o menor índice observado entre as dimensões foi de 0,90 e nas subdimensões foi de 0,84. Ao analisar o modelo fatorial exploratório, os valores indicaram que todas as correlações parciais estavam adequadas para proceder à análise fatorial exploratória, de tal modo, os resultados confirmaram a unidimensionalidade de cada dimensão. Posteriormente, com a intenção de verificar se as quatro dimensões são realmente compostas por três subdimensões cada, testou-se a validade confirmatória através dos indicadores Quiquadrado, razão entre Qui-quadrado e graus de liberdade, GFI, AGFI e RMS (que foram estimados para a amostra geral e para sexo). Os resultados indicaram estar de acordo com os critérios padrão para a amostra geral e sexo masculino e parcialmente aceitável para o sexo feminino. Assim, o IPCAAt-61 apresentou, fortemente, precisão em suas medidas e que se trata de dimensões consistentes e que avaliou de forma fidedigna aquilo que elas propõem avaliar. Ainda foram exploradas estatísticas descritivas de tendência central, de dispersão e de distribuição da amostra. Finalmente, comparações de médias, com o propósito de verificar a necessidade de criação de tabelas normativas de acordo com os subgrupos de sexo e idade, foram conduzidas. Os resultados obtidos indicaram ser necessário à criação de tabelas normativas diferentes para os subgrupos da amostra, o que efetivamente se fez. / The object of this study is the verification of metric properties (construct validity and internal consistency of) the "Adult Career Concerns Inventory - version for Athletes" (IPCAAt - 61) (Balbinotti and Balbinotti, 2008). This is a list of 61 items (15 items by dimension, and 5 for each subdimension one more item that assesses the projects of a probable change of career). The survey examines four of the five states of career development (the first was ruled out on grounds of age) as the theory of Super (1957). These 4 states and their states sub are presented in order, as follows: holding (crystallization, specification and implementation), establishment (stabilization, consolidation and professional advancement), maintenance (maintaining position, update it and innovate), and disengagement (deceleration, planning for retirement and retired life). 336 athletes participated in this research, Brazilian, both sexes (male, 255, female, 81) with ages ranging from 16 to 56 years, from 16 sports. Ethics of care was taken so that the consent is obtained from all subjects participating in the research. First, the statistics were examined for internal consistency of the instrument, each dimension and subdimension the concerns of their career. The indices of average correlations and item-item and item-scale (and subscale) were satisfactory. Thus, the results of Cronbach's alpha showed indices considered desirable (above 0.80), the lower rate was observed between the dimensions of 0.90 and subdimensions was 0.84. The figures indicated that all the partial correlations were adequate for the exploratory factor analysis, so the results confirmed the unit dimension in each dimension. Later, with the intention to verify whether the four dimensions are actually composed of three subdimension each, it was tested the validity through confirmatory indicators chi-square, ratio of chi-square and degrees of freedom, GFI, AGFI, and RMS (which were estimated for the overall sample and for sex). The results indicated that in accordance with standard criteria for the overall sample and males and partially acceptable for females. Thus, one can assume the validity of the inventory, since the construct validity was established for the total sample and by gender. The IPCAAt-61 shows, strongly, precisely in its measures and dimensions that it is consistent and reliable way of assessing what they offer value. Descriptive statistics were also used for central tendency, dispersion and distribution of the sample. Finally, comparisons of means in order to verify the need for setting up tables in accordance with the normative subgroups of sex and age were conducted.

Orientador: Miguel de Arruda / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação Física / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T21:43:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lazari_EvandroCassianode_M.pdf: 783293 bytes, checksum: e183889dd2fabf9f4b6e14429cc9ac7a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Acompanhar a contribuição das variáveis de crescimento físico, maturacionais e de qualidade óssea nas mudanças do desempenho motor em atletas iniciantes no atletismo de ambos os sexos, é um fator de extrema necessidade para buscar sustentação de performance esportiva, na perspectiva da carreira desportiva de jovens atletas. Foram participantes deste acompanhamento jovens atletas, nas faixas etárias de 12 a 15 anos pertencentes à Organização Funilense de Atletismo nas categorias iniciais de idade em ambos os sexos. Foram acompanhados os indicadores de crescimento físico através da antropometria, dos indicadores maturacionais pela maturação sexual, dos indicadores de qualidade óssea e os desempenhos motores anaeróbios, com testes específicos para cada subdivisão destes indicadores fisiológicos. Os desempenhos das manifestações da força motora foram explorados nos indicadores de Força Explosiva (FE), Força Explosiva Elástica (FEE), e Força Explosiva Elástica Reflexa (FEER) verificados à partir dos testes de salto vertical, com as técnicas: Squat Jump (SJ), Counter Moviment Jump (CMJ) e Counter Moviment Jump em 5 segundos (CJ5s). Os indicadores de velocidade motora foram acompanhados através dos testes de velocidade máxima (30m). As variáveis que caracterizaram a composição corporal foram: massa corporal magra (MCM); área muscular da coxa (AMCX), através de medidas de massa corporal, comprimentos, larguras ósseas, diâmetros e dobras cutâneas. Os participantes se auto-avaliaram maturacionalmente conforme a classificação maturacional sexual de Tanner. A experiência e o tempo de treinamento foram compreendidos na quantidade de anos de treinamento e o tipo de competição vivenciada. Os resultados encontrados foram que no relacionamento do aumento no desempenho motor com o avanço da maturação e do crescimento físico, os jovens respondem às mudanças particulares de cada componente ao treinamento, apresentando períodos críticos, que são particularmente sensíveis às mudanças específicas de cada componente com o treinamento desportivo / Abstract: Monitor the contribution of physical growth variables, maturation and bone quality changes in motor performance of athletes in athletics beginners of both genders, is a factor in dire need to seek support for sports performance in view of the sporting careers of young athletes. The subjects of this study were young athletes, at 12 to 15 years belonging to the Organização Funilense de Atletismo initial categories of age in both sexes. They were accompanied by indicators of physical growth by anthropometry, maturity indicators of the sexual maturation of the indicators of bone quality and performance engines anaerobes, with specific tests for each subdivision of these physiological indicators. The manifestations performances of motor strength indicators were explored in Explosive Strength (ES), Elastic Explosive Strength (EE)S, and Explosive Elastic Reflection Strength (EERS) observed from the tests of vertical jump, with the techniques: Squat Jump (SJ), Counter Movement Jump (CMJ) and Counter Movement Jump in 5 seconds (CJ5s). The motor speed indicators were monitored through the tests of speed (30m). The variables that characterize the body composition were: lean body mass (LBM), thigh area (TA) using measures of body weight, length, bone width, diameters and skinfolds. The participants evaluated themselves as the maturational sexual maturity rating of Tanner. The experience and training time were included in the amount of years of training and type of competition experienced. The results showed that the relationship of the increase in motor performance with advancing maturation and physical growth, young people respond to particular changes of each component to training, with critical periods, which are particularly sensitive to changes specific to each component with the sports training / Mestrado / Ciencia do Desporto / Mestre em Educação Física

Meninas e meninos são educados para agirem de formas opostas em diversos campos. A maioria dos meninos aprende a gostar de atividades agressivas e competitivas, ao passo que elas aprendem a gostar de atividades rítmicas ou relacionadas às tarefas domésticas, atividades estas que pouco se assemelham às lutas. Com o intuito de identificar os sujeitos e as instituições que influenciam a vida das lutadoras, realizaram-se entrevistas com cinco lutadoras que foram campeãs mundiais ao menos uma vez em sua modalidade. A análise dos dados foi por meio da dialética. Na infância, as lutadoras brincavam juntamente com os meninos, mas não deixaram de participar de brincadeiras socialmente classificadas como femininas. Não foram estigmatizadas nas aulas de Educação Física por serem habilidosas, mas o foram fora dessas aulas. Ao ingressarem na modalidade, elas não foram cobradas por resultados. Por serem grandes lutadoras, não tiveram dificuldades em serem aceitas em um ambiente de treino predominantemente masculino; assim, elas disputam o espaço entre eles, embora os homens se esforcem para manter a superioridade masculina. Algumas federações, confederações e organizadores de campeonatos premiam as mulheres de forma inferior em relação aos homens, o que caracteriza discriminação de gênero / Girls and boys have been taught by society in order to behave and act in opposite ways within many social situations. Since very young most of the boys learn how to enjoy aggressive and competitive activities like martial arts, while girls are socialized to perform activities more connected to dance and household tasks those which have no relationship to the world of competitiveness, sports and martial arts. Considering these issues, in this thesis I have searched for the sports life of high performance sports women who practice martial arts. My aim was to identify people and institutions which have influenced these fighter\'s life. I did indepth interviews with five fighters who were world championships at least once in their kind of martial arts and combat sports, such as boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, karate and taekwondo. The data collected within the interviews were analyzed using the dialectics method. The data have revealed that these fighters played with boys in their childhood; however, they also played games considered by the society as girls games. Their good physical skills have pushed many prejudice against them, however the prejudice have never shown up during their Physical Education classes in their schools. When they started to perform martial arts, there were no pressure for good outcomes. As they were very talented, these athletes have not faced too many obstacles inside the masculine world of the martial arts, its practices and social environment. However, men fighters have always tried to display their masculine power and superiority while practicing with these women. The data also revealed that National and local Federations discriminate women athletes by paying lesser rewards to them than to the men athletes at the end of the competitions

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo compreender a experiência da transição para a aposentadoria em atletas profissionais de diferentes modalidades esportivas. Crianças e jovens enfrentam períodos de transição ao longo da prática esportiva e as orientações recebidas podem auxiliar em seu desenvolvimento. Diversos trabalhos apontam para prejuízos na vida dos atletas na fase da aposentadoria, porém pouco sabemos como vivenciaram o processo de transição. Buscamos compreender, pelo relato de atletas profissionais, a experiência da transição para a aposentadoria; a partir da sua recordação, investigar se houve planejamento para este momento e o que o atleta buscou como apoio. Desejamos produzir informações e reflexões que possam, a partir dos dados coletados, gerar propostas teóricas e intervenções psicológicas para oferecer apoio e suporte a atletas após a parada da atividade esportiva. Trata-se de pesquisa qualitativa, tendo sido realizadas entrevistas abertas, com base na pergunta disparadora: Como foi a sua experiência no período de transição para a aposentadoria? Participaram deste estudo seis ex-atletas profissionais, duas mulheres e quatro homens de diferentes modalidades esportivas, que se aposentaram. Os colaboradores foram indicados por meio de pessoas conhecidas e aceitaram participar. Para a análise compreensiva das narrativas destacamos os trechos mais representativos e organizados em categorias temáticas, que foram surgindo e se estruturando a partir dos relatos, não tendo sido estabelecidas a priori. Compreendemos os relatos como experiências vividas pelos colaboradores, buscando uma aproximação da compreensão do fenômeno da experiência de transição para a aposentadoria de atletas. A análise mostrou que: 1) O processo de transição pode ser útil para que o atleta se organize nas questões práticas e emocionais, preparando-se para a aposentadoria; 2) Os atletas buscam apoio na família, num técnico ou em pessoas próximas; ao procurarem apoio profissional, esperam conseguir orientação prática sobre outra atividade. A maioria não busca apoio profissional para cuidados psicológicos; 3) Por mais preparados que estejam, os atletas vivenciam a aposentadoria como perda, podendo entrar em processo de luto. O acolhimento adequado pode ajudá-los a lidar com o processo de transição e com a aposentadoria. Tendo como base os aspectos observados, foram apresentadas orientações a profissionais da saúde, de educação física e esporte, técnicos, familiares e pessoas próximas dos atletas. Este trabalho pode contribuir com reflexões para técnicos e outros profissionais do esporte, na compreensão dos sentimentos vivenciados neste período e no sentido da importância do planejamento para a aposentadoria como forma de organização emocional. É fundamental envidar esforços a fim de auxiliar atletas aposentados em direção a uma maior comunicação e expressão de sentimentos relacionados à perda por morte simbólica, acreditando que um acolhimento adequado pode ajudá-los a lidar com esse momento e recomeço em outra atividade / The present study aimed to understand the experience of transition to retirement among athletes of different sports. Children and young people face periods of transition throughout sports practice and the guidance received can assist helps the development. Several studies point to the consequences in the lives of athletes during retirement, but little is known how they experienced the transition process. We collected the reports of professional athletes, the experience of the transition to retirement, and investigate whether there has been planning for this moment, what was sough as support. We aimed to produce information and reflections that can considering the data collected, generate theory and reflections about psychological interventions to provide support and assistance to athletes after interrupting sports activity. This is qualitative research and open interviews were conducted with a starting question: \"How was your experience during the transition to retirement?\" The study included six former professional athletes, four men and two women from different sports that have retired. The participants were indicated by acquaintances and accepted to participate. For a comprehensive analysis of the narratives were highlighted the most representative excerpts and organized into themes emerging from the accounts and have not been established a priori. The reports were understood as experiences of the participants, aiming to understand the phenomenon of the experience of transition to retirement in athletes. The analysis showed that: 1) The transition process can be useful for the athlete to organize practical and emotional issues in preparing for retirement; 2) Athletes seek support with family, coach or proxy. Most do not seek professional help for psychological care; 3) Though there is a preparation the athletes experience retirement as a loss and go through a bereavement process. A proper care can help them cope with the transition and retirement. Based on the observed aspects guidelines were presented to health, physical education and sport professionals, coaches, family, and people that are close to the athletes. This work may contribute to coaches and other professionals of the sport to understand the feelings experienced during this period and towards the importance of planning for retirement as a form of emotional organization. The efforts are essential to help retired athletes toward greater communication and expression of feelings related to the loss of the sport activity as Oaf symbolic death, believing that proper care can help deal with that moment and resume in another activity

M.Phil. (Sport Management) / This study is strengthened by several studies that have indicated that the dualist nature of student-athletes is problematic, as well as the management thereof. The study aimed to identify the sociological implications of the main aspects affecting the optimal sporting career development in athletics (throwers) at University of Johannesburg Sport, and offers recommendations for managing student-athletes. The methods utilized for this study included: i) self-designed questionnaires which incorporated information such as biographical data, performance level, satisfaction levels of support services and, ii) a qualitative case-study on the University of Johannesburg athletics club, where interviews were held with representatives selected as part of a purposive sample. Data was collected over a period of one year, with 15 current athletes, 5 retired athletes, and service providers within the University of Johannesburg. The research design allowed for input, throughput and output analyses. To determine the rationale of the input and throughput phases, qualitative and quantitative data were integrated for the identification of trends and major themes. Twelve of the 20 student-athletes participated internationally during their tertiary student-athlete years, whereas 14 out of the 20 student-athletes participated at regional level during their in primary school years, demonstrating a relatively lengthy and intense socialisation process. The qualitative research revealed that the main social agents during the primary and secondary school years are the parents, teacher-coach and peers, where the attention swifts to professional agents (including the coach) and fellow athletes during the tertiary phase. There is an increasing need for scientific and academic support at tertiary level with major issues around time, career and life style management. During the (often) final socialisation or specialization phase, most student-athletes face multiple career challenges without receiving adequate guidance or scientific support towards desocialisation.

The study of sport initiations is in its infancy. So far, the North American-centric research has focussed on ‘exposing and condemning’ morally unacceptable initiation activities, which are referred to as hazing. Hazing moral panics in North America has resulted in universities utilising sport initiation empirical research to construct anti-hazing policies; policies proven to be ineffective in banning sport initiations. The purpose of this research is to address some of the gaps in the knowledge of sport initiations. A two stage ethnographic research approach was utilised to collect information on British university sport initiations. An international student embedded himself as a student-athlete within a British university to learn the cultural meanings of a foreign sport culture and to possess an emic perspective. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with key policy actors possessing differing organisational cultural perspectives (differentiational and fragmentational), specifically university staff and sport - rugby union, football, and track and field - club members from multiple higher education institutions. The researcher’s ethnographic confessional tale of his experience as a self-funded international student is combined with the data from interviewee participants to construct British university sport initiations as a resistance research topic.

The purpose of this Master’s research was to explore factors involved in youth athletes’ sport commitment decision following multiple concussions and persistent symptoms. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 pre-adolescent and adolescent athletes (three males, eight females) between 12 and 18 years of age (M = 15.25). Participants were involved in a variety of sports including soccer (n = 3), hockey (n = 3), basketball (n = 1), cheerleading (n = 1), gymnastics (n = 1), jiu-jitsu (n = 1), and rugby (n = 1). Based on the data emanating from the interviews, two articles were written. In article one, the sport commitment model (SCM) (Scanlan, Chow, Sousa, Scanlan, & Knifsend, 2016) facilitated the exploration of the determinants of youth athletes’ sport commitment following multiple concussions and persistent (i.e., lasting beyond 28 days) symptoms. A further objective was to expand upon the current SCM by exploring other potential determinants specifically related to return to play after multiple concussions. Findings indicated that sport enjoyment, valuable opportunities, and the desire to excel were the most salient sources of sport commitment. Constructs pertaining to social influences were the least influential in athletes’ sport commitment. Findings also supported the addition of athletic identity as a new construct in the SCM. Article two uncovered the psychosocial challenges faced by youth athletes during recovery and return to play following multiple concussions and protracted symptoms. The findings revealed that athletes with concussions experience concerns about persistent symptoms, re-injury anxiety, a diminished perceived ability, lack of social support, and emotional turmoil and mental health problems. Finally, findings provided insight into the potential role concussions and ensuing psychosocial challenges may play in mental health and wellbeing. Collectively, this research improves the understanding of difficulties experienced by youth athletes following multiple concussions and supports the need to improve concussion education and foster a more supportive environment.

Sports presents one of the most popular forms of entertainment in society, and sports media continues to expand its billion-dollar influence through new television deal and broadcasting rights. But with a population of journalists who are overwhelmingly white, straight, and male, sports media is promoting the hegemony of said image by reproducing stereotypes in its broadcasts to audiences around the country. Mainstream media regurgitates these stereotypes in their coverage of minority athlete by portraying black players as unintelligent or “thug”-ish, women as “butch”, and gay athletes as effeminate. These representations allow for the perpetuation of the white, heterosexual male narrative throughout society while sidelining those who do not fit the description. But just as sports media is growing in popularity, so too is the athlete activist. Starting in 2013, today’s athletic superstars are now using their exalted platforms to address societal issues and speak on behalf of marginalized groups that are often ignored or misrepresented by traditional media narratives. The efforts of Colin Kaepernick, Billie Jean King, and Jason Collins in fighting against the system and these stereotypes will reveal how certain athletes are represented in the media and their unique position of changing the discussion and inspiring others to challenge societal norms. The growing popularity of social media and its use as a tool for social activism will also be examined, particularly as it has revolutionized the culture of athlete activism.

Introduction : Le diagnostic de cardiomyopathie hypertrophique (CMH) est difficile chez l’athlète. En effet, le remodelage physiologique induit par l’entraînement physique intense entraîne des modifications électriques et morphologiques qui peuvent mimer une cardiomyopathie. Or il est indispensable de poser le diagnostic de cardiomyopathie avec certitude chez un athlète. Ne pas contre-indiquer un athlète avec une cardiomyopathie l’expose à un risque de mort subite, mais poser un diagnostic par excès l’expose à de lourdes répercussions tant professionnelles que sociales. Méthodes : (1) Nous avons cherché à améliorer les critères ECG actuels de détection de cardiomyopathie chez l’athlète à partir d’une cohorte multicentrique d’athlètes et de CMH. (2) Nous avons cherché à déterminer quel bilan complémentaire réaliser en cas d’anomalie ECG par un suivi longitudinal d’athlètes avec ondes T négatives. (3) Nous avons essayé de mieux caractériser le phénotype des athlètes atteints de CMH par rapport aux CMH sédentaires dans une cohorte multicentrique. (4) Nous avons tenté de déterminer si l’utilisation des nouvelles techniques d’imagerie de déformation myocardique permettait d’améliorer la pertinence diagnostique et pronostique en cas de CMH dans une cohorte de CMH et d’athlètes rennais. Résultats : Nous avons proposé une nouvelle classification ECG permettant de mieux identifier les athlètes avec modifications ECG non pathologiques sans diminuer pour autant la capacité à détecter les CMH. En cas d’ondes T négatives chez l’athlète, nous avons démontré qu’il était indispensable de réaliser une IRM myocardique. En effet l’échocardiographie peut être prise en défaut dans près de 35% des cas. Néanmoins, les critères diagnostiques actuels de CMH peuvent être pris en défaut; en effet les athlètes avec une CMH ont un phénotype différent des CMH sédentaires avec une meilleure fonction systolique, notamment longitudinale, et diastolique. L’évaluation de la fonction longitudinale à l’effort et l’évaluation de la dispersion mécanique sont des paramètres qui semblent prometteurs en terme de diagnostic. En effet l’altération la fonction longitudinale semble être en lien avec la fibrose myocardique. L’échocardiographie d’effort, notamment la présence d’une insuffisance mitrale à l’effort, semble être un facteur pronostic important dans les CMH. Conclusions : les travaux réalisés ont permis de développer des outils pour mieux différencier une hypertrophie ventriculaire gauche (HVG) pathologique d’une HVG physiologique mais également pour mieux caractériser cette HVG et déterminer avec plus de précision le pronostic des CMH . / Introduction: the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in athlete is difficult. Indeed, intense sports practice induces an electrical and morphological physiological remodeling which can be difficult to differentiate from the changes induced in pathology. However, it is essential to diagnose an athlete with a cardiomyopathy. Indeed, in case of underlying cardiomyopathy the athlete will be at risk of sudden cardiac death, but an excessive over diagnosis has strong professional and social consequences. Methods: (1) we have tried to improve the ECG criteria’s, which enable the differentiation between ECG changes induced by exercise and the ECG changes induced by an underlying cardiomyopathy. (2) We tried to define the best investigation algorithm in case of abnormal ECG changes in athletes. (3) We tried to improve the characterization of the phenotype of athletes with HCM as compared to sedentary HCM. (4) We tried to investigate if the use of new imaging technics, i.e. speckle tracking, might improve the diagnostic accuracy and enable a better prognostic evaluation in HCM. Results: We have proposed a new classification of ECG in athletes enabling to decrease the rate of false positive ECG in athletes without decreasing its diagnostic accuracy in HCM. In case of pathological T wave inversion (PTWI) in athletes, we demonstrated that a CMR is mandatory, as echocardiography missed a diagnosis of pathology in 35% of PTWI athletes. Nevertheless, the diagnosis of HCM with current criteria’s of HCM can be challenging. Indeed, HCM athletes have a different phenotype from HCM sedentary, with a better systolic and diastolic function; they also have a better longitudinal function. The assessment of longitudinal function during exercise and mechanical dispersion are promising tool for the diagnosis of HCM in athletes. Indeed, the alteration of longitudinal strain is related to myocardial fibrosis. Exercise echocardiography, i.e. exercise mitral insufficiency, seems to be a prognostic factor in HCM patients. Conclusions: Ours results enabled to develop tools which might help to better differentiate pathological and physiological left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH); but also to better characterize LVH and the prognosis in HCM patients.

The Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model is an innovation created in response to the Canadian Sport Policy (Canadian Heritage, 2007). The LTAD is an “athlete centered, coach driven, and administration, sport science, and sponsor supported” (Canadian Sport Centres, 2006, p. 33) athlete-development model. Since little research has been completed focusing on this model (viz., Black & Holt, 2009) this thesis had the purpose to better understand the adoption of the LTAD by cross-country ski (XCS) coaches. Two articles present a case study of three XCS club’s coaches, and a descriptive qualitative analysis of XCS coaches (N=13). Both analyses used Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations theoretical framework to structure the narrative-interview guide, coding structure, and thematic analysis. Two key results of the thesis were an understanding of the link between a club’s characteristics and a coach’s perceived attributes of the LTAD, and secondly a proposed classification system for XCS coaches.