Talentingų jaunųjų krepšininkų atranka – viena svarbiausių šiuolaikinio rengimo problemų. 9-16 metų amžius yra vienas jautriausių, kuomet atsiskleidžia įgimti fiziniai gebėjimai bei įgyjama naujų mokėjimų, leidžiančių siekti gerų sportinių rezultatų. Vis dėlto objektyvios fizinio ir techninio pajėgumo vertinimo sistemos Lietuvoje dar nėra. Žaidimų sporte vyraujantis kriterinis vertinimas kartais stokoja objektyvumo, todėl ieškodami tikslesnio vertinimo būdų, kėlėme probleminį klausimą: Kokios gi yra jaunųjų krepšininkų fizinio išsivystymo ir fizinio bei techninio parengtumo vertinimo normos, galinčios padėti vykdyti rengimo kontrolę bei atranką? Remiantis probleminiu klausimu buvo apibrėžtas tyrimo objektas – jaunųjų krepšininkų fizinis išsivystymas, funkcinis pajėgumas bei lokomociniai gebėjimai. Atsižvelgiant į pasirinktos temos aktualumą bei mokslinę problemą buvo siekiama šio tikslo – įvertinti jaunųjų krepšininkų fizinį išsivystymą, funkcinį pajėgumą bei lokomocinius gebėjimus, pateikiant normines vertinimo skales. Siekiant užsibrėžto tikslo, magistro darbe buvo keliami šie pagrindiniai tyrimo uždaviniai: ištirti 9-16 metų amžiaus žaidėjų fizinį išsivystymą, funkcinį pajėgumą ir lokomocinius gebėjimus. Sudaryti santykinės padėties matų – procentilių ranginę skalę, kuri leistų vertinti 9-16 metų amžiaus krepšininkų fizinį išsivystymą bei lokomocinių gebėjimų lygį. Modifikuoti metimų į krepšį testo rezultatų skaičiavimą, pateikiant norminio vertinimo skales... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / One of the most important problems in modern athletes training is the selection process of talented young basketball players. The age of 9-16 is one of the most sensitive periods when innate physical abilities are revealing and new skills are gained for achievement of high sport results in the future. However, Lithuania does not have an objective system for physical and technical capacity evaluation yet. Evaluation under certain criteria in sports games lacks objectivity at times that is why to seek for more precise evaluation methods we have raised the question: what are the evaluation norms of young basketball players’ physical development and physical as well as technical preparedness that will help to develop athletes’ training control and selection? Considering the problem, research object was settled as follows – young basketball players’ physical development, functional capacity, and locomotor skills. In view of relevance of chosen topic and scientific problem, it was aimed to evaluate young basketball players’ physical development, functional capacity, and locomotor skills when introducing rating scales. To follow the aim those were the main tasks in this master thesis: to research physical development, functional capacity, and locomotor skills of young basketball players of age 9-16; to form ratio position measurements-percentile ranking scale that allows evaluating the level of physical development and locomotor skills of basketball players of age 9-16; to modify... [to full text]

Darbo tikslas: Įvertinti Tauragės apskrities pradinių klasių moksleivių antropometrinių rodiklių pokyčius per dvejus metus bei jų ryšius su mitybos ir fizinio aktyvumo įpročiais. Darbo uždaviniai: Įvertinti Tauragės apskrities pradinių klasių moksleivių antropometrinių duomenų pokyčius 2008 – 2010 metais; nustatyti moksleivių fizinės raidos ryšius su mitybos įpročiais; įvertinti sąsajas tarp moksleivių fizinės raidos ir jų fizinio aktyvumo. Tyrimo metodika: Tai PSO koordinuojama Lietuvos vaikų augimo stebėsenos tyrimo dalis. 2008 metais buvo atsitiktinai atrinkta 10 Tauragės apskrities mokyklų, kuriose išmatuotas pirmų klasių moksleivių (n=269) ūgis ir svoris. Pirmokų tėvams buvo išdalinamos anketos, kurias užpildė 244 išmatuotų vaikų tėvai. 2010 metais išmatuoti tie patys moksleiviai antrą kartą (n=219). Naudoti tyrimo metodai: antropometriniams matavimams naudota PSO rekomenduota įranga: elektroninės nešiojamos SECA svarstyklės; nešiojamos SECA ūgio matuoklės; anketinė tėvų apklausa apie demografinius rodiklius bei socialinius veiksnius. Atlikta statistinė duomenų analizė naudojantis statistiniu paketu SPSS 15.0 for Windows. Rezultatai: Trečiaklasių vidutinis KMI – 17,6 (2,9) kg/m2. 2010 metais antsvoris ir nutukimas nustatytas 19,2 proc. vaikų. Labai liesi ir liesi trečiaklasiai sudarė beveik dešimtadalį (9,1 proc.). Normalų fizinį išsivystymą turėjo dauguma trečiaklasių (71,7 proc.). 2010 m. berniukų ir mergaičių skirstiniai pagal jų antropometrinius duomenis nesiskyrė... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study is to evaluate changes in anthropometric indicators of primary school pupils in Tauragė County per two years and their relations to nutrition and physical activity habits. The objectives of the study are to evaluate changes in anthropometric indicators of primary school pupils in Tauragė County in 2008-2010; to determine pupils’ physical development relations to nutrition habits; to evaluate relations between pupils’ physical development and their physical activity. The methods of the study: This is the research part of children growth observation coordinated by WHO. 10 schools of Tauragė County were chosen by chance in 2008. The height and weight (n=269) were measured of first-form pupils at these schools. Parents of first-form pupils were given questionnaires. 244 of parents whose children were measured filled those questionnaires. The same pupils were measured the second time (n=219) in 2010. The devices such as electronic portable Seca scales, portable Seca height measurement units, which were recommended by WHO, were used for anthropometric measurement. Parents’ questionnaires concerning demographic indicators and social factors were used. What is more, statistic data was analyzed using the statistic package SPSS 15.0 for Windows. The Results of the study: Average third-form pupils’ BMI was 17,6 (2,9) kg/m2. Overweight and obesity were assessed for 19,2 percent of children in 2010. Thin and very thin third-form pupils made the tenth part which was 9... [to full text]

Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / The world is home for 1.2 billion individuals aged between 10-19 years who have lived most of their lives under United Nations the Millennium Declaration, which has sought 2000 has sought a better world for all. In this context, parental involvement in sport for development can be looked at as a continuum ranging from not being involved at all, to over involved; from low to high, and from positive to negative. Positive parental involvement includes supporting a child through ways such as verbal encouragement, presence at a game and allowing a child to make his/her own mistakes. Negative behaviour involves directive behaviour and pressure to win and perform up to parent’s expectations.

This qualitative study examined the perceptions and understandings of various stakeholders in the early childhood sector of Mississippi about kindergarten readiness in response to the implementation of more rigorous academic standards in kindergarten. The participants (N=20) in this study were parent/guardians and teachers at 2 elementary schools in Mississippi and various preschool programs that feed into them including public pre-K, private child care, and Head Start. These perceptions and understandings were compared with official documents including position statements of professional organizations and learning standards. The results of the study provide insight into the perceptions and understandings of the participants as they experience the readiness process from preschool through participation in kindergarten. The qualitative analysis showed that as more rigorous standards have been implemented in kindergarten, all stakeholder groups are experiencing high levels of pressure related to the testing and accountability requirements related to the standards. This has caused a mismatch between the stated values of kindergarten teachers and the practices they reportedly use as they shift to what I conceptualized as more environmental-behaviorist teaching methods versus the social-constructivist, play-based methods they believe to be more effective. The analysis also revealed a breakdown in communication as kindergarten teachers expect the other stakeholder groups to come to them to see what is happening in kindergarten. This is driven by a mismatch between the standards and actual practices. A surprising finding is that the perceived job satisfaction of preschool teachers seems to have improved as they see themselves in a more vital role in the readiness process. This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter I provides an overview and rationale for the study. Chapter II includes a review of the literature which includes historical perspectives about kindergarten readiness, theories of kindergarten readiness, domains of readiness, and stakeholder perspectives of kindergarten readiness. Chapter III provides the methodology for the study. Chapter IV presents the findings from the analysis of data. Chapter V provides a discussion of the findings, suggestions for future research, and implications for practice.

Title: Basic Fitness and Physical Development of the Czech Athletics Federation Sport Centers Members Abstract: Aims: Aim of this thesis was to evaluate basic fitness and physical development among 12-15 year-old boys and girls - members of the Czech Athletics Federation Sport Centers (CAF SCs) - in the year 2012. Methods: We processed results from normalized tests carried out by individual CAF SCs in 2012. After revision and correction of data, we: (a) assessed completeness of reported test results; (b) analyzed results from four tests (50m standing start run, standing long jump, 2kg medicine ball throw and 12 minute run) averaged for age groups (12,13,14 and 15 year old) along with respective standard deviations; (c) compared these data with respective data from previous testing in 2011 and with results of average school population (Zapletalová, 2011); (d) analyzed data on physical development (weight, height, BMI index) and their correlation with results of individual tests, and compared physical parameters with average population data; (e) analyzed results of individual tests for correlation between each other. Results: We received complete data from 2 530 athletes, which represent 73,78% of all 3 429 CAF SCs members in 2012. Physical parameters were reported by only 10 SCs (from the total of 36 SCs)...

Miracle of human life becomes evident at the moment of his birth. However at this moment only the next stage is reached by the process that starts from conjugation between father��s gamete and mother’s egg cell and which ends after the youngster is pubescent. This process is called the development. In the appropriate period of child’s growth his body is characterized by specific morphological features. Parents are the best observers of their children. However in order to observe deviations of infant’s development it is necessary to know what normal development looks like. Early years may become a basis for long and healthy life therefore the early prophylaxis is of great value (Prasauskienė, 2003). Purpose of this paper was to investigate effect of kinezitherapy and other factors on motor development of normally developing children in the first years of life. Investigation methods used in this paper were as follows: 1. Assessment of gross motor skills’ development; 2. Analysis of subjects’ medical histories; 3. Mathematical statistics. The investigation was carried out at the Child’s Development Clinic “Lopšelis” of Kaunas (Kauno Vaiko Raidos Klinika “Lopšelis”) in the department of infants’ home beginning on October of 2004 and until February of 2006 (period – 14 months). During this period time and development of early gross motor skills in 19 infants were examined that had no neurological disorders (in accordance with Munich diagnostic scale of functional development)... [to full text]

Bakalauro darbe analizuojama mokinių fizinis išsivystymas ir rizikos veiksnių poveikis laikysenai. Vienas iš rizikos veiksnių – mokyklinės kuprinės, kitas – netinkamai parinkti mokykliniai suolai pagal mokinių ūgį.Tyrime dalyvavo Radviliškio Vinco Kudirkos 82 miesto ir kaimo pradinių klasių mokiniai.Tyrimo metu buvo naudojamos svarstyklės, siekiant nustatyti mokinių svorį ir į mokyklą tyrimo dieną atsineštų pamokoms reikalingų kuprinės daiktų svoris. Siekiant išsiaiškinti ar mokiniai, mokykloje sėdi pagal jų ūgį atitinkančiuose suoluose, tyrimo metu buvo matuojami sėdimi suolai. Interviu metodu buvo siekiama nustatyti mokinių įgūdžius nešiojant kuprines. Analizuojant tyrimo duomenis siekiama atskleisti mokinių harmoningo išsivystymo ir mokymosi aplinkos rizikos veiksnių įtaką mokinių laikysenai. / The Bachelor’s thesis analyses students physical development and risk factors influence for posture. One of the risk – school backpacks, other – properly selected school desk by the student's height.The analysis includes Radviliškio Vinco Kudirkos 82 urban and rural primary school pupils.The analysis instruments were used to determine the weight of students to school and study on the lessons brought along the necessary items backpack weight. To find out whether the students sitting in school according to their height corresponding to the transition, the study was measured seating school desk. The method was used to determine the skills students wearing backpacks. The analysis of the data to reveal the physical development of students learning, and environmental risk factors influence students posture.

Darbe atlikta teorinė paauglių požiūrio į savo kūną ir mitybos įpročių analizė. Iškeltos dvi hipotezės: 1. Dauguma paauglių, norėdamos tapti lieknesnėmis, keičia savo mitybos įpročius, stengiasi sveikai maitintis, didina fizinį aktyvumą. 2. Daugumai normalaus svorio ir kūno sudėjimo merginoms atrodo, kad jų svoris yra per didelis, jos save vertina storesnėmis nei iš tiesų yra, tampa nepatenkintos savo kūno vaizdu.Empirinėje dalyje tiriami paauglių mitybos įpročiai, kūno vaizdas ir fizinis aktyvumas. Taip pat pasitenkinimas savo kūno vaizdu, bei paauglės nurodomas, jos norimas, tobulas kūno vaizdas.Anketinės apklausos metodu buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas atskleisti paauglių (mergaičių) požiūrį į savo kūną ir mitybos įpročius. Atlikta statistinė duomenų analizė. Pusiau struktūruotu interviu buvo siekiama išsiaiškinti kaip paauglės vertina ir koks turėtų būti jų tobulas kūno vaizdas. Mergaičių supratimas apie kūno vaizdo estetiką nustatytas paveikslais, naudojant Ališauskaitės (2011) metodika, kur didesnis skirtumas tarp nurodomo kūno vaizdo ir norimo reiškia didesnį nepasitenkinimą savo kūno vaizdu. / The paper displays theoretical analysis of teenage girls’ attitude towards their body and eating habits. There are two hypotheses: 1. Most of the teenage girls change their eating habits, try to eat healthy and do physical activities in order to become fit. 2. Most of the regular weight and body type girls think they weigh too much and asses their self as thicker than they are and become not satisfied with their body. The empirical part studies eating habits, body image and physical activities. Moreover, the satisfaction of one’s body image, given and wanted image of the perfect body is explored.The questionnaire survey was made which aimed to reveal the attitude of teenage girls towards their bodies and eating habits. The statistic data analysis was made. Due to semi-structural interview, the self-assessment of how should a perfect body look like was made. Satisfaction / dissatisfaction of one’s body image (Ališauskaitė, 2011), where the difference between the given body image and the wanted body image shows the greater dissatisfaction of one’s body image.The quantitative part of the research consisted of 403 and the qualitative part of the research consisted of 14 teenage girl participants from various Lithuanian cities and regions.

Pasaulyje ir Lietuvoje yra atlikta daug įvairių specialybių studentų judėjimo gebėjimų, jų fizinio aktyvumo nustatymo tyrimų. Nustatyta, kad vyresnių klasių mokinių, studentų fizinis aktyvumas yra nepakankamas. Merginos dar mažiau fiziškai aktyvios už vaikinus. Remdamiesi šių tyrimų rezultatais mokslininkai teigia, kad kasmet blogėja studentų sveikata, didėja sergamumas, prastėja ir su sveikata susijusios fizinės ypatybės (Poteliūnienė ir kt., 2007; Baceнкoв, 2008; Juškelienė, Ustilaitė, 2009; Dadelo ir kt., 2010). Mūsų universiteto kūno kultūros specialybės studentų per dešimt pastarųjų metų judėjimo gebėjimai turėjo tendenciją blogėti, o studenčių bėgimų, šuolių, metimų rezultatai reikšmingai pablogėjo (Radžiukynas, Žilinskienė, Kemerytė-Riaubienė, 2013). Mažiau žinoma, koks kūno kultūros specialybės studentų fizinis aktyvumas, kokie jų judėjimo gebėjimų rodikliai, kokią įtaką fizinis aktyvumas daro judėjimo gebėjimams (Mishigoj-Durakivich, 1998; Radžiukynas, Kemerytė-Riaubienė, 1999; Radžiukynas ir kt., 2000; Meckel et. al., 2011; Nikolaidis, Sacklova, 2011). Todėl aktualu tirti kūno kultūros studentų judėjimo gebėjimus, fizinį aktyvumą ir šių rodiklių tarpusavio ryšį. Todėl kyla probleminis klausimas: Koks ryšys tarp kūno kultūros specialybės studentų fizinio aktyvumo studijų sąlygomis ir judėjimo gabėjimų rodiklių? Hipotezė – tikėtina, kad kūno kultūros specialybės studentų fizinis aktyvumas studijų sąlygomis gerina jų judėjimo gebėjimų rodiklius. Tyrimo objektas - LEU... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / There are many researches performed worldwide as well as in Lithuania about students` of different ratings movement skills and physical activeness. It is revieled, that higher grade students lack physical activeness. The girls tend to be more inactive than boys. According to this finding, the researchers claim, that there is a tendency of annualy declining students` health, the growing morbidity and physical education skills (Poteliūnienė et al., 2007; Baceнкoв, 2008; Juškelienė, Ustilaitė, 2009; Dadelo et al., 2010). In the recent 10 years there has been a tendency of decreasing movement skills of male students studying in our university, moreover female students have demonstrated weaker results in track, jumping and trowing events (Radžiukynas, Žilinskienė, Kemerytė-Riaubienė, 2013). There is less information about the physical education students` physical activeness. There is no evidence about the index of their movement skills and what influence might the physical activeness make to their movement skills (Mishigoj-Durakivich, 1998; Radžiukynas, Kemerytė-Riaubienė, 1999; Radžiukynas et al., 2000; Meckel et. al., 2011; Nikolaidis, Sacklova, 2011). For this reason, it is relevant to explore the movement skills of physical education students, as well as their physical activeness and the relation between these two indexes. The problem of the fianl thesis is to investigate what is the relation between physical activeness and movement skills indexes of physical education... [to full text]

In order to have a thriving business, tennis coaches on all levels need to keep players in their program. Coaches who tend to have the most influence on the game of tennis are developmental coaches. Developmental coaches are coaches who work with starter-beginner tennis players. The first impression that an aspiring player has of the game will ultimately predict their future participation. Usually the first introduction to any sport is through a coaching lesson (Gilbert & Trudel, 2004). The quality, therefore, of coaching that developmental coaches produce in their lessons will have a significant bearing, not only on their own program, but also the game of tennis. It may be assumed that developmental coaches should be proactive in making sure they have the right skills to coach players. This would entail attending a course staged by their respective National Tennis Federation. Unfortunately, this is not the case as the image of tennis coach education courses is somewhat negative; participants of courses are of the feeling that they are not receiving the required knowledge to deliver high quality service tennis coaching (McCullick, Belcher, & Schempp, 2005). Researchers have proven a positive influence between coach education courses and a coach’s confidence and efficiency (Vargas-Tonsing, 2007). Considering the globalization of sports, including tennis, coach education and the demand for qualifying coaches, has been on the rise (Vargas-Tonsing 2007). In light of this information, tennis has stepped up its efforts to provide a better education to their coaches through adopting coaching courses that have the most updated coaching information and matching educative resources (Crespo, McInerney, & Reid, 2006). Santos, Mesquita, Garca, and Rosado (2001) have concluded that the quality of coaching has a direct relationship to the success and satisfaction of its participants and ultimately in their willingness to stay in the sport. There has been a change in focus by researchers in coach education from coaches’ behaviours and performance towards thoughts and knowledge that form the basis of coach’s actions (Gilbert & Trudel, 2004). Many developed tennis federations have established their own unique models of coach education and certification to ensure that those individuals working with a country’s top young players are employing both current coaching practices and working with these players with a methodology and philosophy that is player-centred where the health and well-being of the athlete is put first (Crespo et al., 2006). The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the world governing body of tennis and is responsible for the overall development of the game worldwide. Its structure comprises of five departments: Presidential and Communications, Commercial, Finance and Administration, Professional Tennis, and Tennis Development. The Tennis Development benefits from the Grand Slam Development Fund, a fund comprising of equal donations from the four grand slam nations: Australia, France, Great Britain, and the United States of America (ITF, 2011). ITF’s Development Department’s objective is to help developing countries grow the game. Tennis is known as a sport that is very good at attracting players to the sport, however, very poor at retention (USTA, 2008). Therefore, if the ITF could get coaches to coach starter-beginner tennis players in such a way that would entice them to stay in the sport, this would go a long way in guaranteeing the game’s future. One of the ITF’s development programs is the availability to developing countries of a coach education syllabus, should they not already have one in place. A large majority of developed countries have their own curriculum and, therefore, do not require the ITF’s assistance. Currently, there are 80 nations that use, in some form or other, the ITF’s coach education syllabus (Miley, 2011). The ITF, therefore, influences a great number of coaches worldwide by way of developing countries using the ITF’s coach education syllabus. It is for this reason that the ITF’s coach education syllabus should be the cutting edge in coach education design, ultimately to fulfill its objective of developing the game worldwide. A major component of participation in the sport of tennis falls on the shoulders of the tennis coach. In most cases, the first port of call of any interested starter-beginner tennis player is the coach. Researchers have shown that the quality of coaching has a direct relationship to the success and satisfaction of its participants and ultimately their willingness to stay in the sport (Santos et al., 2001). Although quality of coaching is not the only intervening variable in the continued involvement in tennis, it is recognized as a significant, contributing factor to the development and retention of players (Santos et al., 2001, Misener & Danylchuk, 2009). 13 Evaluating the quality of service of tennis coaches’ courses as a service, therefore, become fundamental to the sustainable development of tennis as a sport. From an educational point of view the development of sports coaches is a complex process that requires not only an individualized program, but in many cases random learning pathways (Nelson & Cushion, 2006). It is the requirement of coach education syllabi to recognize this and to comply with the demands of the coach as they play a critical role in tennis participation and retention. Misener and Danylchuk (2009) justify the importance of the coach when they say, “Coaches are influential figures in the social, physical, psychological and emotional development of athletes” (Misener, & Danylchuk 2009:1). The requirement for effective coach education certification programs is becoming increasingly important worldwide for many reasons (McCullick et al., 2005). First, the number of children who participate in youth and interscholastic sport are increasing dramatically (McCullick et al., 2005). In addition, female participation, older people playing the sport, and newer sports forms are also on the increase which has created a demand for more qualified coaches and sports instructors, thus, making the education and certification of coaches essential, particularly at the entry level (McCullick et al., 2005). Most of the developing countries using the ITF coach education syllabus have a policy that all coaches need to be affiliated and be certified in order to coach. Ensuring that all coaches go through the certification system, the need for coaching courses, particularly at the developmental level to transfer the appropriate knowledge to the coaches in order to retain players, is paramount. The findings of this research emphatically point towards the ITF’s Starter-Beginner Coaching course providing a high level of quality of service. Considering the worldwide perspective of the sample generated to make this research’s analysis and interpretations, the ITF is doing its best to impact coaches in a positive way. The implementation of the modified rules program into the ITF’s Coach Education Syllabus has been positively received by the participants of this research. This provides the confidence to the coaches in their attempt to attract and retain tennis players in this program. If every coach who takes the ITF’s course is receiving the appropriate knowledge and doing their best to retain players, this will have a worldwide impact on the game of tennis. This would be the ultimate goal of the ITF as the status and future of the game falls in their hands. From a coach’s educational point of view, the ITF is fulfilling its objective. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted