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The purpose of this study was to compare changes in static and countermovement jump variables across a competitive season of collegiate soccer to estimated training load and subjective measures of fatigue. Monitoring data from 21 male collegiate soccer players were retrospectively examined. Nine vertical jump sessions occurred across the season in addition to daily training load assessment and daily mood-state assessment. Group average changes from the first testing session were calculated and compared to the group average training load for the 7 days preceding each vertical jump testing session for static and countermovement jump height and allometrically scaled peak power. Statistical analysis demonstrated strong relationships between changes in vertical jump height for both conditions, allometrically scaled peak power for static jumps, and estimated training load. The results indicate changes in static jump height and allometrically scaled peak power may be more useful athlete fatigue monitoring tools than countermovement jump variables.

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the effects of peristaltic pulse dynamic compression administered via NormaTec recovery system provides measurable kinetic, kinematic, or perceptual benefits following a weightlifting training session. During 2 testing sessions separated by 1 week, 6 weightlifters performed dynamic mid thigh pulls on a force plate with potentiometers at loads equal to 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 110%, and 120% of 1 RM clean before and after a weightlifting training session consisting of 5 sets of 5 repetitions of clean pulls from the floor with 90% of 1 RM clean and treatment with the NormaTec recovery system or a sham treatment. Following a cross over design the weightlifters served as their own control receiving NomaTec treatment during 1 testing session and sham treatment during 1 testing session. Pre- and postdynamic mid thigh pulls were analyzed for peak force, force at 50 ms, force at 90 ms, force at 250 ms, impulse at 50 ms, impulse at 90 ms, impulse at 250 ms, rate of force development, peak velocity, peak power, and peak displacement. A 2x2 (treatment, time) repeated measures ANOVA showed no statistical differences in the interaction of treatment and time with the exception of impulse at 250 ms at the 70% load. The minimal effects of NormaTec on recovery from a weightlifting training session demonstrated in this study suggest that NormaTec recovery system does not provide substantial benefits following clean pulls from the floor. However, it is possible that NormaTec may be more effective following a greater level of eccentric damage or a test of strength endurance.

A multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to test the effectiveness of a treatment package involving the use of a videotape recorder to improve the performance of college women volleyball players. The subjects were four highly skilled athletes, as evidenced by thei.r participation in the University of the Pacific volleyball program, ranked second nationally during the 1980-81 season. The treatment package consisted of the following: (a) zooming in with a video camera on particular aspects of the players' performances; (b) attempts to change only one aspect of the performance of a skill rather than the entire skill; (c) cueing and corrective feedback provided by the coach during the players' viewing of the resulting videotapes; (d) the players immediately correcting their errors in performance after viewing the videotapes and (e) multiple viewings by the players of videotapes of their correct performances of the volleyball skills. The results indicated that all of the subjects benefited from the videotape treatment package. Two of the players showed improvement in the two volleyball skills for which the treatment was given. The other two players showed improvement in one of the two volleyball skills for which the treatment was given. For three of the four players their improved practice performances with the videotape treatment also resulted in improved performances during scrimmages for at least one of the two target behaviors.

In elderly psychiatric individuals, physical fitness training has been related to improved cognitive performance on several scales (Powell, 1974; Stamford, Hambacher, & Fallica, 1974). The results with normal adults and children, however, are not clear (Folkins & Sime, 1981). The purpose of the present study was to test the effects of cardiovascular fitness traini~g on cognitive functioning, relevant to academic performance, in college students. The following measures were used: Shipley- Institute of Living Scale, Rotter's Internal-External Control of Reinforcement Scale, a Student Learning Styles / Questionnaire, self~report data indicating hours spent studying, quality of studies, and mental alertness during daily activities, and a bicycle ergometer test to determine physical fitness levels. It was predicted that a relationship exists between physical fitness training and these variables that presumably affect academic performance. A physical fitness training effect was not found for the experimental group, which indicates that the experimental manipulation of the independent variable was not complete. Thus, no research hypothese could be supported. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

This thesis investigated the attitudes and the behaviors in the main sport environment of 53 intercollegiate athletes. Two instruments were developed, administered, and combined to give three measures of the "true play" characteristics of the subjects who were members of the men's golf, men's basketball, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's tennis and women's volleyball teams at the University of the Pacific. Results were determined by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences: Update 7-9. ANOVA and Scheffe's post hoc test revealed, at the .05 level, that female athletes scored higher in true play characteristics than did male athletes; that star athletes scored higher in true play characteristics than did regular and substitute athletes; and that the sport of volleyball scored higher in true play characteristics than did the sport of golf.

The main problem of this study was to determine if a significant strength difference existed between the mirror muscles of six muscle groups in the dominant and nondominant legs of University of the Pacific male soccer players at differing contraction speeds as measured by the Cybex II Isokinetic Dynometer.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of fatigue on the accuracy and selected biomechanic variables of jump shot performance. Five subjects were filmed with two high speed cine cameras during pre-fatigue and post-fatigue conditions. The accuracy data were acquired by recording the results of thirty pre-fatigue and thirty post-fatigue, fifteen foot jump shots. The biomechanical data were gathered from film records of every third trial in the pre-fatigue and post-fatigue shooting. Biomechanical analysis variables were acquired using a ten point body model. With these data the following biomechanical variables were analyzed in the pre-fatigue and post-fatigue condition: (1) height of release (2) angle of release (3) absolute shoulder flexion angle at release, and (4) angle of shoulder abduction. Results of the study showed that there is no decrease in accuracy of jump shot performance after fatigue. Fatigue slightly effects the height of release in jump shot performance. Fatigue does not decrease the angle of release in jump shot performance. Fatigue does cause a decrease in the shoulder angle in jump shot performance. There is no decrease in shoulder abduction after fatigue . The study also showed that there are apparently many biomechanical techniques in high percentage shooters, and the presence of fatigue affects selected jump shot biomechanics differently in each shooter.

Sport coaches are perceived as problem solvers who engage in creativity to handle the spontaneity of competitive activity and generate winning results. However, while creativity in athletes has been researched, little has been investigated regarding coaches. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine different aspects of creativity – person, process, press, and product – among collegiate team sport coaches in the United States. Specifically, how personality traits, ideational fluency, remote association ability, years of coaching experience, and work climate related to creative product impact and frequency. A modified creativity personality test was found to be positively related to both the impact and frequency of creative products. Further, self-confidence and years of coaching experience were positively related to creative product impact, while inventiveness was positively related to creative product frequency. Analyzing the creative potential factors related to creative productivity may be useful in enhancing creativity for collegiate coaches and improving outcomes.

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