The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Korean players on the LPGA Tour regarding issues of social justice. More specifically, this study examined how Korean players perceived their experiences of race and gender during their athletic careers in the U. S. The participants of the study were 11 Korean professional golfers who were enrolled as members of the LPGA in 2007. The qualitative methodology of interviewing was employed which consisted of semi-structured questions within cultural studies and feminist standpoint theory. Six semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted: three group and three individual interviews. After data collection was completed, the data was analyzed using inductive analysis method to create themes. Consequently, this study discovered that the Korean players on the LPGA Tour had negative experiences toward the treatment they received during their careers in the U.S. In regards to the experiences related to their race, Korean players believed that racial discrimination existed in the LPGA Tour. They thought that they were singled-out, and it was easy that one Korean player‟s fault became generalized as all Korean players‟ problem. In addition, Media (e.g., Golf Channel) and the LPGA were indifferent to Korean players in terms of displaying Korean players on television and at the LPGA website. Above all, Korean players were silent to the perceived racial discrimination due to their lack of fluency in English. Regarding the experiences related to their gender, it was revealed that, as a social institution, the LPGA had played a significant role in producing traditional gender ideologies, by emphasizing female golfers‟ femininity. In addition, as a majority of the society, white male caddies as well as male Pro-Am players sexually harassed Korean players either verbally or physically. Most importantly, sexual harassment occurring to Korean players on the LPGA Tour could be considered sexual racism due to its nature that a majority group of people (white male caddies) of the society discriminated against minority women from an Asian country.

A career-ending injury is an event that causes the involuntary termination of an athlete‟s participation in his or her chosen sport. Over the last decade, research has focused on injury and career transition; however little was known about athletes‟ experience of career-ending injury. The purpose of this study was to obtain in-depth descriptions of the lived experience of athletes who have had a career-ending injury. Using an existential phenomenological approach, the focus of the study was on the athletes‟ own perceptions of this experience. The participants were thirteen male and female former athletes representing a number of different sports. Using a purposeful, snowball sampling technique, participants were identified and interviews were conducted. The thematic structure derived from the interviews contained five major themes, which emerged within the ground, “Love of Sports.” They included: “Your Life is Never the Same: Now, Before, & After;” “Something is Ripped from You: Loss of Identity, Strength, & Other People;” “It Still Hurts: Pain, Anger, Depression, & Fear;” “It Wasn‟t Really My Choice: Denial & False Hope;” and “Nobody Else Knows What You‟re Going Through: Difficult Relationships, Misunderstandings, & Unconditional Support.” The results extend the current research in sport injury and career transition and suggest that a career-ending injury is one of the most difficult transition experiences an athlete can face. For the participants in this study their final injury was a life altering experience that represented a critical turning point in their lives. The pervasiveness of their pain extended far beyond the initial injury and was only one of the long-lasting effects of their career-ending experience.

Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer (1993) suggested that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is needed to attain expertise. Consequently, it would be expected that expert soccer players who possess a high level of proficiency in intercepting a ball with their feet would demonstrate superior anticipation timing performance with the feet compared to novices who lack training. On the other hand, Keele, Ivry, and Porkorny (1987), and Studenka and Zelaznik (2008) provided support for a centrally controlled process for timed movements. If true, it would be expected that experts’ anticipation timing performance would be superior to novices’ regardless of the effector used. The purpose of this study was to examine the anticipation timing performance of expert soccer players with that of novices using the preferred and non-preferred feet and hands. Participants were required to perform a simple movement task replicating the reception of a pass in soccer by intercepting the apparent motion of a series of lights on a Bassin anticipation timer using the preferred and non-preferred hands and feet. Participants completed 60 trials total at three different velocities (4-mph, 5-mph, & 6- mph). Dependent variables were constant error (CE) and variable error (VE). For CE a Group x Limb interaction (p = .022) revealed that experts were more accurate in the foot condition than the novices. This interaction also revealed that experts performed similarly in both the foot and the hand conditions suggesting that experts were able to increase the accuracy of performance with the feet to more closely match that of the hands due to the effects of deliberate practice. For VE a Main Effect for Group (p = .002) revealed that Experts were less variable in anticipation timing performance than novices. This supports the notion of a central timing mechanism for variability. Results suggest that variability in anticipation timing performance is influenced by a common central timing process, while accuracy is dependent upon effector specific training.

PURPOSE: To provide 1) a description of the levels of physical activity and social support for exercise for fraternity and sorority members; 2) a comparison of gender differences in physical activity levels among fraternity and sorority members; and 3) to determine a relationship between levels social support for exercise and physical activity in fraternity and sorority members. METHODS: Three hundred thirty-seven members of fraternities and sororities completed an online survey (74.8% female). The online survey included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Social Support for Exercise Survey, and demographic questions. RESULTS: According to the IPAQ, the majority of fraternity and sorority members (90%) were engaged in moderate or high volumes of activity. However, the majority of members (62.3%) were not vigorously active 3 days per week for at least 20 minutes per session. Males were significantly more likely to report being active than females (p < 0.001). There were moderate correlations between social support for exercise from friends and the combination of moderate and vigorous activity (0.42); moderate activity (0.41); and vigorous activity (0.44). Social support for exercise from friends and gender predicted approximately 20% of the variance in moderate and vigorous physical activity. DISCUSSION: Approximately 40% of fraternity and sorority members reported engaging in vigorous activity. Fraternity members were more likely to report participation in vigorous activity than sorority members. Social support for exercise from friends was higher in students with structured exercise including moderate and vigorous activity. All significant correlations between social support for exercise and physical activity variables were positive. The strongest predictors of vigorous exercise were social support from friends and gender.

The purpose of this study was to determine if active and sedentary individuals differed in terms the effects of self-controlled feedback on the learning of a movement skill. The task consisted of a blindfolded beanbag toss using the non-preferred arm. Participants were prescreened according to their physical activity level using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Craig et al., 2003). An equal number of active (A) and sedentary (S) participants were assigned to self-control (SC) and yoked (Y) feedback conditions, creating four groups: Self-Control Active; Self-Control Sedentary; Yoked Active; and Yoked Sedentary. SC condition participants were provided feedback whenever they requested it, while Y condition participants received feedback according to the schedule created by a SC counterpart to whom they were yoked. The SC condition was more accurate than the Y condition during acquisition and transfer phases. The A condition was more accurate than the S condition during all phases of the experiment. Results of a post-experimental questionnaire indicated that participants in the SC condition asked for feedback mostly after what they perceived to be “good” trials. Participants in the Y condition indicated that they would have preferred to receive feedback after “good” trials. This study provided further support for the advantages of self-controlled feedback when learning motor skills, additionally showing benefits for both active and sedentary individuals. In addition, the results suggested that the provision of experimenter-controlled feedback (i.e., in the Y condition) to sedentary learners degraded immediate performance. While this effect was not present during assessment of learning, it may have implications regarding the motivation of sedentary individuals to engage in practice when learning movement skills.

The purpose of this study was to examine African-American Division I football players’ perceptions of their ability to balance their roles as “students” and “athletes”. Three major questions were addressed: Can student-athletes balance both the roles of “student” and “athlete”? If so, how are they able to do so? And, are they truly successful at it? Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with eight African-American football players at a Division I university. Six themes emerged which included: (a) parental emphasis on education and sport; (b) “childhood dreams” versus sport realities; (c) reality check; (d) perceptions of student-athletes; (e) pressure to become a “man”; and (f) being a student-athlete. Future directions for research, sport psychology consultants and athletic department staff are also given.

The research seeks to determine which motivational factors influence international student athletes in committing to an American institution in order to participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The study will examine which factors play an important role in college choice for these individuals. Most research indicates that the primary motivation for international student-athletes to come to American colleges is to receive an education while being on athletic scholarships (Bale, 1991, Ridinger, 1996; Stidwell, 1984). The research will serve to support previous findings and to reveal other motivational factors which influence college choice for international student-athletes. By exploratory factor analysis the major influences which play a role in the student-athlete’s decision to commit to an American university or college will be identified. Due to the controversial and opinionated nature of the topic of international student-athletes, the need for research is supported. Questionnaires will be conducted online by both male and female international student-athletes participating in all NCAA sports at universities and colleges of three BCS Conferences. Data on motivational factors will be collected in order to identify which motives drive athletes to participate in their respective NCAA institutions. Once the questionnaires are collected, the major motivational factors will be identified and comparisons of findings will be made between male and female athletes and athletes participating in different sports. Expected results should support previous findings that student-athletes are influenced highly by academic factors, as well as by the chance to participate in highly competitive leagues (Bale, 1991; Garbert, Hale & Montalyo, 1999). Literature on international student-athletes is limited and due to the increase in numbers and popularity of recruiting international athletes to the NCAA, it is important to examine the issues concerning the topic. Without knowing why the international student-athletes come to American colleges and universities, recruiting could become more challenging and retaining these students through matriculation of their degree could become difficult. This study will provide a significant contribution to the literature regarding influencing factors in college choice and will be vital to athletic departments at NCAA institutions in order to aid in recruiting international student-athletes.

PURPOSE: To compare vertical jump height and power and sprint time in African- American and Caucasian college-aged males, to compare isokinetic knee extension and flexion torques between the two groups, and to examine correlations between these variables. METHODS: The participants were fifty recreationally active, college-aged males (23 African-American and 27 Caucasian). Physical activity was assessed using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) Physical Activity module, body composition was determined using the Bod Pod, and anthropometric measures (height, weight, and thigh circumference) were taken. Subjects performed a 100-m sprint on an outdoor track and a countermovement vertical jump. Vertical jump power was calculated using both the Lewis and Sayers equations. Isokinetic knee extension and flexion testing were performed on a Biodex System 3 at angular velocities of 60, 120, 210, 300, and 400 degrees per second. Peak torques and relative torques (using torque generated at 60 degrees per second as the reference) were used in data analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between African-Americans and Caucasians in anthropometric variables, physical activity, wind velocity measured during the 100-m dash, or isokinetic extension and flexion peak and relative torques. When controlling for body fat percentage, there were significant differences between the two groups with African- Americans having greater jump heights (p<.001), greater vertical jump power using the Sayers equation (p<.05), and faster 100-m sprint times (p<.05). In the entire sample, vertical jump height significantly correlated with 100-m sprint time (r = -.769, p<.001). Vertical jump power using both equations significantly correlated with isokinetic knee extension peak torque at all angular velocities and with knee flexion at 120, 300 and 400 degrees per second. There were no significant correlations between 100-m sprint times and isokinetic knee extension and flexion variables. CONCLUSION: African- Americans performed better than Caucasians in the vertical jump and 100-m dash but not in isokinetic knee flexion and extension testing. However, African-Americans showed a trend towards greater peak torques at high angular velocities indicative of faster speeds of muscle contraction.

This study examines the print media’s representation of African-American sportswomen’s femininity on the covers of Sport Illustrated. Sport is considered a male-dominated institution; a place where masculinity is expressed. Therefore, in spite of the increased participation for women in sport due to Title IX; the media’s coverage has been minimal and their representation of female athletes has been ambivalent at best, and trivializing at worse. The conveyance of African-American female athletes remains even more complex. Due to historical experiences, African-American women have developed a femininity that falls outside that of mainstream society. Therefore, the lack of coverage African-American female athletes receive may be a combination of racist and sexist ideology. Moreover, the lack of literature on African-American female athletes justifies the need for this study. This study uses a hegemonic framing theory to explore the topic. According to this theory, messages communicated in the media reflect the values and beliefs of those in charge in society. These messages have an influence on the consciousness, perceptions, and beliefs of their audience (Entman, 1993). The study employs a content analysis to examine all 2,865 covers of Sports Illustrated from 1954 to 2008. Content including the gender, race, sport represented, pose, and clothing of the individual(s) on the cover were analyzed. Additionally, a sample of feature articles was analyzed for themes when African-American women appeared on the cover. Results revealed that over the course of the magazine’s history, 35 African-American females appeared on 26 Sports Illustrated covers. Results of those representations on 16 covers could be coded as African-American females. Results confirm that African-American females have had very limited coverage on the covers of Sports Illustrated. In some way their coverage is similar to Caucasian women in that significant portions of feature articles included non-athletic information that reinforced feminine ideology. On the other hand, the African-American females on the cover were more likely found in action poses and representing sports that are oftentimes considered masculine. Results fit with the Afrocentric-Feminist epistemology that states that African-American females’ experiences sometimes correspond more closely with Caucasian women and other times with African-American men

Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer (1993) forwarded a general framework to account for the characteristics and developmental experiences of individuals who have acquired exceptional performance in any domain. This framework proposed that experts undergo an extensive acquisition period involving the accumulation of thousands of hours of deliberate practice while overcoming various constraints that serve as functional barriers to the achievement of expertise. The purpose of this study was to examine expert disability-sport athletes to determine how well their experiences and characteristics were captured by Ericsson et al.’s (1993) framework. In Part I, quad rugby players recalled the amount of time spent in individual and team practice activities, quad rugby related activities, and daily life activities at the start of their career and every two years since. In Part II, these activities were rated with respect to relevance to improving performance, effort and concentration required, and enjoyment of participation. Findings revealed that quad rugby athletes engaged in similar amounts of practice throughout their career to those observed in superior performers across domains, including Ericsson et al.’s musicians and expert performers in the able-bodied sport domain (e.g., Helsen, Starkes, & Hodges, 1998). Contrary to the original deliberate practice framework as described by Ericsson et al. (1993), results indicated that disability-sport athletes did not rate the most relevant and effortful activities as low on enjoyment..