ECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH17
INTRODUCTION: Rhythmic gymnastics is described as an early-specialization sport, in which training often starts at young ages and is characterized by high volumes of practice, frequent repetition of technical elements, and strong technical–artistic demands. These features raise questions about how athletes’ developmental pathways can be supported, and whether engagement in other activities may complement RG-specific training. In this context, donor sports have been proposed as complementary sports or activities that share transferable movement and perceptual–motor demands with a target sport, potentially facilitating positive transfer when the activities are functionally “complementary.” Grounded in the Athletic Skills Model (ASM) within an ecological dynamics perspective, this exploratory study aimed (i) to investigate the presence of diversified motor experiences in the development pathways of current and former RG gymnasts and (ii) to identify activities that may represent potential donor sports for RG. METHODS: Forty-three participants (26 current RG gymnasts and 17 former gymnasts), competing in the Italian Gymnastics Federation Gold/Silver sectors or promotional categories, completed a structured questionnaire on: age of RG initiation and training; participation in other organized sports before and/or during RG; and engagement in unstructured childhood physical activities. RESULTS: Current gymnasts most frequently reported starting RG between ages 3-6, whereas most former gymnasts (47.1%) reported later entry, with a peak around 9-10. In addition, current gymnasts reported achieving notable competitive results from as early as age 8. Before starting RG, 61.5% of current gymnasts and 64.7% of former gymnasts practiced other sports, with dance most commonly reported. No current gymnasts reported practicing other activities concurrently with RG, while 29.4% of former gymnasts did mainly dance. Unstructured physical activity during childhood was reported by all current gymnasts and 94.1% of former gymnasts. CONCLUSION: Overall, findings depict a strong tendency toward early specialization in RG, particularly among current athletes, while also highlighting widespread exposure to unstructured activity and the recurrent presence of dance as a complementary experience, which may represent a particularly useful activity for the preparation of RG athletes. Within the ASM and donor sport concepts, these descriptive data provide an initial basis to further examine which complementary activities may best support RG gymnasts’ development and how they might be integrated alongside early specialization demands, to support talent development in RG by promoting a broad motor repertoire and helping to address the challenges associated with early sport specialization.
Read CV Claudia CostaECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH17
INTRODUCTION: Gender inequality has a significant impact on sporting world, leading to various challenges and consequences. In coaching, women face persistent barriers and inequities throughout their careers. To gain a deeper insight into the under-representation of women in sports coaching, framing the Female Sport Coaching Training Programme (FEMCoach) project a survey was conducted. This study aimed to assess the needs of women sport coaches during practice by analysing their perspectives on key topics to be included in coaching educational programmes. METHODS: The study collected and analysed survey data from 227 women coaches representing 16 countries, various sports and competitive levels. Coaches completed a 40-question online survey, divided into seven topics: (1) sociodemographic data, (2) the inclusion environment for sports practice, (3) coach professional activities, (4) menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception and pregnancy/childcare, (5) barriers for females in sport, (6) coaches’ courses, and (7) gender differences. RESULTS: The majority of coaches feel that there is a stigma related to menstrual cycle [59% (±5%)] and pregnancy/childcare [71% (±5%)] and approximately half [52% (±5%)] believe in a stigma related to hormonal contraception. Regarding the presence of these topics in coaches’ educational process the majority [73% (±5%)] considered that they were not approached enough, agreeing most coaches [93% (±3%)] that these programmes should be more expanded to cover it. Also, approximately half [53% (±5%)] feel that pregnancy is a sensitive topic regarding the future of their athletes. The majority of coaches [57% (±5%)] believe that the cultural values associated with sports made some men believe that coaching belong to them, and during their practice have experienced a sense of obligation to show their coaching abilities to a person of a different gender [70% (±5%)] with most of them [80% (±4%)] believing that women coaches sometimes face discrimination and/or mistrust. Approximately half [52% (±5%)] don’t feel prepared or would like to have more knowledge, to deal with questions of gender identities among their athletes and most of them [77% (±5%)] recognize different opportunities for coaches between genders. In open-ended questions coaches pointed to a lack of content on equity, identity, and female biology in existing coaching curricula. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that coaching educational programmes can serve as a vital tool in promoting gender equality and ensuring equal opportunities for coaches. To achieve this, programmes must incorporate topics related to female biology, gender identity, and effective communication. While acknowledging its limitations, this survey study provides valuable contextual information and practical insights for designing coaching educational programmes that support women coaches and athletes. Ultimately, these findings contribute to fostering greater gender equality in sports coaching.
Read CV Vanessa Oliveira DiasECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH17
＜Introduction＞
Environmental issues related to sports (facility construction, waste, and climate change-related risks) are becoming increasingly serious, and environmental awareness among sports coaches is crucial to addressing them. The Japan Sport Association (2020) reported that while sports coaches are aware of the threats posed by global warming and increasing waste, they face many challenges in implementing concrete environmental conservation activities. Environmentally conscious coaches tend to incorporate energy conservation, waste reduction, and nature conservation into their coaching and promote ecologically conscious behaviors among their athletes. However, coaches who lack opportunities to receive environmental education are less likely to fully incorporate environmental practices into their coaching. To better understand this phenomenon, this study structurally analyzed the relationship between the Coaches’ Environmental Crisis Awareness Scale (CECAS), Sports Environmental Conservation Awareness Scale (SECAS), and Safety Instruction Scale (SIS), and examined the need for education to raise environmental awareness among coaches.
＜Methods＞
The study participants were 517 Japanese sports coaches (351 males and 166 females, mean age: 46.59 years, SD: 13.66) from schools and sports institutions. Participants voluntarily responded to a questionnaire comprising items from the CECAS, SECAS, and SIS. All three scales were originally developed for this study and were confirmed to show acceptable reliability and meaningful content validity. A covariance structure analysis was conducted to confirm the acceptability of the hypothetical model and the relationships between the three scales.
ECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH17