ECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH09
Introduction: Despite the increasing participation rates of female athletes in competitive sports, they still remain under-represented in sport science research. Neglecting the distinct biological, psychological, and social factors influencing female athletes’ participation, development, and performance underscores a significant oversight in this area. The interdependence of factors, ranging from physiology to coaching communication, necessitates a thorough exploration of optimal athletic development. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore the current knowledge among coaches and the specific requirements of future coach education programs tailored to enhance coaching practices in female sports. Methods: Sixteen Norwegian coaches both in the recreational tiers (n=8) and elite sport levels (n=8) participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Two coaches from eight different sports participated in this study. This diverse sample facilitated a nuanced perspective on coaching practices in female sports. Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022) was employed to delve into the lived experiences of these coaches, uncovering prevalent coaching approaches, experiences, and discerning challenges encountered in coaching female athletes. Results: The data analysis generated a pressing need for enhanced knowledge and coach education programs to effectively guide coaches of female athletes. The participants expressed a lack of exposure to methodologies specifically tailored to female athletes, often relying on generalized approaches derived from coaching male athletes. Notably, elite sport coaches prioritized resilience-building strategies and performance optimization, while recreational coaches emphasized inclusion and well-being outcomes. Moreover, team sport coaches were less inclined toward individualization compared to individual sport coaches. However, the overarching necessity for refined knowledge and coach education content remained consistent across diverse sports and coaching tiers. Discussion: The findings underscore the importance of addressing knowledge gaps and customizing coach education programs to meet the distinctive needs of coaches working with female athletes. While disparities existed between different groups of coaches, the overarching need for improved female-specific coaching practices remained consistent. Recognizing and bridging these gaps might empower coaches to better support female athletes, promoting development and performance outcomes. The discussion advocates for a more nuanced and inclusive approach to coach education, mindful of the diverse contexts and priorities inherent in sports coaching of female athletes. Moreover, incorporating well-being outcomes in coach education programs can further enhance support for female athletes. References: Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Conceptual and design thinking for thematic analysis. Qualitative Psychology, 9(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000196
Read CV Bård Erlend SolstadECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH09
Introduction Youth sport participation can provide various physical, psychological, and social benefits; hence, understanding factors contributing to sustained sport participation is important. Whereas antecedents of long-term sport participation have been extensively studied, the antecedents of short-term participation in youth sport have received less attention. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate early adolescent female handball players’ sport enjoyment and the immediate social impact of their peers and coach and assess their associations with the likelihood of attending subsequent practice sessions. Methods A diary study methodology was used, obtaining data from one team of adolescent female players (N = 27) during 11 practices across 4 weeks (n = 297 measurement points). To investigate the potential relationship between coach and peer motivational climates, sport enjoyment, and attendance at the next practice session, three Bayesian two-level logistic regression models using Mplus, version 8.3 were applied. Results The findings revealed that immediate social impacts, such as coach controlling use of rewards during practice, increased the risk of non-attendance at the next practice session, while supportive peer interactions post-practice enhanced attendance probability. However, peer conflict, coach negative conditional regard, and sport enjoyment did not predict subsequent practice attendance, suggesting that peer support and coach controlling use of rewards may outweigh other negative social experiences and intrinsic pleasure in short-term sport participation decisions for this demographic. Discussion These insights underscore the importance of timing and the nature of feedback and interactions in the youth sport context. For instance, the findings provide practical insights for coaches and sport program designers about the sensitive timings where interventions could be the most impactful. Coaches might focus on providing a more supportive environment during practice, while sports organizations could facilitate positive peer interactions immediately following practice sessions. The study’s findings and limitations pave the way for several directions in future research, suggesting the need to expand to diverse demographics and sports, using a more intensive longitudinal design to explore how short-term participation influences long-term sport participation.
Read CV Jesper BugtenECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH09
Critical thinking underpins tactical ability and is known in the sports context as reflective thinking used to make reasonable and defensible decisions in movement tasks. Critical thinking and sports tactics can thus be described as analytical processes that involve solving situations reflexively. If we want to develop athletes tactical ability and, consequently, their decision-making skills, it is reasonable to try to improve the underlying capacity of this skill. The objective of this research was to validate the effectiveness of a critical thinking-based tactical learning program called the "Critical Thinking Tactical Program" (CTTP), which aims to develop critical thinking skills through constant inquiry and analysis by participants. This validation was carried out from the tactical component and critical thinking level, based on a two-arm parallel experimental design [1:1 ratio] in elite male underwater rugby players with 20 intervention sessions developed twice a week and based on working on the principles of underwater rugby (N Control Group (CG)=13; Mean age CG=28.28±7.88; Mean experience years CG=11.12±3.28; N Experimental Group (EG)=11; Mean age EG=30.84±6.41; Mean experience years EG= 10.50±6.41). The control group performed practices based on the same game principles and tasks, but the difference with the experimental group was that they did not have spaces for inquiry and evaluation in their practices. The tactical component of the athletes was evaluated before and after the 20 intervention sessions (pretest and posttest) using the RUSTAC test. The critical thinking assessment (pretest and posttest) was performed using the IMPC OSBA VS2 version (Critical Thinking Measurement Index VS2). Regarding the tactical performance index, no changes were reported in the control group between the pretest (M=0.57±0.09) and posttest (M=0.57±0.18). In contrast, the experimental group reported increases between the pretest (M=0.6±0.17) and posttest (M=0.71; CI=0.11) corresponding to a percentage change of 18.33%. This difference was not statistically significant and represented a medium effect size (z=-1.33, p>0.05, r=-0.40). Regarding critical thinking, increases were reported in both groups, however, it is noteworthy that the group under the PTPC had a higher increase than the control group. For the control group, critical thinking ability increased by 2.44%, which was not statistically significant and represented a small effect size (t(12)=-0.47, p>0.05, r=-0.11). For the experimental group, critical thinking ability increased by 4.48%, which was not statistically significant and represented a small effect size (t(10)=-0.82, p>0.05, r=0.25). It can be concluded that the PTPC is a promising proposal for the development of tactical performance in underwater rugby, providing benefits that could help players make better tactical decisions on the field of play.
Read CV Samuel José Gaviria AlzateECSS Paris 2023: OP-SH09