When nations face the challenge of justifying their elite sport development policies, they tend to state that a wide range of societal benefits will 'trickle down'. This argument, however, is being ...criticised by academics who claim that there is a lack of empirical evidence for the way elite sport influences society. In light of the uncertain/unproven positive and negative societal impacts, this study developed an encompassing conceptual framework that integrates the empirically supported potential societal impacts assumed to result from elite sport. Hence, an extensive mapping literature review regarding the potential positive and negative societal impacts of elite sport was conducted. The process involved interpreting, labelling, clustering and validating. The resulting framework includes 10 categories representing 79 sub-categories. It was found that, since the turn of the century, a growing number of empirical studies has increased the realisation that elite sport does not automatically initiate positive societal impacts. Moreover, the various 'dark sides' of elite sport seem to be underestimated. The framework and overall empirical picture of the potential societal impacts of elite sport presented in this paper contribute to progress the field as, until now, no mapping review that captures the full scope of this top-down relationship has been conducted. This paper hopes to make a contribution to the understanding of elite sport as a societal phenomenon. It could be argued that the potential societal impacts assumed to be sparked by elite sport have been identified but are still little understood.
This consensus statement is the product of an international Think Tank on the initiative of the International Society of Sport Psychology. The purpose of the Think Tank was to unify major sport ...psychology organizations in a discussion of the current status and future challenges of applied and research aspects of athlete mental health. The contributors present six propositions and recommendations to inspire sport organizations and researchers. The propositions are: Mental health is a core component of a culture of excellence; Mental health in a sport context should be better defined; Research on mental health in sport should broaden the scope of assessment; Athlete mental health is a major resource for the whole athletic career and life post-athletic career; The environment can nourish or malnourish athlete mental health; and Mental health is everybody's business but should be overseen by one or a few specified members. It is recommended that researchers unite to develop a more contextualized definition of athlete mental health and more comprehensive strategies of assessment, as well as join forces with sporting organizations to investigate sustainable elite sport environments and the role of the mental health officer. Sport organizations are advised to recognize athlete mental health as a core component of a healthy elite sport system and a key indicator of their effectiveness, support research initiatives, and to promote the mental health literacy of all their staff while engaging a mental health officer with the responsibility to oversee a support system.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health issue which has severely disrupted and deferred several landmark international sporting competitions. Like the general population, athletes have faced direct ...psychological consequences from COVID-19 in addition to cancelation of events, loss of support, lack of training, loss of earnings, hypervigilance, and anxiety among others. The aim of the present research was to identify the adversity experiences of athletes caused by COVID-19 (study 1) and explore the process of resilience used by competitive elite athletes for positive adaptation (study 2). Research has indicated psychological resilience to be a protective factor against similar adversities in the sporting context. The study uses an across-cases qualitative design comparing the real-time lived experiences of athletes during COVID-19 using narrative analysis. Data were collected from 10 competitive elite athletes from various countries, as part of a larger doctoral dissertation study during the lockdown period, using in-depth experiential interviews. Study 1 presents detailed narratives on the loss and incongruence, which were the two major adversities experienced. Study 2 outlines the process of resilience as narrated by the participants through the emergent and minimal-impact resilience trajectories. We discuss recommendations for interventions and the role of sports psychologists, coaches, and sporting organizations in ensuring athletes' mental health and their rehabilitation into post-COVID sports life.
Introduction
The concept of meaning in life has gained significant attention in psychology research in recent years due to its correlational relationship with physical and mental well-being (i.e., ...objective and subjective health measures, e.g., Steger, 2012). While recent attention has been directed toward this concept in sport psychology using qualitative research methods (e.g., Ronkainen et al., 2015), quantitative investigations into the specific sources of meaning engaged by athletes are notably scarce. This study (1) compares athletes with the general population and (2) employs a person-oriented approach to identify distinct profiles of athletes’ meaning in life and the sources they predominantly tap into.
Methods
A sample of 589 elite athletes from Switzerland (50.9% women, 49.1% men; Mage = 24.86 years, SD = 5.09) participated in this study. Utilizing the Meaning and Purpose Scales (MAPS; Schnell & Danbolt, 2023), participants also provided contextual information about their life situations. The athletes were compared with the general population using t-tests. To identify profiles within the athlete population, we employed a latent profile analysis.
Results
Compared to the general population, athletes exhibit heightened meaningfulness and lower crisis of meaning and prioritise different sources of meaning. Athletes were higher in Growth and Community and lower in Faith, Sustainability and Security. The analysis yielded a three-profile solution based on theoretical considerations and statistical criteria: (1) athletes with below-average meaning in life and sources (n = 127), (2) athletes with above-average meaning in life and faith (n = 109), (3) athletes with above-average meaning in life with balanced sources (n = 353). Athletes in profiles 2 and 3 were characterized by elevated levels of meaningfulness and sources of meaning, and demonstrated greater life satisfaction and self-esteem, relative to the profile with below-average meaning in life and sources.
Discussion/Conclusion
The identified relationships with key mental health constructs align with qualitative findings emphasizing the centrality of meaningfulness in athletes’ lives. On a nomothetic level, elite athletes indicate a high degree of meaningfulness (compared to the population), however, there is a high degree of heterogeneity within the sample, which is why group-specific analysis (i.e., LPA) could help understanding meaning and its sources in elite athletes. In the future this approach could be useful to tailor programs aimed at cultivating meaning in life of elite athletes.
References
Ronkainen, N. J., Tikkanen, O., Littlewood, M., & Nesti, M. S. (2015). An existential perspective on meaning, spirituality and authenticity in athletic careers. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 7(2), 253–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2014.926970
Schnell, T., & Danbolt, L. J. (2023). The Meaning and Purpose Scales (MAPS): Development and multi-study validation of short measures of meaningfulness, crisis of meaning, and sources of purpose. BMC Psychology, 11(1), Article 304. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01319-8
Steger, M. F. (2012). Experiencing meaning in life—Optimal functioning at the nexus of well-being, psychopathology, and spirituality. In P. T. P. Wong (Ed.), The Human Quest for Meaning: Theories, Research, and Applications (2nd ed., pp. 165–184). Routledge.
Elite rowers have large body dimensions, a high metabolic capacity, and they realize high training loads. These factors suggest a high total energy requirement (TER), due to high exercise energy ...expenditure (EEE) and additional energetic needs. We aimed to study EEE and intensity related substrate utilization (SU) of elite rowers during rowing (EEE
) and other (EEE
) training.
We obtained indirect calorimetry data during incremental (N = 174) and ramp test (N = 42) ergometer rowing in 14 elite open-class male rowers (body mass 91.8 kg, 95% CI 87.7, 95.9). Then we calculated EEE
and SU within a three-intensity-zone model. To estimate EEE
, appropriate estimates of metabolic equivalents of task were applied. Based on these data, EEE, SU, and TER were approximated for prototypical high-volume, high-intensity, and tapering training weeks. Data are arithmetic mean and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).
EEE
for zone 1 to 3 ranged from 15.6 kcal·min
, 95% CI 14.8, 16.3 to 49.8 kcal·min
, 95% CI 48.1, 51.6, with carbohydrate utilization contributing from 46.4%, 95% CI 42.0, 50.8 to 100.0%, 95% CI 100.0, 100.0. During a high-volume, a high-intensity, or a taper week, TER was estimated to 6,775 kcal·day
, 95% CI 6,651, 6,898, 5,772 kcal·day
, 95% CI 5,644, 5,900, or 4,626 kcal∙day
, 95% CI 4,481, 4,771, respectively.
EEE in elite open-class male rowers is remarkably high already during zone 1 training and carbohydrates are dominantly utilized, indicating relatively high metabolic stress even during low intensity rowing training. In high-volume training weeks, TER is presumably at the upper end of the sustainable total energy expenditure. Periodized nutrition seems warranted for rowers to avoid low energy availability, which might negatively impact performance, training, and health.
Sport injuries are unavoidable factors that influence the life of every elite athlete. They are most likely caused by increased frequency, intensity, and duration of training. Even the slightest ...injury could, from a functional point of view, influence athletic results. This research aims to analyse and provide data regarding injury typology of elite volleyball players of Serbia. Data were collected from 15 female volleyball players of the Serbian national volleyball team. The average age of the players was 25.53 years, with 14 years of volleyball experience. The results show that the most frequent injuries were injuries of the ankle (33%), followed by shoulder injuries (20%), and other injuries, and that the jumping phase had the highest occurrence of injury.
Purpose This research aims to find out factors affecting policy at the agenda setting phrase. In order to analyze, Multiple Streams Framework(MSF) was adopted. Based on the frame, policy problem ...stream, policy alternative stream, political stream, window of policy change, and policy entrepreneur were applied for analytical framework. Methods The research conducted qualitative research with triangulation. Data were collected by in-depth interview and literature review including newspaper and previous researches. Content analysis was done for deriving factors. Then categorization and itemization were conducted. Results For the result, factors derived from the study were not different from factions mentioning at MSF. For policy problem stream perspective, this study draw International Sports Event Result, Hosting International Sports Event, Elite Sports Athletic Recruiting, Athletic and Sports Category Supporting System, Student Study Right/Student Human Right/Sports Academy, Policy Reality, Sport Expert/Institute Capability, Perception of Elite Sport Origin. factors. In the case of Policy Alternative Stream, This study finds Sports Related Administrative Organization Restructure, Supporting Policy of Elite Athletic Promoting Restructure, Parent Policy of Elite Athletic Promoting Policy, Parent Institution of Elite Athletic Promoting Law, Incentive Institution for Elite Athletic, Supporting Institution for Elite Athletic, Value of Policy Community for Sports Category Feature, Value of Policy Community for Sports Category Fairness, Budget, International Sports Event Hosting Policy factors. Lastly, in the political perspective, this study figures out Elite Sports for Nation Integration, Elite Sports for Enhancing National Prestige (North and South Replacement), Elite Sports for Inter Korean Reconciliation and Cooperation, Sports Related Administrative Organization Restructure Following Regime Change, Parent Policy Change of Elite Sports Following Regime Change factors. Conclusions The research has academic implication for generating elite sport policy agenda setting model as well as practical implication for urging effective participation of various practitioners concerning elite sport.
This study examined how track cycling coaches, practitioners, and athletes: develop knowledge and practices; value performance areas; and, implement research into practice.
Cross-sectional survey.
An ...online REDCap survey of track cycling coaches, practitioners, and athletes was conducted involving questions related to demographics, performance area importance, knowledge acquisition and application, research relevance, and research direction.
A total of 159 responses were received from coaches (n = 55), practitioners (n = 29), and athletes (n = 75). Participants' highest track cycling competition level involvement ranged from local/regional (12.7%) to Olympic/Paralympic (39.9%). Respondents primarily develop practices by observing ‘the sport’ or ‘others competing/working in it’ (both 85.8%). Practitioners develop practices through self-guided learning (96.4%). The primary reason for practice use was prior experience (84.9%), whilst individuals were least likely to use practices resulting in marginal gains with potentially negative outcomes (27.3%). Areas of greatest perceived importance were Aerodynamics, Strength & Conditioning, and Tactics (all >96% agreed/strongly agreed). Scientific evidence for Tactics (30%) and Mental Skills (26%) was perceived to be lacking, resulting in greater reliance on personal experience (74% and 62%, respectively) to inform training decisions. The main barrier to implementing research into practice was athlete buy-in (84.3%).
Within track cycling, informal learning was most popular amongst respondents. Greater reliance on personal experience within evidence-based practice for many performance areas aligns with limited existing research. Most respondents reported multiple barriers affecting research implementation in practice.
Sport schools have increased in popularity over the past three decades, and research in the area has proliferated. This study presents an overview of sport school literature, by investigating ...peer-reviewed articles, summarising the findings of relevant articles, and identifying possible gaps in this research area. In total, 55 articles are included. The descriptive summary reports publication year, study location, research design, methods, theoretical perspectives, population, and sport(s) studied. The thematic overview comprises two primary sections - research about sport schools and research in sport schools. The former cover 'outside' perspectives, such as socio-political and educational policy issues while the latter cover 'inside' perspectives focusing on the actors - student athletes and coaches. In the discussion it is acknowledged that pedagogical perspectives in sport school literature are limited, that research on sport schools' admissions processes is overlooked, and concerns raised as to if sport schools are or should be socially inclusive.
Background
According to key assumptions to modern systems theory (Luhmann, 1983, 1990) the individual action logic of both sports coaches and sports physiotherapists are likely to differ ...fundamentally. Although both professions are entrusted with the care of athletes, they each follow different systemic logics in doing so. While coaches are embedded in the elite sport system, sports physiotherapists are assigned to the health care system Steinmann et al., 2019). The professional action of both players follows different systemic expectations in each case.
Research Question
What are potential conflicts within the cooperation between sports physiotherapists and coaches and what are areas of improvement?
Methods
The project aims at transferring research into practice and includes two parts: First, the project-team performs guided expert interviews with sports physiotherapists (n = 27) and coaches (n = 20) working in German elite sport in order to gather mutual functional, role and action expectations in real social situations. These expectations are compared and fitted in professional theory. The evaluation is based on qualitative content analysis (Kuckartz & Rädiker, 2020; Mayring, 2015). The second part of the project contains a Delphi-Workshop (Niederberger & Renn, 2018). Contentious results are phrased in a rating form for the participants a) to discuss and b) to derive recommended courses of action and case studies.
Results
Information gathering, content analysis and results are completed. Furthermore, the Delphi-Workshop took place in September 2022 (n = 8). The assumption has been confirmed that potential for optimization of the cooperation between coaches and sports physiotherapists is above all found in their structurally different action logic. The interview partners agree that there is a lack of financial reward for physiotherapists and therefore question international competitive ability. Conflicts are often found in the process of Return-to-Sport decision making since coaches are members of the elite sports system whereas physiotherapists belong to the health system. Furthermore, different employment models can lead to different engagement, because coaches in elite sports usually have a permanent position whereas physiotherapists usually work as freelancers for a low fee.
Conclusion
By delivering qualitative-empiric insight into the cooperation between coaches and sports physiotherapists in German elite sports, the project identifies starting points for its further improvement. Results verify the need for further research and relevance for the elite sports system. Recommended plans of action and case studies will be provided to organizations in elite sports and to the project’s cooperation partners.
References
Kuckartz, U., & Rädiker, S. (2020). Fokussierte Interviewanalyse mit MAXQDA, Schritt für Schritt Focused interview analysis with MAXQDA, step by step. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-31468-2
Luhmann, N. (1983). Medizin und Gesellschaftstheorie Medicine and social theory. Medizin, Mensch, Gesellschaft, 8, 168–175.
Luhmann, N. (1990). Soziologische Aufklärung 5: Konstruktivistische Perspektiven Sociological enlightenment 5: Constructivist perspectives. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-97005-3_8
Mayring, P. (2015). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Grundlagen und Techniken Qualitative content analysis: Basics and techniques (12th ed.). Beltz Pädagogik.
Niederberger, M., & Renn, O. (2018). Das Gruppendelphi-Verfahren: Vom Konzept bis zur Anwendung The Group Delphi Process: From concept to application . Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-18755-2
Steinmann, A., Jaitner, D., & Himmelseher, N. (2019). “One aspect of the coaching business.” Function and role of sports physiotherapists from the perspective of coaches in German elite athletics. Sports Coaching Review, 9(3), 253-272. https://doi.org/10.1080/21640629.2019.1657680
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