Athlete development depends on many factors that need to be balanced by the coach. The amount of data collected grows with the development of sensor technology. To make data-informed decisions for training prescription of their athletes, coaches could be supported by feedback through a coach dashboard. The aim of this paper is to describe the design of a coach dashboard based on scientific knowledge, user requirements, and (sensor) data to support decision making of coaches for athlete development in cyclic sports. The design process involved collaboration with coaches, embedded scientists, researchers, and IT professionals. A classic design thinking process was used to structure the research activities in five phases: empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test phases. To understand the user requirements of coaches, a survey (n = 38), interviews (n = 8) and focus-group sessions (n = 4) were held. Design principles were adopted into mock-ups, prototypes, and the final coach dashboard. Designing a coach dashboard using the co-operative research design helped to gain deep insights into the specific user requirements of coaches in their daily training practice. Integrating these requirements, scientific knowledge, and functionalities in the final coach dashboard allows the coach to make data-informed decisions on training prescription and optimise athlete development.
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The Athletic Skills Model offers an alternative to dominant talent development theories in the form of holistic broad-based movement education, focusing on health and wellbeing. It places the emphasis on ‘physical intelligence’ – including attributes such as agility, flexibility and stability – through adaptable and varied training programmes, creating a skilled athlete before introducing sport specialization.The book sets out the scientific underpinnings of the ASM before going on to offer practical guidance on the content of the programme, how to adapt and vary the programme, and how to apply the approach to different age groups and sports. The ASM’s application in the youth development programme at AFC Ajax is explored in depth, before a future of talent development with an emphasis on athletic, rather than sport-specific, expertise is imagined.The Athletic Skills Model introduces an important and timely challenge to conventional wisdom in talent development and is a fascinating read for any upper-level student or researcher interested in youth development, skill acquisition, motor learning or sports coaching, and any coaches wanting to refresh their approach to talent development.
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Objective: This study aimed to investigate which characteristics of athlete, wheelchair and athlete-wheelchair interface are the best predictors of wheelchair basketball mobility performance. Design: A total of 60 experienced wheelchair basketball players performed a wheelchair mobility performance test to assess their mobility performance. To determine which variables were the best predictors of mobility performance, forward stepwise linear regression analyses were performed on a set of 33 characteristics, including 10 athlete, 19 wheelchair, and 4 athlete-wheelchair interface characteristics. Results: A total of 8 of the characteristics turned out to be significant predictors of wheelchair basketball mobility performance. Classification, experience, maximal isometric force, wheel axis height, and hand rim diameter—which both are interchangeable with each other and wheel diameter—camber angle, and the vertical distance between shoulder and rear wheel axis—which was interchangeable with seat height—were positively associated with mobility performance. The vertical distance between the front seat and the footrest was negatively associated with mobility performance. Conclusion: With this insight, coaches and biomechanical specialists are provided with statistical findings to determine which characteristics they could focus on best to improve mobility performance. Six out of 8 predictors are modifiable and can be optimized to improve mobility performance. These adjustments could be carried out both in training (maximal isometric force) and in wheelchair configurations (eg, camber angle). https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2017-0142 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-de-witte-9582b154/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniqueberger/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rienkvdslikke/
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Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Resting energy expenditure (REE) is expected to be higher in athletes because of their relatively high fat free mass (FFM). Therefore, REE predictive equation for recreational athletes may be required. The aim of this study was to validate existing REE predictive equations and to develop a new recreational athlete specific equation.
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To enhance the training of sport psychology consultants, it is important to know which learning experiences are useful for which components of professional development. We interviewed 15 novice consultants on their learning experiences related to 13 different topics. Traditional learning experiences (e.g., courses, teachers) were related to the development of practical know-how. Learning from others (e.g., peers, colleagues) was related to professional development (i.e., dealing with issues, challenges, and dilemmas that occur in sport psychology practice). Practical experience and reflective activities were related to both know-how and professional development. These results can be used to shape effective sport psychology education.
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Introduction: To determine if athletes with coordination impairment (CI) can continue playing wheelchair rugby (WR), while an evidence-based classification system, including impairment tests for CI is not yet available. This is a defensible practise if they show similar activity limitations as athletes with other eligible impairment types (OI) within the same sports class. Methods: Standardised activities were measured in 58 elite WR athletes; 14 with CI and 44 with OI. Wheelchair activities consisted of 20-meter sprint, 12-meter sprint with full stop, intermittent sprint (3-meter sprint, stop, 3-meter sprint, stop, 6-meter sprint with full stop), sprint-curve-slalom-curve, turn on the spot 180°, turn on the spot 90°, stop, turn 90°in the same direction, X-test (short circuit with sharp turns) without the ball. Ball activities consisted of maximal throwing distance, precision throwing short (25% of maximum throw) and long (75% of maximal throw) distance and X-test with the ball (pick-up the ball and dribble whilst pushing). Descriptive statistics were used and Spearman’s Rank correlation was assessed for athletes with CI and OI for each outcome measure. Differences between athletes with CI and OI were assessed using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Most activities showed a high correlation with the athlete class in both athletes with CI and athletes with OI. Furthermore, outcome measures of athletes with CI overlapped with athletes with OI in the same sports class for all activities. There was a trend for worse performance in athletes with CI in turn on the spot 90°, stop, turn 90°in the same direction, the short distance one handed precision throw (P 0.11)and in the X-test with the ball (P 0.10). Discussion: Despite the current lack of evidence based impairment tests for CI, it is a defensible practise to not exclude athletes with CI from WR with the current classification system. The trends for differences in performance that were found can support athletes and coaches in optimising performance of athletes with CI.
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Shared leadership is described as the dynamic process of distributing leadership influence across multiple team members. It is viewed as an effective form of management to deal with increased complexity in youth team sport. However, literature on youth leadership development and reliable and valid measures to assess shared leadership in youth sport is still lacking. This paper seeks to make a contribution to the youth leadership literature by developing an instrument to measure shared leadership among young football players. A total of 746 U17 players from 62 different youth football teams in two samples in The Netherlands were surveyed. The Youth Athlete Shared Leadership (YASL) in football instrument comprises three factors: ‘steering’, ‘coaching’ and ‘intervening’. This research contributes to the common understanding of youth leadership development in general and youth team leadership in particular. The practical contribution is a tool for coaches to develop shared leadership behavior in youth football.
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Athlete impairment level is an important factor in wheelchair mobility performance (WMP) in sports. Classification systems, aimed to compensate impairment level effects on performance, vary between sports. Improved understanding of resemblances and differences in WMP between sports could aid in optimizing the classification methodology. Furthermore, increased performance insight could be applied in training and wheelchair optimization. The wearable sensor-based wheelchair mobility performance monitor (WMPM) was used to measure WMP of wheelchair basketball, rugby and tennis athletes of (inter-)national level during match-play. As hypothesized, wheelchair basketball athletes show the highest average WMP levels and wheelchair rugby the lowest, whereas wheelchair tennis athletes range in between for most outcomes. Based on WMP profiles, wheelchair basketball requires the highest performance intensity, whereas in wheelchair tennis, maneuverability is the key performance factor. In wheelchair rugby, WMP levels show the highest variation comparable to the high variation in athletes’ impairment levels. These insights could be used to direct classification and training guidelines, with more emphasis on intensity for wheelchair basketball, focus on maneuverability for wheelchair tennis and impairment-level based training programs for wheelchair rugby. Wearable technology use seems a prerequisite for further development of wheelchair sports, on the sports level (classification) and on individual level (training and wheelchair configuration).
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Despite the notable strides that have been made in terms of participation in sport, women continue to be underrepresented in sport leadership roles such as coaching and officiating. The 2014 United Nations (UN) International Working Group on Women’s Sport (IWG) noted that: ‘Women are significantly under-represented in management, administration, coaching and officiating, particularly at the higher levels’ (IWG, 2014 p. 6). This statement, part of the Helsinki Declaration, was made in the context of how sport can support the UN Millennium Development Goals. Across today’s sporting landscape, women’s sport experiences typically occur in male-dominated contexts, which favour men and masculinity (Norman, 2016). Recent data indicates the men to women ratio in high-performance coaching over the last four consecutive Olympic cycles has been approximately 10:1. Among US high school sporting officials, only 11% are women, and even a greater disparity exists with officiating sports traditionally played by men (Nordstrom, Warner, & Barnes, 2016). This data highlights a systemic absence of women in coaching and officiating leadership roles across sport. In this chapter we will discuss the impact this has on developing sport for women and girls. Specifically, this chapter aims to: - Provide an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of coaches and officials in women and girls sport delivery. - Explore career development pathways for improving opportunities for women in coaching and officiating. - Present a critical reflection of the differences and similarities between athlete development and coach/official development (systems and structures) for women and girls. We begin by discussing the gendered nature of coaching before turning our attention to women’s experiences in sport officiating. We draw on relevant literature throughout the chapter and identify issues and opportunities for further research. We conclude by providing practical actions and recommendations to help facilitate coaching and officiating development for women and girls LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-de-haan/
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Athlete development depends on many factors that need to be balanced by the coach. The amount of data collected grows with the development of sensor technology. To make data-informed decisions for training prescription of their athletes, coaches could be supported by feedback through a coach dashboard. The aim of this paper is to describe the design of a coach dashboard based on scientific knowledge, user requirements, and (sensor) data to support decision making of coaches for athlete development in cyclic sports. The design process involved collaboration with coaches, embedded scientists, researchers, and IT professionals. A classic design thinking process was used to structure the research activities in five phases: empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test phases. To understand the user requirements of coaches, a survey (n = 38), interviews (n = 8) and focus-group sessions (n = 4) were held. Design principles were adopted into mock-ups, prototypes, and the final coach dashboard. Designing a coach dashboard using the co-operative research design helped to gain deep insights into the specific user requirements of coaches in their daily training practice. Integrating these requirements, scientific knowledge, and functionalities in the final coach dashboard allows the coach to make data-informed decisions on training prescription and optimise athlete development.
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