2022 – Page 2 – The Sport Journal

Expanding Expected Goals Methodology in Field Hockey

Authors: Bret R. Myers¹, Andrew M. Daly²

¹Department of Management and Operations, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
²Department of Athletics, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Bret R. Myers, Ph.D.
1039 Smithfield LN
Downingtown, PA 19335
bret.myers@villanova.edu
(804) 357-5876

Bret R. Myers, Ph.D. is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Management and Operations in the Villanova School of Business. His research interests focus on sports analytics, specifically, in the areas of team evaluation and managerial decision-making. He is also an Analytics Consultant for the Columbus Soccer Club of Major League Soccer.

Andrew M. Daly is MIS and Business Analytics Major at Villanova University. He is also an analyst and student manager for the Villanova Field Hockey team. In this role, he has both video and data analysis responsibilities and reports directly to the coaching staff.

Expanding Expected Goals Methodology in Field Hockey

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the value of the overarching expected goals methodology in the sport of field hockey by examining performance data in NCAA Division I Field Hockey. Expected Goals (xG), a metric used to represent the likelihood of a shot being a goal, has grown in popularity across multiple sports. The expected goals methodology involves model building through logistic regression. Specifically, two metrics are created through this technique: 1) The standard expected goals model (xG) based on characteristics of the scoring opportunity before the shot is taken and 2) Post-shot expected goals (xGOT) which is updated to reflect whether or not the shot is on target.

Results: In terms of development, the logistic regression models used for the development of the xG and xGOT models both yield high levels of significance for fit (p-values of 4.13e-26 and 2.78 e-16 respectively). In terms of application, the xG and xGOT metrics both have high correlations to goals scored when aggregating on a game-by-game basis (0.76 and 0.77 respectively). Furthermore, the metrics can enhance insights gained from matches, evidenced by additional visualizations provided in this study.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-11-18T10:20:14-06:00November 18th, 2022|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off

Ensuring the Business Sustainability of Minor League Baseball After the COVID Global Pandemic

Authors: Mark Mitchell, Jacob Voegel, and Sara Nimmo

Corresponding Author:

Mark Mitchell, DBA
Professor of Marketing
Associate Dean, Wall College of Business
NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR)
Coastal Carolina University
P. O. Box 261954
Conway, SC 29528
mmitchel@coastal.edu
(843) 349-2392

Mark Mitchell, DBA is Professor of Marketing at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Jacob Voegel, PhD is Assistant Professor of Management at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Sara Nimmo is a 2022 Honors Graduate of Coastal Carolina University. She served as a Marketing Intern during the 2021 season of minor league baseball, the first season after the 2020 cancelled season.

Ensuring the Business Sustainability of Minor League Baseball After the COVID Global Pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID global pandemic greatly impacted the sports industry as leagues had drastic budget cuts and were forced to compensate for the lost revenues. The purpose of this study is to examine the strategies used by Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams and leagues to ensure their survival in the short-term and to sustain their operations in a post-COVID environment. Consultation with officials of a local minor league team, in addition to extensive information search, identified the strategies used by teams and leagues. A cluster analysis was then performed to classify the strategies into categories of similar topics. The results suggested teams and leagues took an “Income Statement Approach” to ensuring their survival. That is, they focused on: (a) maximizing revenue and finding new revenue sources; while (b) finding ways to reduce operating expenses. Minor league baseball teams navigated the loss of the 2020 season and the adjusted operations of the 2021 season to return to more-normal operations in the 2022 season. Lessons learned during the COVID period were applied to streamline their operations in the short-run and to ensure the sustainability of their business in the long-run. Coaches seek to develop an ‘adjust-and-adapt mentality’ in their athletes. The COVID global pandemic forced all of society to adopt this approach. Minor league baseball leagues and teams adopted this approach and they successful sustained their operations. Today, the industry continues to be a vital source of family entertainment and community pride while concurrently serving as the primary development path for the Major League Baseball (MLB) players of the future.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-10-14T15:02:26-05:00October 28th, 2022|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off

Division-1 athletes’ perceptions of sport specialization as a predictor of perfectionism

Authors: Jason N. Hughes¹,Colby B. Jubenville²,Mitchell T. Woltring^3,and Helen J. Gray⁴

¹Department of Business, Accounting and Sport Management, Elizabeth City State University

²Department of Health and Human Performance, Middle Tennessee State University

³Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Sport, University of South Alabama

⁴Department of Experience Industry Management, California Polytechnic State University

Correspondence:

Jason Hughes, Ph.D., M.S.
1704 Weeksville Rd.
Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Jason N. Hughes, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, NC. His research interests include sport specialization, perfectionism, and athletic burnout.
Colby B. Jubenville, PhD., is a Professor of Sport Management at Middle Tennessee State University. His research interest includes student success, leadership, and emotional intelligence in business.
Mitchell T. Woltring, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of South Alabama. His research interests include student-athlete success and service learning.
Helen J. Gray, Ph.D., is the Department Head and Professor of Experience Industry Management at California Polytechnic State University. Her research interests include sport management, youth sport, and pedagogy in sport, leisure, and tourism.

Division-1 athletes’ perceptions of sport specialization as a predictor of perfectionism

Abstract

Sport specialization is a trend amongst athletes today who are looking to gain an advantage over the competition. However, little research has examined the psychosocial consequences of this trend. One psychological construct that has not been sufficiently investigated regarding its relationship with sports specialization is perfectionism. Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality trait with two higher orders: perfectionistic strivings, and concerns; both of which are associated with adaptive and maladaptive outcomes in sport. Perfectionistic concerns have shown consistent negative associations with processes and outcomes. Perfectionistic strivings results have been inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to examine the previously unexplored relationship between specializing in sport and perfectionism concerns and strivings. Two multiple-hierarchical analyses were performed on a sample of 393 Division-1 NCAA student-athletes (M age = 20.21, SD 1.36) to investigate the level of sport specialization as a predictor of perfectionistic concerns and perfectionistic strivings. Findings indicated that student-athletes who are highly specialized were more likely to predict perfectionistic concerns, whereas moderate and low sport specializers did not have a relationship with perfectionistic concerns. Perfectionistic strivings had no significant relationship with sport specialization.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-10-14T13:11:47-05:00October 21st, 2022|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Female Competitive Powerlifters relationship with Body Image: Utilising the Multidimensional Body Image Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ)

Author: Andrew Richardson¹ (corresponding author) and Dr Mark Chen²

1 School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, Teesside University, UK
2 School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, UK

Correspondence:

Andrew Richardson
Campus Heart, Southfield Road, Middlesbrough
TS1 3BX, Tees Valley
a.s.richardson@tees.ac.uk

Andrew Richardson is a Chartered Heath and Activity Practitioner & PhD student at Teesside University with his doctorate researching sedentary lifestyles in the Tees Valley. Andrew’s other research interests include body image, performance enhancing drugs, transgender sport, esports and public health.

Dr Mark Chen is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at Teesside University and is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS). Dr Chen’s research interests include psychological consequences of sports injury and attentional aspects of sports performance.

Female Competitive Powerlifters relationship with Body Image: Utilising the Multidimensional Body Image Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ)

Abstract

Purpose: There is growing evidence to suggest that competitive female athletes in certain sports that over scrutinize their body image may experience undesirable mental health outcomes. However, limited research addresses this issue in strength sports with weight class requirements. One such sport is powerlifting, which comprises the squat, bench – press and deadlift. Methods: This study used the Multidimensional Body Image Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), which recruited 174 female participants across the following subgroups. Powerlifters (P) (n = 66), Active Subjects (AF) (n = 50), Body Image sports (BI) n = 23) and Other Sports (OS) (n = 36). Results: One–way ANOVA showed significant (p < 0.05) results between all groups across seven of the nine MBSRQ subscales. Bonferroni comparisons revealed that there were ten other significant results between these groups. Conclusions: Overall, the results showed that female powerlifters expressed healthier and lower perceptions of negative body image concerns. Furthermore, female powerlifters did not present scores consistent with controlling bodyweight or fixating about being overweight. Instead, these results showed a focus on performance and health improvements. Active subjects presented the most fixation on their body weight and appearance. Applications in Sport: The study concludes that female powerlifters present healthy body image perceptions compared to the other female sporting/active groups. This may be due to the objective outcomes of the sport not relying on socially subjective assessment for validation.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-10-14T09:48:06-05:00October 14th, 2022|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Establishing Normative Reference Values for the Utah Seated Medicine Ball Throw Protocol in Adolescents

Authors: Cory Biggar, Abigail Larson, and Mark DeBeliso

Corresponding Author:

Cory Biggar
164 East 2300 North, Apt. 5
North Ogden, UT 84414
Email: corybiggar@gmail.com
801-831-1342

Cory Biggar is a student at Southern Utah University. Upon the completion of this project, he will earn an MS in Sports Conditioning and Performance.

Establishing Normative Reference Values for the Utah Seated Medicine Ball Throw Protocol in Adolescents

Abstract:

The seated medicine ball throw (SMBT) is a field test intended to assess upper-body muscular power by measuring the maximal distance an individual can throw a medicine ball from an isolated, seated position (25). The SMBT has been used to assess upper-body power in various populations and to establish concurrent validity for other measures of upper-body power such as the bench press power test and the plyometric push-up. The SMBT is less costly and simpler to incorporate into a field test battery than other upper body power assessments. While the SMBT is a valid, reliable field test for upper-body power, normative reference standards for most populations, including adolescent (12-15 years old) physical education students, do not exist. Purpose: This study reports distances thrown in the SMBT to establish normative reference values in male and female physical education students, ages 12-15 years old. Methods: One hundred thirteen untrained male and female physical education students aged 12-15 years performed the SMBT field test three times on a single testing day. Participants threw a 2 kg medicine ball with a 19.5 cm diameter while seated on the floor with the upper torso against the wall (legs extended, trunk angle 90°). Likewise, age, height, and body mass were assessed. Results: Participant data was separated by age gender for analysis. Mean and standard deviation for the SMBT for males was 4.3 ± 0.7 m and 5.2 ± 0.8 m for ages 12-13 and 14-15, respectively, and for females was 3.4 ± 0.5 m and 3.7 ± 0.5 m for ages 12-13 and 14-15, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients (i.e. PCCS or r) were calculated for trial pairs (i.e. T1 vs T2, T2 vs T3, T3 vs T1) for both female and males at age groupings of 12-13 and 14-15. The aforementioned PCCs ranged from r = 0.85-0.97. Normative reference values as percentile ranks for the SMBT scores for age groups 12-13 and 14-15 among males and females, respectively, were also established. Conclusion: The data presented provides an initial set of normative reference standards for coaches and students to determine upper-body muscular power using the SMBT.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-10-07T17:30:26-05:00October 7th, 2022|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off