ISSN: 1543-9518|Vol. 24

About U.S. Sports Academy

The United States Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research, and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare our men and women for careers in the profession of sports using modern technologies and traditional teaching methodologies.

Coaching Golf – How skilled are we in ‘skill’?

Authors: Dr. David Grecic and Mr. Brendan Ryan, MS / MA

Corresponding Author:
Brendan Ryan
1304 Denman Ct
Wesley Chapel, FL
brendan@bmrgolfmanagement.com
407-233-6946

David Grecic is a princial lecture and head of sport at the University of Central Lancashire. David joined the School of Sport, Tourism and the Outdoors in August 2008 having previously worked in a variety of sport and education settings for 15 years. He is an active coach in a variety of sports including rugby union, swimming and golf. It is here that his specialist interest lies and that drives his academic research.

Brendan Ryan is a former college coach who know works closely developing junior golfers in their pursuit of college. He is also a well-established academic, with a pair of master’s degrees and the author of several books, published papers and popular articles.

Coaching Golf – How skilled are we in ‘skill’?

Abstract
There is much debate on how best to develop skilled performers in sport and which practices are most effective in achieving this aim. This paper’s interest is in the coaching of high-level golfers and how coaches utilise their knowledge base to select the methods they employ to develop skilled performance. With such a varied and sometimes dichotomous range of theories, concepts, ideas and practices, the coaching industry needs support to navigate through this vast field of work. Here, the major theories of skill learning and development are presented and explored in relation to the game of golf. Due to the importance of skill acquisition, retention and transfer decisions, coaching action needs to be carefully grounded in the environment and context in which it occurs. To support this, two models are presented for consideration that can guide coaches’ skill acquisition reflections and future skill development decisions. Golf specific examples are provided to bring these models to life but the utility of both frameworks has value to sports coaching in its many varied contexts. (176 words)
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2018-07-12T16:49:58-05:00August 14th, 2018|Sports Coaching, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off on Coaching Golf – How skilled are we in ‘skill’?
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Relationship Between Physical Training, Ratings of Perceived Exertion, and Mental Toughness in Female NCAA Division I Volleyball Players

Authors: Mathieu Castello, Jacob P Reed, Robin Lund, Mick Mack
Kinesiology, Allied Health, and Human Services
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614

Corresponding Author:
Jacob Reed
University of Northern Iowa
203 Wellness and Recreation Center
Cedar Falls, IA 50614
Phone: 319-273-2071
Email: jacob.reed@uni.edu

Relationship Between Physical Training, Ratings of Perceived Exertion, and Mental Toughness in Female NCAA Division I Volleyball Players

 
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between participating in a conditioning program, ratings of perceived exertion, heart rate (HR), and mental toughness. Thirteen Division I Volleyball players were recruited while 10 participated in an 8-week off-season conditioning program aimed at improving physical fitness. Before and after the training period, the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test and Mental, Emotional, and Bodily Toughness Inventory (MeBTough) were completed. While performing the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test, heart rate was collected. During the 8-week program, session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) was obtained following each training session. Significant improvement in physiological capacity was observed following the 8-week training protocol; pre (844m ± 196.37) to post (980m ± 200.67), t(9) = -5.50, p = 0.00. Mental toughness scores (as assessed by the MeBTough) did not change significantly during that same time period; pre (145.2 ± 12.3) to post (144 ± 16.72), p > 0.05. Additionally, no significant correlation between the capacity to perform on the physical test, the mental toughness score, sRPE, or maximum HR was found.

Based on these observations, coaches should be cautious in their judgement of an athlete’s mental toughness based on fitness, sRPE, and HR. Finally, it appears that an 8-week conditioning program was not enough to elicit any changes in mental toughness. Mental toughness is a complex phenomenon. As such, coaches should be cautious when assessing an athlete’s mental toughness based solely on the results of a physical test or values provided from the session RPE. Furthermore, the researchers observation that mental toughness did not change over an 8-week training protocol demonstrates that hard physical training does not necessarily improve mental toughness. This result is not definitive but does warrant further investigation.
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2018-06-29T10:34:30-05:00August 9th, 2018|Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off on Relationship Between Physical Training, Ratings of Perceived Exertion, and Mental Toughness in Female NCAA Division I Volleyball Players
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Difficult Promotion

Authors: Barry Shollenberger

Corresponding Author:
Barry Shollenberger, Ed.D.
5204 Merion Court
Valrico, FL 33596
bshollenberger@verizon.net
(813) 653-9207

Dr. Barry Shollenberger holds the position of Associate Professor of Sports Management in the American Public University System. He is a former head Baseball Coach at The University of Alabama (15 years) and, in 1997, completed a two-week coaching symposium titled, “Sport Coaching Methodology” in Bangkok, Thailand as a consultant for the United States Sports Academy.

Difficult Promotion

ABSTRACT
On August 17, 1920, Ray Chapman, shortstop for the Cleveland Indians, was hit behind the left ear by a pitched baseball and died as a result. He remains the only Major League baseball player ever killed on the field of play. To replace Chapman, the Indians promoted Joe Sewell from their minor league system. Thus began a Hall-of-Fame career that spanned twelve seasons with the Indians and New York Yankees. Mr. Sewell later scouted for the Indians and spent the last six years of his baseball career as Baseball Coach at The University of Alabama.
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2018-07-09T08:53:22-05:00August 7th, 2018|Commentary, Sports Coaching|Comments Off on Difficult Promotion
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NBA Players’ Pay and Performance: What Counts?

Authors: Kevin Sigler and William Compton

Corresponding Author:
Kevin Sigler, PhD
601 College Road
Department of Economics and Finance
Cameron School of Business
UNC Wilmington
Wilmingtomn, NC 28403
siglerk@uncw.edu
910-200-2076

Kevin Sigler is Professor of Finance in the Cameron School of Business, UNC Wilmington

William Compton is Professor of Finance in the Cameron School of Business, UNC Wilmington

NBA Players’ Pay and Performance: What Counts?

ABSTRACT
The stars in the National Basketball Association (NBA) are paid handsomely. In the 2017-18 season Stephen Curry received over $34.7 million and LeBron James made over $33.3 million on the court. Prior studies show that players are paid for points scored, rebounds, experience, assists, blocks, field goal percentage and fouls. But the NBA is evolving. Teams over the years have gone from seldom shooting the 3-point shot to making it the focus of their offense. Analytics that first received much attention in baseball with the money ball phenomenon are now in all sports as well. This study accounts for the change in the game by not only including significant variables from prior studies but by also incorporating the 3-point shot and the Hollinger player efficiency rating (PER) in analyzing what counts in determining NBA players’ pay. The researchers find that points, player experience (years in the league), assists, rebounds and fouls are statistically significant factors when it comes to paying NBA players but we also discover that 3-point shots made and Hollinger’s PER are insignificant. In addition, the researchers perform a backward stepwise regression eliminating insignificant independent variables one at a time (least significant each time) until the model includes only significant variables. Again, the same variables are statistically significant although the statistics for the stepwise model improve over the original model.
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2018-06-19T13:57:59-05:00August 2nd, 2018|Commentary, Sports Management|Comments Off on NBA Players’ Pay and Performance: What Counts?
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Experiencing a Super Bowl: The Motivations of Student Volunteers at a Mega-Event

Authors: Alan Ledford, Ed.D., Angela Mitchell, Ph.D., Travis Scheadler

Corresponding Authors:
Alan Ledford, Ed.D.
alan_ledford@wilmington.edu
(937) 481-2253
1870 Quaker Way
Pyle Box 1246
Wilmington, OH 45177
Wilmington College

Angela Mitchell, Ph.D.
angela_mitchell@wilmington.edu
(937) 481-2211
1870 Quaker Way
Bailey Hall 201
Wilmington, OH 45177
Wilmington College

Travis Scheadler
tscheadler@wilmington.edu
(937) 751-5799
6811 Oakland Rd
Loveland, OH 45140
Wilmington College

Experiencing a Super Bowl: The Motivations of Student Volunteers at a Mega-Event

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations of sport management students during an experiential excursion to Super Bowl LI. The study pulls from prior questionnaires on volunteer motivations. A quantitative approach was employed using a 47-item questionnaire completed by students who volunteered at the National Football League Experience and at Super Bowl LI. The findings revealed that students were motivated by professional development, altruistic motivations, and lastly by the general experience of the Super Bowl. Moreover, these results suggest that class rank, or more specifically student maturity, impacts the underlying motivations for volunteering at a mega-event such as the Super Bowl.
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2018-06-29T09:47:49-05:00July 31st, 2018|Research, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off on Experiencing a Super Bowl: The Motivations of Student Volunteers at a Mega-Event
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