Contemporary Sports Issues – Page 12

Ethical Considerations of Genetic Manipulation in Sport

Submission by Dr. John T. Ehrbar1*

1* Student of doctoral studies in sports management at the United States Sports Academy

ABSTRACT

New technologies are currently being developed that will enable medical professionals to modify genes for medicinal purposes. As the process continues to be refined, the emergence of a controversial new use for this technology has ignited some serious debate. Scientists have submitted that genetic modification could potentially be used as a method of performance enhancement in sport. There are different schools of thought on this type of performance enhancement, and researchers and theorists have argued the advantages and disadvantages of using such a technology. These arguments are discussed in the present review. Though the ethical debate on this matter is in its infancy, a general consensus is that the allowance of genetic modification for the purpose of enhancing performance in sport will most certainly create a new look, along with new concerns, for sport in the future.

Key words: ethics, gene doping, sport, performance, enhancement (more…)

U.S. Sports Academy2015-05-28T10:08:23-05:00May 27th, 2015|Contemporary Sports Issues|Comments Off

Swing Kinematics Described in Division I Female Softball Players

Submitted by Cassie Reilly-Boccia1*, Travis Ficklin2*, Robin Lund3*

1* Director of Research and Development at Athletes Warehouse in Pleasantville, NY

2* Assistant Professor of Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Iowa

3* Associate Professor of Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Iowa

Cassie Reilly-Boccia is a former member of the National Champion University of Alabama softball team and is the Director of Research and Development at Athletes Warehouse in Pleasantville, NY. Travis Ficklin is an Assistant Professor of Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Iowa. Robin Lund is an Associate Professor of Movement and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Iowa.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to describe basic kinematic variables of the swing and the relationships that exist between these variables in Division I female softball players. These variables included bat velocity (BV), bat quickness (BQ), and bat acceleration (BA). Video data were collected for all swings during a 15-game softball tournament in which six NCAA Division I teams played. High-speed video cameras recording at 300 Hz were located along the first and third base lines recording every pitch. Data from 1,099 swings were analyzed for bat velocity (BV), bat quickness (BQ), and bat acceleration (BA). BQ and BV were calculated by video analysis and digitization. All swings were rank ordered by BA and assessed for relationships among BV, BQ, and BA. Descriptive statistics (mean ± SD) were calculated for all swing kinematic variables. Pearson product moment correlations were used to examine relationships among the swing kinematic variables. Alpha was set at (p<0.05) for all tests. Mean BV for all swings was 28.77 ± 4.94 m/s, mean BQ for all swings was 0.208 ± 0.042 s, and mean BA for all swings was 144.39 ± 38.44 m/s². When observing correlations of all swings, BV and BQ unexpectedly had an inverse relationship. When grouping swings into homogenous strata based on BA, BQ, and BV proved to have a significant positive correlation.

Key words: softball, bat velocity, bat quickness, bat acceleration

(more…)

U.S. Sports Academy2018-10-25T10:22:24-05:00May 20th, 2015|Contemporary Sports Issues|Comments Off

Daily Self-Monitoring of Physical Leisure Activities and Health Practices, Self-Concept, and Quality-of-Life

Submitted by Jennifer Kwak1 MA*, Michael Amrhein2*, Harald Barkhoff2*, and Elaine M. Heiby1*

1* Department of Psychology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa

2* Department of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences, University of Hawai’i at Hilo

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Being physically active during leisure time is a positive contributor to overall physical and mental health, while sedentariness is a risk factor for several diseases. Minority students are at-risk of physical inactivity during leisure time and more research is needed to better understand how this affects health outcomes and its dynamical nature.

Methods: Computer Assisted Mobile Interview (CAMI) cell phone technology was used to prospectively collect daily self-monitoring of physical leisure activity and the outcomes of six health practices (eating habits, feeling hassled, mood, alcohol and cigarette consumption, and use of sun protection) and mental health indicators of self-concept and quality-of-life, over four months with 28 multi-ethnic college students in Hawaiʻi, U.S.

Results: Correlational and multiple regression analyses yielded significant positive relationships among daily physical leisure activity, self-concept, and feeling less hassled. Daily sedentary leisure activity was significantly associated with poorer health practices. Very-Physically-Active participants reported significantly more positive self-concept than Not-Very-Physically-Active participants. Self-concept and quality-of-life were significantly related to more positive daily health practices.

Conclusions: These results provide preliminary evidence for the positive and dynamical effects of active physical leisure activity on health practices and mental health indicators, and demonstrate cell phones as an effective tool for daily self-monitoring.

Applications in Sport: Health professionals, coaches, and educators may better understand the temporal health effects of physical leisure activities in student minorities. The use of cell phone technology, particularly text-messaging, can be an effective tool to self-monitor daily activities to improve health and fitness during leisure time.

Key words: physical leisure activities, health practices, self-monitoring, self-concept, quality-of-life

(more…)

U.S. Sports Academy2015-05-11T09:00:09-05:00May 11th, 2015|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Nutrition|Comments Off

Effect of National-Level Field Hockey on Physical Fitness and Body Composition Parameters In Turkish Females

Submitted by Yılmaz Ucan1, Ph.D*

1* Abant Izzet Baysal University, School of Physical Education and Sports

Yılmaz Ucan, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Coaching Science at the Abant Izzet Baysal University, Turkey.

ABSTRACT

To be successful in field sports such as soccer, rugby, football and hockey, players need to be enhancing some bio-motor abilities like endurance, strength, speed and flexibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of national-level field hockey on physical fitness and body-composition parameters in Turkish females. Twenty-four female subjects (12 non-sporting healthy controls aged 19 to 22, 12 elite, national level field hockey players aged 18 to 21) participated in this study. Body composition, 30-meter sprint, leg power, handgrip strength, posture balance were measured. At the end of measurements, there was a significant differences in body-fat percentage (p < 0.014), fat mass (p < 0.044), speed (p < 0.000), leg power (p < 0.006), grip strength (p < 0.022), but no significant differences in fat-free mass (p > 0.442) and fall index (p > 0.258) were observed between hockey players and non-sporting controls. Results suggest that regular participation to hockey training programs improves body composition, speed, and lower- and upper-extremity strength, with no effect on fat-free mass and posture balance in young females. Additional studies may identify effects of field hockey training on physical fitness and body composition in males and different age groups.

Key words: Field hockey, fat mass, speed, strength, posture balance

(more…)

U.S. Sports Academy2015-07-24T14:15:32-05:00May 8th, 2015|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Nutrition, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology, Women and Sports|Comments Off

The Impact of Litigation, Regulation, and Legislation on Sport Concussion Management

Submitted by Mr. Gregory B. Bonds1*, William W. Edwards2 PhD*, Brandon D. Spradley3 EdD*, Theodore Phillips4 PhD*

1* Associate Athletic Director for Internal Affairs at Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville Alabama

2* Chair of Sports & Exercise Science at the United States Sports Academy , Daphne Alabama

3* Director of Continuing Education & Executive Director of the Alumni Association, United States Sports Academy, Daphne Alabama

4* Former faculty member of the United States Sports Academy, Daphne Alabama

Mr. Gregory Bonds is the Associate Athletic Director for Internal Affairs at Jacksonville State University and a doctoral student at the United States Sports Academy.

ABSTRACT

Concussion injuries impact approximately 1.7 million Americans annually. By design, sports such as football, ice hockey, and soccer demand physical contact often resulting in powerful blows to the head. The impact on concussion management affects participant safety, well-being, and awareness of diagnosis, treatment, playing rules, equipment, education, and technology. Previous research states that participating high school athletes suffer over 100,000 concussions annually. In 2009, a study sponsored by the National Football League (NFL) announced that retired players between the ages of 30 and 49 were affected by dementia-type diagnosis 20 times greater than fellow citizens in the same age bracket. Furthermore, retired players above the age of 50 were affected by dementia-type diagnosis at a rate five times higher than the national average of 1.2%. The culmination of concussion injuries from youth sports to retired professional athletes has accelerated unprecedented litigation, regulation, and legislative activities. The heightened awareness on the dangers and consequences of concussion trauma has caused sports governing bodies, state legislatures, and federal congressional intervention to enact regulation and legislation to promote the safety of sports participants. Based on recent legal activity to implement concussion and return-to-play guidelines, sports concussion awareness has risen to national attention. Lawsuits may be counterproductive if mounting litigation, legal and liability costs outpace protective regulation and equipment able to withstand powerful force application. The purpose is to review and analyze the impact of litigation, regulation, and legislation on sport concussion management.

Keywords: sport management, concussion, impact sports, concussion prevention

(more…)

U.S. Sports Academy2015-10-02T23:25:34-05:00March 23rd, 2015|Concussions, Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Management|Comments Off