Sports Studies and Sports Psychology – Page 6

Solutions to Declining Participation Rates in United States Male Fastpitch Softball

Authors: Timothy Hatten, Adrian Thomas and Shaine Henert

Corresponding Author:
Timothy L. Hatten, Ph.D, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, DCT
3301 N. Mulford Road
Rockford, IL. 61114
[email protected]
815-921-3816

Timothy Hatten is a Full Professor and Academic Chair in the Department of Fitness, Wellness and Sport at Rock Valley College. Dr. Hatten has over 30 years of experience, playing, managing and sponsoring male fastpitch softball.

Adrian Thomas, Helford Endowed Chair of Psychology, is currently the Director of Industrial and Organizational Psychology Ph.D. Program and a Full Professor at Roosevelt University.

Shaine Henert is an Associate Professor and Program Director in the Deparment of Kinesiolgy and Physical Education at Northern Illinois University.

Solutions to Declining Participation Rates in United States Male Fastpitch Softball

ABSTRACT

The sport of fastpitch softball (FS) has been popular in American sports and recreation dating back to at least 1933 with the formation of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), the sport’s governing body (5). In the United States, after a meteoric rise in participation through most of the century, more recently male fastpitch softball (MFS) has seen an equally dramatic downward trend in participation rates.

The purpose of the current study was to obtain baseline beliefs about the etiology of the decreasing participation rates in MFS from current participatory stakeholders. A survey of nine questions was distributed to the FS community via Survey Monkey through two softball websites that disseminate information about MFS. The survey was placed on Al’s Fastball and Fastpitch West FS internet sites for one month and (n=415) current and former participants, coaches and/or sponsors completed the survey. The current study participants felt strongly that the major reasons for the decline in participation included the importance of local adult leagues (95.9%), lack of media exposure (88.9%), loss of boy’s youth FS programs (88.6%) and the increasing costs (88.2%) associated with MFS. When asked how the governing body of softball might address these reasons for the observed decline in participation respondents deemed increasing youth involvement (42.4%) as the number one potential solution. In order, the other areas that participants felt were important were developing new pitchers (36.9%), improving grassroots programs (29.6%), and increasing media exposure (27.1%). Declining participation rates in MFS has been an ongoing issue for many years and many rationales for the decline have been offered by both experts and novices. By going directly to the real stakeholders, in MFP, it is hoped that outcomes of the current study include empirical confirmation for some oft voiced reasons for the decline in participation as well as providing some real solutions for reversing the trend.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-07-08T09:55:08-05:00July 11th, 2019|Research, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Stakeholder Evaluation of the Policy Effects of University Decisions Regarding Athletics

Authors: Brad Stinnett¹, Scott Lasley², and Josh Knight²

¹School of Kinesiology, Recreation & Sport, Western Kentucky University, United States
²Department of Political Science, Western Kentucky University, United States

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Brad Stinnett
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11089
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: 270.745.4329
E-mail: [email protected]

Stakeholder Evaluation of the Policy Effects of University Decisions Regarding Athletics

ABSTRACT

At public universities across the country, key stakeholders see intercollegiate athletics as a mechanism to raise the profile of their institution. Specifically, many universities have identified moving up in level of athletic competition as one part of a strategy to enhance a school’s visibility and reputation. Like all decisions made by public institutions, these are policy choices made by public officials that have consequences for institutions of higher education. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of two stakeholder groups (faculty and staff) at a Southern regional public university that has made the transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Specifically, this study examined and compared how key stakeholders evaluate the decision to move from the FCS to FBS level of competitions. An electronic survey was administered to university faculty and staff to collect data on their attitudes relative to intercollegiate athletics. Aggregate faculty and staff evaluations of the transition from FCS to FBS football and other strategic changes to athletics were compared to each other. Additionally, faculty and staff opinions on the emphasis placed on academics, athletics, and the arts at the university were explored. Results indicate that staff generally view the impact of transitioning to the FBS level more favorably than faculty. Additional findings reveal that faculty, more so than staff, feel that too much emphasis is placed on athletics. This study draws attention to the apparent division that exists on how faculty and staff view decisions made regarding athletics. This divide between faculty and staff relating to decisions and outcomes can make policy questions involving athletics difficult to address. This study can help shape future research on university athletics and how it influences higher education policy. University administrators, such as directors of athletics, can utilize the findings for more effective decision making and to build a bridge with key constituents such as faculty and staff.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-05-16T10:17:09-05:00May 16th, 2019|Research, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

An Exploration of Female Athletes’ Experiences and Perceptions of Male and Female Coaches: Ten Years Later

Authors:Melissa Rima, Rory Weishaar, Brian McGladrey, Erica Pratt

Corresponding Author:
Brian McGladrey, Ph.D.
400 E University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926
[email protected]
509-963-1972

Dr. Brian McGladrey is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Education, School Health, and Movement Studies at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington.

An Exploration of Female Athletes’ Experiences and Perceptions of Male and Female Coaches: Ten Years Later

ABSTRACT

Athletes’ experiences and perceptions of their coaches will be different based on differing lifestyles, personalities, and characters (16), and gender may be a mediating factor for the building of effective relationships between athletes and their coaches (11,12). The purpose of this study was to explore six female athletes’ experiences and perceptions of both male and female head coaches, and to compare results to those reported by Frey, Czech, Kent, and Johnson (4), who investigated the same issue 10 years prior. In this study, four prevalent themes emerged from semi-structured interviews with participants: (1) structure and communication; (2) personal relationships; (3) positivity and aggressiveness; and (4) coach preference. Although the results specific to coach gender preference were split (three participants stated they preferred a male coach, and three stated they preferred a female coach), other differences emerged with regard to different coach qualities. Results are discussed from the perspective of the participants, and compared to the 2006 study.

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U.S. Sports Academy2020-06-02T13:47:24-05:00May 9th, 2019|Research, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Positive and Negative Events Predict Burnout and Engagement in Athletes and Non-Athletes

Authors: Donna Webster Nelson, Merry J. Sleigh, & Alyssa M. Nelson

Corresponding Author:
Donna Webster Nelson, Ph.D.
801 Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill SC, 29733
[email protected]
803-323-2636

Positive and Negative Events Predict Burnout and Engagement in Athletes and Non-Athletes

ABSTRACT

The researchers compared predictors of engagement and burnout in adolescent athletes and non-athletes by focusing on daily positive and negative performance-related events (e.g., performing well in team practice) and interpersonal events (e.g., sharing a laugh with teammates). Participants were recent high school graduates who retrospectively reported participation in high school sports or heavy investment in alternate activities (e.g., marching band). The athletes and non-athletes were similar in how many hours they practiced and competed each week, frequency of activity-related travel, and performance level. In addition, the two groups did not differ in the extent to which their high school identity and self-esteem were based on their participation. Results revealed no overall differences between the two groups on engagement or burnout. For both groups, positive performance events predicted activity engagement (characterized by dedication, vigor and enthusiasm). However, the experiences of athletes versus non-athletes differentially predicted burnout (marked by emotional and physical exhaustion). In athletes, burnout related to both performance and interpersonal events. In non-athletes, burnout was only related to performance events. In addition, burnout was positively associated with coach focus on winning (a situation more common for athletes) and negatively associated with coach focus on fun (a situation more common for non-athletes). These findings indicate that experiencing positive and negative events is a precursor for engagement and burnout in high school athletes and non-athletes. Promoting positive (relative to negative) events during training, practice, competitions or performances could enhance benefits and prevent maladaptive outcomes of participation in extracurricular activities. Positive social interactions may be particularly important for preventing burnout in adolescent athletes.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-03-01T09:13:45-06:00March 1st, 2019|Research, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Student-Athletes vs. Athlete-Students: The academic success, campus involvement, and future goals of Division I student athletes who were university bound compared to those who would not have attended a university had they not been an athlete.

Authors: Brenda L. Vogel, Jeff Kress, and Daniel R. Jeske

Corresponding Author:
Jeff Kress, Ph.D.
Department of Kinesiology
1250 Bellflower Blvd. – MS 4901, HHS2-103
Long Beach, CA 90840
[email protected]
949-375-3958

Brenda L.Vogel is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the Director of the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Emergency Management at California State University, Long Beach. She served as the CSULB NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative from 2007-2015.

Jeff Kress is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Long Beach and teaches in the area of Physical Education Teacher. His research interests have been in the area of sport performance enhancement through psychological methods.

Daniel Jeske is a Professor, in the Department of Statistics at the University of California, Riverside. He has served as the UCR NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative. He is an elected Fellow of the American Statistical Associationand an Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and is a co-inventor on 10 U.S. Patents and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of The American Statistician.

Student-Athletes vs. Athlete-Students: The academic success, campus involvement, and future goals of Division I student athletes who were university bound compared to those who would not have attended a university had they not been an athlete.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the differences between two groups of Division I student athletes: those who would have attended a 4-year university regardless of their participation in athletics and those who would not have attended a 4-year university had it not been for the opportunity afforded them through their athletic ability. The researchers examined a number of academic factors including GPA, participation in intensive academic experiences, class participation and preparation, perception of academic experience, importance of graduation, major selection, and participation in extracurricular activities, future goals, and identification as an athlete or student. The data from the NCAA’s Growth, Opportunities, Aspirations and Learning of Students in College (GOALS) survey that was administered to a nationwide, random sample of NCAA student athletes in 2006 are discussed. Our results suggest that there were significant differences between the two groups in several of the domains measured. For example, our findings suggest that student athletes who identify as athletes first and students second think less about academics when choosing a college, are less likely to major in mathematics and science, are less likely to select a major to prepare for graduate school or a specific career, have lower GPAs, are less likely to participate in classes, are less likely to be involved in extracurricular activities, are less willing to sacrifice on athletics participation for academics, feel graduation is less important to them and to their families, and believe becoming a professional athlete is more likely. Implications for the NCAA and college athletics programs are discussed.

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U.S. Sports Academy2020-06-02T11:48:36-05:00February 21st, 2019|Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off