scholarly journals Associations of Early Sport Specialization and High Training Volume With Injury Rates in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Athletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 232596712090682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth Ahlquist ◽  
Brian M. Cash ◽  
Sharon L. Hame
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Division I ◽  
Multiple Injuries ◽  
Training Volume ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Time Out ◽  
Division I Athletes

Background: There are 60 million US youth who participate in organized athletics, with large increases in both sport participation and specialization during the past 2 decades. There is some evidence that increased sport specialization and training volumes may be associated with increased injuries in adolescent populations. This study examines these variables in a population of elite college athletes. Hypothesis: Early sport specialization (ESS) and a high training volume are risk factors for injury and/or surgery in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: All Division I athletes at a single institution were surveyed regarding demographics, scholarship status, reason for specialization, age at specialization, training volume, and injury history. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to identify significant differences. Results: Athletes who specialized in their eventual varsity sport before age 14 years were more likely to report a history of injuries (86.9% vs 71.4%), multiple injuries (64.6% vs 48.8%), multiple college injuries (17.2% vs 6.0%), a greater number of total injuries (2.0 vs 1.0), and require more time out for an injury (15.2 vs 6.5 weeks) than those who did not. They were also more likely to be recruited (92.9% vs 82.1%) and receive a scholarship (82.8% vs 67.9%). Athletes who trained for greater than 28 hours per week in their eventual varsity sport before high school were more likely to report multiple injuries (90.0% vs 56.3%), multiple college injuries (40.0% vs 12.5%), a surgical injury (60.0% vs 22.9%), multiple surgical injuries (30.0% vs 4.7%), a greater number of total injuries (2.5 vs 2.0), and more time out for an injury (36.5 vs 11.0 weeks) than those who did not (all P < .05). However, these athletes were not more likely to be recruited (90.0% vs 89.8%) or receive a scholarship (80.0% vs 74.5%). Conclusion: NCAA Division I athletes with ESS and/or a high training volume sustained more injuries and missed more time because of an injury, but those with ESS were more likely to be recruited and receive a college scholarship. This knowledge can help inform discussions and decision making among athletes, parents, coaches, trainers, and physicians.

scholarly journals The Associations of Early Sport Specialization and Training Volume with Injury Rates in NCAA Division I Athletes

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3_suppl2) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0019
Author(s):  
Seth Ahlquist ◽  
Brian Michael Cash ◽  
Sharon L. Hame
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
Division I ◽  
Multiple Injuries ◽  
Training Volume ◽  
Time Out ◽  
Division I Athletes ◽  
Surgical Injuries ◽  
Surgical Injury

Objectives: Sixty million United States youth ages 6-18 participate in organized athletics, with large increases in both sport participation and specialization in the past two decades. This study seeks to determine whether early specialization in a single sport and high training volume is associated with an increased risk of injury and surgery in NCAA Division I athletes. A secondary aim is to assess whether sport specialization and high training volume is associated with elite athletic status (i.e. being recruited and/or receiving athletic scholarships). Methods: All NCAA Division I athletes at a single institution were sent a voluntary survey by email. Athletes were surveyed regarding demographics, scholarship status, reasons for sport specialization, age of specialization, training volume, and injury/surgical history. A total of 232 out of 652 athletes completed some portion of the survey. 30 surveys were excluded due to incomplete or incorrect survey completion, leaving 202 surveys available for analysis. Injuries were defined as those which precluded sport participation for > 1 week. Early sport specialization was defined as narrowing participation to one primary sport prior to age 14. High training volume was defined as greater than 28 hours per week during pre-high school years. Exclusion criteria included incomplete surveys and individuals less than age 18. Chi-square, Fisher’s Exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to establish significant differences. Results: Individuals who specialized in their varsity sport prior to age 14 were more likely to report a history of injury (86.9 vs. 74.0%, X = 4.7, p = .03), multiple injuries (64.6 vs. 49.4%, X = 4.2, p = .04), multiple college injuries (17.2 vs. 6.5%, X = 4.5, p = .03), total injuries (2 vs. 1, U = 3035, p = .02), and total time out for injury (15.2 vs. 7.0 weeks, U = 3150, p = .05). Early specializers were more likely to be recruited (92.9 vs. 83.1%, X = 4.1, p = .04) and receive a scholarship in their varsity sport (82.8 vs. 67.5%, X = 5.6, p =.02). Full scholarship athletes were more likely to report multiple surgical injuries (11.7 vs. 3.5%, X = 5.0, p =.03). Those with a scholarships greater than 50% were more likely to report a surgical injury (34.1 vs. 18.3%, X = 6.5, p = .01). Individuals who trained for greater than 28 hours per week in their varsity sport prior to high school were more likely to report multiple injuries (90.0 vs. 56.7%, X = 4.3, p = .04) multiple college injuries (40.0% vs. 14.0%, p = .05), a surgical injury (60.0 vs. 21.7%, p = .01), multiple surgical injuries (30.0 vs. 4.5%, p = .02), and greater total time out for injury (36.5 vs. 11.0 weeks, U = 424, p = .02). Individuals with a pre-high school training volume greater than 28 hours/week in their varsity sport were not more likely to be recruited (90.0 vs. 89.8%, p = 1.0) or receive a scholarship (80.0 vs. 74.5%, p = 1.0). Those in non-contact varsity sports were more likely to report multiple college injuries than those in limited and full contact sports, respectively (20.4 vs. 6.4 vs. 8.8%, X = 7.0, p = .03). Those in individual sports were more likely to report a college injury (55.3 vs. 38.9%, X = 5.1, p = .02) and multiple college injuries (25.0 vs. 7.1%, X = 12.7, p &lt .001). Conclusion: NCAA Division I athletes who specialized in their varsity sport prior to age 14 were more likely to be recruited and receive an athletic scholarship. However, these individuals, as well as those with high training volume prior to high school, had increased rates of injury and injuries requiring surgery.

scholarly journals Not Going Pro: On Seeking Lasting Returns from College Sports

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Horner ◽  
Neal Ternes ◽  
Christopher McLeod
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Division I ◽  
Personal Investment

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) clearly states there are many favorable qualities derived from participation that benefit those “who go pro in something other than sports.” However, the ability of collegiate athletics to deliver on the promise of attributable long-term vocational value is rarely questioned. Instead, student-athletes are encouraged to think of their participation as a personal investment with enduring rewards for the investor. In this study involving former NCAA Division I student-athletes, the authors examined whether participation can be regarded as an investment and how student-athletes perceive the returns thus derived. Extending Becker’s (1962) theory of human capital investment to sport participation, the authors probed participants’ experiences for evidence of investment thinking and lasting benefits in corporeal, economic, social, and cultural varieties. The findings support the notion that participation in collegiate athletics can be broadly defined as an investment, but not in accordance with the long-term utility maximizing rationale described by neoclassical economists. Furthermore, the high cost of participation, inherent uncertainty, and unreliable information confound the athlete’s decision-making and blur the distinction between consumption in the present and investing for the future.

scholarly journals An Analysis of Sports Specialization in NCAA Division I Collegiate Athletics

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 232596711882117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasani W. Swindell ◽  
Melanie L. Marcille ◽  
David P. Trofa ◽  
Franklin E. Paulino ◽  
Natasha N. Desai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Youth Sports ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Division I ◽  
P Value ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Individual Sports

Background: Youth sports specialization has become more prevalent despite consequences such as increased injury rates and burnout. Young athletes, coaches, and parents continue to have misconceptions about the necessity of sports specialization, giving athletes the encouragement to focus on a single sport at a younger age. Purpose: To characterize the motivations for specialization and determine when elite athletes in various individual and team sports made the decision to specialize. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A Likert-style survey was developed and distributed to athletes from two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions. The survey’s Flesch-Kincaid grade level was 6.3. Statistical analysis was performed via the Student t test, where a P value less than .05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 303 athletes with a mean ± SD age of 19.9 ± 1.52 years across 19 sports were surveyed; 94.7% of specialized athletes had previously played another organized sport prior to college, and 45% of athletes had played multiple sports up to age 16 years. The mean age of specialization was 14.9 years, with a significant difference between athletes competing in team (15.5 years) and individual (14.0 years) sports ( P = .008). Males in individual sports specialized earlier than those in team sports ( P ≤ .001). Nearly one-fifth (17.4%) of athletes reported specializing at age 12 years or earlier. Personal interest, skill level, time constraints, and potential scholarships were the most important reasons for specialization overall. For individual sports, the motivations for specialization were similar, but collegiate ( P < .001) or professional ( P < .001) ambitions were significantly larger contributing factors. Conclusion: Early sports specialization is uncommon among NCAA Division I athletes for most team sports, whereas individual sports tend to have athletes who specialize earlier and are more motivated by professional and collegiate goals. This study characterized the timing of specialization among elite athletes, providing a basis for understanding the motivations behind youth sports specialization. Physicians should be prepared to discuss the misconception that early sports specialization is necessary or common among most team-focused collegiate-level athletes. Knowing the motivations for sports specialization will guide clinicians in their discussions with youth athletes.

Psychological Skills Training in NCAA Division I Athletics: Are Athletes Ready for Change?

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
William V. Massey ◽  
Stacy L. Gnacinski ◽  
Barbara B. Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Transtheoretical Model ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Readiness To Change ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Decisional Balance ◽  
Division I ◽  
Psychological Skills ◽  
Psychological Skills Training ◽  
Division I Athletes

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of psychological skills training (PST), yet many athletes do not appear ready to do whatever it takes to improve the mental aspects of performance. Although the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), generally, and readiness to change, specifically, have received considerable attention in a range of allied health fields, few studies have been conducted to examine this construct in applied sport psychology. The purpose of the current study was to examine National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes’ readiness for PST as it relates to their stage of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, and use of processes of change. The data trends observed in the current study were consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of the TTM as well as previous research on NCAA Division I athletes. The results of the current study highlight the need to consider readiness to change when designing and implementing PST interventions.

scholarly journals High School Sport Specialization Patterns of Current Division I Athletes

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric G. Post ◽  
Jill M. Thein-Nissenbaum ◽  
Mikel R. Stiffler ◽  
M. Alison Brooks ◽  
David R. Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
Division I ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Division I Athletes

Background: Sport specialization is a strategy to acquire superior sport performance in 1 sport but is associated with increased injury risk. Currently, the degree of high school specialization among Division I athletes is unknown. Hypothesis: College athletes will display increased rates of specialization as they progress through their high school careers. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Three hundred forty-three athletes (115 female) representing 9 sports from a Midwest Division I University completed a previously utilized sport specialization questionnaire regarding sport participation patterns for each grade of high school. McNemar and chi-square tests were used to investigate associations of grade, sport, and sex with prevalence of sport specialization category (low, moderate, high) (a priori P ≤ 0.05). Results: Specialization increased throughout high school, with 16.9% (n = 58) and 41.1% (n = 141) of athletes highly specialized in 9th and 12th grades, respectively. Football athletes were less likely to be highly specialized than nonfootball athletes for each year of high school ( P < 0.001). There was no difference in degree of specialization between sexes at any grade level ( P > 0.23). Conclusion: The majority of Division I athletes were not classified as highly specialized throughout high school, but the prevalence of high specialization increased as athletes progressed through high school. Nonfootball athletes were more likely to be highly specialized than football athletes at each grade level. Clinical Relevance: Most athletes who are recruited to participate in collegiate athletics will eventually specialize in their sport, but it does not appear that early specialization is necessary to become a Division I athlete. Athletes should be counseled regarding safe participation in sport during high school to minimize injury and maximize performance.

scholarly journals “She is the Best Female Coach”: Female Swimming Coaches’ Experiences of Sexism

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-118
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Siegele ◽  
Robin Hardin ◽  
Elizabeth A. Taylor ◽  
Allison B. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Career Mobility ◽  
The United States ◽  
Division I ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
Female Coaches

Sport participation for women and girls is at an all-time high in the United States, but women are still widely underrepresented in leadership positions and coaching (Acosta & Carpenter, 2014). Women hold approximately 50% of head coaching positions of women’s teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and only 18% of the head coaching positions of women’s swimming and diving teams (LaVoi & Silva-Breen, 2018). Numerous barriers have been identified through previous research on the factors that inhibit upward career mobility for female coaches. Semi-structured interviews were used to examine the career experiences of 21 current or former female swimming coaches at the NCAA Division I level. The theme of sexism in coaching was pervasive and identified in five different categories: (a) misidentification, (b) differential treatment, (c) isolation, (d) tokenism, and (e) motherhood. The sexism that female coaches experience hinders upward career mobility which can lead to career dissatisfaction and early exits from the field, contributing to the underrepresentation of women in the profession.

scholarly journals ¿Por qué jugar? Sport socialization among Hispanic/Latina female NCAA division I student-athletes

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey Darvin ◽  
Alicia Cintron ◽  
Meg Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Intercollegiate Athletics ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Division I ◽  
Elite Group ◽  
Athletic Success ◽  
Potential Factors

Representation of Hispanics/Latinas in intercollegiate athletics is lacking. During the 2014-2015 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletic season, only 2.2 percent of all female Division I student-athlete’s identified as Hispanic or Latina (NCAA, 2015). This low percentage of Hispanic/Latina female participants calls into question how these young women become involved in athletics and sustain their involvement within sport. While previous research has examined the socialization processes of youth athletes and parents of youth athlete participants, there is little research aimed at examining these processes for elite-level athlete participants (Dorsch, Smith, & McDonough, 2015; Greendorfer, Blinde, & Pellegrini, 1986;). Thus, the aim of this current study was to examine the potential factors that may have contributed to consistent sport participation for an elite group of Hispanic/Latina female athletes throughout their youth and collegiate careers. Participants for this study identified as current NCAA Division I Hispanic/Latina female student-athletes. Results showed that family, specifically parents and siblings, contributed to socializing Hispanic/Latina athletes into sport, while family and coaches contributed to the persistence of their athletic endeavors. Findings also show a sense of cultural indifference, youth coaches who invested in the participants long-term, and a significant involvement of the patriarch of the family in their athletic success.

scholarly journals Preliminary Scale of Reference Values for Evaluating Reactive Strength Index-Modified in Male and Female NCAA Division I Athletes

Sports ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Sole ◽  
Timothy Suchomel ◽  
Michael Stone
Keyword(s):  
Reference Values ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Division I ◽  
Strength Index ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Division I Athletes

The purpose of this analysis was to construct a preliminary scale of reference values for reactive strength index-modified (RSImod). Countermovement jump data from 151 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletes (male n = 76; female n = 75) were analyzed. Using percentiles, scales for both male and female samples were constructed. For further analysis, athletes were separated into four performance groups based on RSImod and comparisons of jump height (JH), and time to takeoff (TTT) were performed. RSImod values ranged from 0.208 to 0.704 and 0.135 to 0.553 in males and females, respectively. Males had greater RSImod (p < 0.001, d = 1.15) and JH (p < 0.001, d = 1.41) as compared to females. No statistically significant difference was observed for TTT between males and females (p = 0.909, d = 0.02). Only JH was found to be statistically different between all performance groups. For TTT no statistical differences were observed when comparing the top two and middle two groups for males and top two, bottom two, and middle two groups for females. Similarities in TTT between sexes and across performance groups suggests JH is a primary factor contributing to differences in RSImod. The results of this analysis provide practitioners with additional insight as well as a scale of reference values for evaluating RSImod scores in collegiate athletes.

scholarly journals Estimation of Prepractice Hydration Status of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Athletes

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 624-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella L. Volpe ◽  
Kristen A. Poule ◽  
Erica G. Bland
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Specific Gravity ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Division I ◽  
Urine Specific Gravity ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Hydration Status ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Division I Athletes

Abstract Context: To our knowledge, no one has compared the prepractice hydration status of male and female National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes or has studied the effects of the menstrual cycle phase on women's prepractice hydration status. Objective: To report prepractice hydration status of collegiate athletes and determine the factors that might influence that status. Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Setting: University sports team practices. Patients or Other Participants: Participants included 138 male and 125 female athletes (age  =  19.9 ± 1.3 years, height  =  165.8 ± 42.9 cm, mass  =  77.4 ± 17.5 kg) from an NCAA Division I New England university. Intervention(s): One spontaneously voided (spot) urine sample was collected from each participant before his or her team practice and was measured 2 times. Main Outcome Measure(s): A refractometer was used to analyze the amount of light that passed through a small drop of urine and assess urine specific gravity. Fluid intake and menstrual history for women were also collected. Three hydration-status groups were defined based on the American College of Sports Medicine and National Athletic Trainers' Association criteria: (1) euhydrated, which was urine specific gravity less than 1.020; (2) hypohydrated, from 1.020 to 1.029; and (3) significantly hypohydrated, equal to or more than 1.030. Results: Thirteen percent of student-athletes appeared significantly hypohydrated, with a mean urine specific gravity of 1.031 ± 0.002 (χ2  =  12.12, P &lt; .05); 53% appeared hypohydrated, with a mean urine specific gravity of 1.024 ± 0.003 (χ2  =  12.12, P &lt; .05); and 34% appeared euhydrated, with a mean urine specific gravity of 1.012 ± 0.005 (χ2  =  0.03, P &gt; .05). A greater percentage of men (47%) than women (28%) were hypohydrated (χ2  =  8.33, P &lt; .05). In women, no difference was evident between the luteal and follicular phases of their menstrual cycles (χ2  =  0.02, P &gt; .05). Conclusions: Before activity, athletes were hypohydrated at different levels. A greater percentage of men than women were hypohydrated. Menstrual cycle phase did not appear to affect hydration in women.

Agentic Denial: How Athletic Teams Sustain Divergent Structures During Concussion Events

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-374
Author(s):  
Alaina C. Zanin ◽  
Jessica K. Kamrath ◽  
Steven R. Corman
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Division I ◽  
Certified Athletic Trainers ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Athletic Teams ◽  
Division I Athletes ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study reveals how athletic health care teams, embedded within large bureaucratic organizations and complex social systems, negotiate and sustain multiple divergent structures. An iterative analysis of 69 in-depth interviews with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes’ certified athletic trainers (ATCs) and coaches from four high-contact sports (i.e., women’s lacrosse, men’s wrestling, men’s soccer, and men’s football) revealed that team members coconstructed and negotiated multiple conflicting structures during concussion events. The divergent macro-, meso-, and micro-level structures include (a) formal versus hidden authority structures, (b) prevention versus inevitability discourse, (c) assigned versus enacted roles, and (d) authentic versus inauthentic injury performance. The analysis also revealed how a specific speech act, termed agentic denial, enabled members to obscure their agency within concussion events. Theoretical implications and practical recommendations are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document