scholarly journals Absolute and relative reliability of SCRuM test battery components assembled for schoolboy rugby players playing competitive rugby in low-resource settings: A pragmatic in-season test-retest approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Chiwaridzo ◽  
Cathrine Tadyanemhandu ◽  
Nonhlanhla Mkumbuzi ◽  
Jermaine M Dambi ◽  
Gillian D Ferguson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Rugby League ◽  
Test Battery ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Relative Reliability ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Skill Test ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Rugby Players

Background: Schoolboy rugby is a popular sport which forms the bedrock of rugby development in many African countries, including Zimbabwe. With burgeoning talent identification programmes, the development of multi-dimensional, logically- validated, and reliable test batteries is essential to inform the objective selection of potentially talented young rugby athletes. Objectives: This study sought evidence on the absolute and relative test-retest reliability of the component test items in the newly-assembled SCRuM test battery. Methods: Utilising a pragmatic test-retest experimental design, a sample of 41 Under-19 schoolboy players playing competitive rugby in the elite Super Eight Schools Rugby League in Harare, Zimbabwe, participated in the study. Results: Physiological and game-specific skills tests which showed good to excellent relative reliability and acceptable absolute reliability, included: 20 m and 40 m speed, L-run, Vertical Jump (VJ), 60 s Push-Up, 2 kg Medicine Ball Chest Throw test (2 kg MBCT), Wall Sit Leg Strength test (WSLS), Repeated High Intensity Exercise test (RHIE), One Repetition Maximum Back Squat (1-RM BS) and Bench Press tests (1-RM BP), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 test (Yo-Yo IRT L1), Tackling Proficiency test, Passing Ability Skill test and Running and Catching Ability skill test. Conclusion: All these tests are reliable and warrant inclusion in the SCRuM test battery for possible profiling of U19 schoolboy rugby players during the ‘in-season’ phase provided there is adequate participant familiarisation and test standardisation. The test-retest ICCs and measurement errors are generalisable to other young athletes in this population, making the tests useful for the evaluation of training and developmental effects of the measured constructs.

scholarly journals Recovery strategies implemented by sport support staff of elite rugby players in South Africa

2009 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D.V. Van Wyk ◽  
M.I. Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Cold Water ◽  
Water Immersion ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Cold Water Immersion ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Medical Support ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Recovery Strategies ◽  
Rugby Players

Objective: The main aim of this study was to determine strategies used toaccelerate recovery of elite rugby players after training and matches, asused by medical support staff of rugby teams in South A frica. A  secondaryaim was to focus on specifics of implementing ice/cold water immersion asrecovery strategy. Design: A  Questionnaire-based cross sectional descriptive survey was used.Setting and Participants: Most (n=58) of the medical support staff ofrugby teams (doctors, physiotherapists, biokineticists and fitness trainers)who attended the inaugural Rugby Medical A ssociation conference linked to the South A frican Sports MedicineA ssociation Conference in Pretoria (14-16th November, 2007) participated in the study. Results: Recovery strategies were utilized mostly after matches. Stretching and ice/cold water immersion were utilized the most (83%). More biokineticists and fitness trainers advocated the usage of stretching than their counter-parts (medical doctors and physiotherapists). Ice/Cold water immersion and A ctive Recovery were the top two ratedstrategies. A  summary of the details around implementation of ice/cold water therapy is shown (mean) as utilized bythe subjects: (i) The time to immersion after matches was 12±9 min; (ii) The total duration of one immersion sessionwas 6±6 min; (iii) 3 immersion sessions per average training week was utilized by subjects; (iv) The average water temperature was 10±3 ºC.; (v) Ice cubes were used most frequently to cool water for immersion sessions, and(vi) plastic drums were mostly used as the container for water. Conclusion: In this survey the representative group of support staff provided insight to which strategies are utilizedin South A frican elite rugby teams to accelerate recovery of players after training and/or matches.

Test-Retest Reliability of the Eurofit Test Battery Administered to University Students

2002 ◽  
Vol 95 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1295-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Tsigilis ◽  
Helen Douda ◽  
Savvas P. Tokmakidis
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Test Battery ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Motor Fitness ◽  
Fitness Tests ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Motor Fitness Tests

The purpose of this study was to examine the rest-retest reliability of the Eurofit motor fitness tests performed by university students. A total of 98 undergraduate students who were enrolled in physical education departments in Greece participated (29 men aged 19.5 ± 2.7 hr. and 66 women aged 19, 4 ± 2.7 yr.). ALL Eurofit motor fitness tests and anthropometric measurements were obtained twice with one week between the two measurements, Intraclass correlation coefficient indicated satisfactory coefficients above .70 for most tests. The only exception was the plate-tapping test which yielded a low value ( R = .57). Further, the majority of the Eurofit test battery fitted well within the 95% confidence interval, and only three Eurofit motor fitness test items (flamingo balance, plate tapping, and sit-ups) presented a confidence limit below the value of .70, These findings indicated that the Eurofit test battery yielded reliable data for undergraduate students. However, modifications should be considered to improve the reliability of certain test items, for application to undergraduates.

scholarly journals A new comprehensive Eye-Tracking Test Battery concurrently evaluating the Pupil Labs Glasses and the EyeLink 1000

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt V. Ehinger ◽  
Katharina Groß ◽  
Inga Ibs ◽  
Peter König
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Smooth Pursuit ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Test Battery ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Experimental Session ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Eye Tracker ◽  
Spatial Accuracy

ABSTRACTEye-tracking experiments rely heavily on good data quality of eye-trackers. Unfortunately, it is often that only the spatial accuracy and precision values are available from the manufacturers. These two values alone are not sufficient enough to serve as a benchmark for an eye-tracker: Eye-tracking quality deteriorates during an experimental session due to head movements, changing illumination or calibration decay. Additionally, different experimental paradigms require the analysis of different types of eye movements, for instance smooth pursuit movements, blinks or microsaccades, which themselves cannot readily be evaluated by using spatial accuracy or precision alone. To obtain a more comprehensive description of properties, we developed an extensive eye-tracking test battery. In 10 different tasks, we evaluated eye-tracking related measures such as: the decay of accuracy, fixation durations, pupil dilation, smooth pursuit movement, microsaccade detection, blink detection, or the influence of head motion. For some measures, true theoretical values exist. For others, a relative comparison to a gold standard eye-tracker is needed. Therefore, we collected our gaze data simultaneously from a gold standard remote EyeLink 1000 eye-tracker and compared it with the mobile Pupil Labs glasses.As expected, the average spatial accuracy of 0.57° for the EyeLink 1000 eye-tracker was better than the 0.82° for the Pupil Labs glasses (N=15). Furthermore, we detected less fixations and shorter saccade durations for the Pupil Labs glasses. Similarly, we found fewer microsaccades using the Pupil Labs glasses. The accuracy over time decayed only slightly for the EyeLink 1000, but strongly for the Pupil Labs glasses. Finally we observed that the measured pupil diameters differed between eye-trackers on the individual subject level but not the group level.To conclude, our eye-tracking test battery offers 10 tasks that allow us to benchmark the many parameters of interest in stereotypical eye-tracking situations, or addresses a common source of confounds in measurement errors (e.g. yaw and roll head movements).All recorded eye-tracking data (including Pupil Labs’ eye video files), the stimulus code for the test battery and the modular analysis pipeline are available (https://github.com/behinger/etcomp).BVE, KG, IIandPKconceived the experiment.IIandBVEcreated the experiment and recorded the gaze data.BVEandKGperformed the analysis.BVE, KGandPKreviewed the manuscript critically.

Evaluation of Change-of-Direction Movements in Young Rugby Players

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Condello ◽  
Carlo Minganti ◽  
Corrado Lupo ◽  
Cinzia Benvenuti ◽  
Daniele Pacini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Male ◽  
Test Battery ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Change Of Direction ◽  
Mastery Level ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Rugby Players

The evaluation of change-of-direction (COD) performance is strongly focused on the time spent to perform the test trials, while much less is known about the technical execution adopted during the COD movements. Thus, the purposes of this study were to evaluate (1) the relationship between straight- and COD-sprint tests and (2) the technical execution of COD movements in relation to different age categories of young rugby players. Young rugby players (N = 157, age range 8–19 y) completed a test battery composed of a 15-m straight-sprint test (15SS) and a 15-m sprint test performed with 2 changes of direction (15COD). Significant differences were detected between age categories for both tests. Significant correlations were found between 15SS and 15COD. The analysis of the technical execution of the 15COD test showed differences between age categories, with a prevalence of rounded turns up to the U15 category. These findings confirmed the relationship between straight and COD abilities in young male rugby players. Moreover, the new approach introduced by this study, based on the analysis of COD technical execution, revealed that this performance could be conditioned by the age and mastery level of the players.

Interactive radio, social network sites and development in Africa: a literature review study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Komodromos
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Mass Communication ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Agriculture Education ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The technology determinism theory facilitated in assessing the impact of interactive radio and social network sites (SNSs) on development factors such as education, agriculture, health, and governance, by conducting an integrative and comprehensive literature review focusing on African countries. This paper aims to conduct this literature review to provide comprehensive empirical evidence on the impact of interactive radio and SNSs on development in Africa. Design/methodology/approach This study examined articles that were retrieved from online databases including EBSCOhost, Elsevier, Science Direct, SAGE Journals, Springer and Wiley Online Library. The keywords used included interactive radio, radio, development in Africa, SNS, agriculture, education, health, peace and governance. Search phrases were formulated using boolean operators “AND” and “OR.” Findings Study results revealed that interactive radio and SNSs improve knowledge among farmers and allow the dissemination of information on innovative agricultural techniques, which supports the adoption of sustainable practices. Interactive radio promotes political accountability because the strategies provide the voiceless and powerless communities with a platform to express themselves. This paper discovers that the incorporation of SNS with existing multimedia communication facilitates the dissemination of health-related information on illnesses such as Ebola, HIV, hypertension, diabetes and Polio, and interactive radio and SNS promote education among marginalized communities and under-served rural schools. Research limitations/implications The findings on the impact of interactive radio and SNSs do not represent all 54 countries in Africa. Although the studies included in this literature review were conducted in several countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Malawi, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, this limited the generalizability of the findings and recommendations. Also, the other potential limitation is that using the inclusion-exclusion criteria could have resulted in bias when selecting the studies to include in the review. Practical implications The paper might serve as a valuable source of information for students, academics and entrepreneurs where the impact of interactive radio and SNSs on agriculture, education, health and governance, which are core determinants of development in Africa, has been assessed for further case studies in this area. Social implications The use of interactive radio has helped in decreasing health issues caused by a deficiency in vitamin A among children in sub-Saharan Africa. Originality/value The development of sustainable and effective interactive radio programs is dependent on the collaboration of the core stakeholders such as governmental ministries, donor organizations and the mass communication sector. Numerous open sources on technology radio stations are available to employ social media managers to help in the application of knowledge.

scholarly journals Influence of Functional Classification on Skill Tests in Elite Female Wheelchair Basketball Athletes

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaori Tachibana ◽  
Hirotaka Mutsuzaki ◽  
Yukiyo Shimizu ◽  
Takashi Doi ◽  
Kazushi Hotta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Functional Classification ◽  
Wheelchair Basketball ◽  
Basketball Players ◽  
National Team ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Skill Test ◽  
Functional Classes ◽  
Kinematic Point ◽  
Ball Test

Background and objectives: Wheelchair basketball players are classified into four functional classes according to the player’s “volume of action”, characterized by trunk movement and stability. As this classification is based on a kinematic point of view, test items might be differentially affected by the functional classification level. We aimed to clarify field-based skill test items closely related to the functional classification level. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six female wheelchair basketball athletes (Japan National Team candidates) completed seven field-based skill tests (20 m sprint, agility T-test, figure-eight with a ball test, the Yo-Yo 10 m recovery test, and three types of maximal passes), and anthropometric measurements were applied. Results: Significant differences among the classification levels were found for one-hand maximal passes (baseball and hook passes) and the figure-eight with a ball test. Furthermore, performance in the 20 m sprint and 10 m Yo-Yo recovery tests significantly differed between classes 1 and 4. Conclusions: The test items most influenced by the classification levels were one-hand passes, which require trunk stability and balance not only in the horizontal plane, but also in the sagittal and frontal planes. Coaches should consider which test items are strongly affected by the functional classification level when assessing a player’s performance.

scholarly journals Fair Go? Indigenous Rugby League Players and the Racial Exclusion of the Australian National Anthem

2020 ◽  
pp. 216747952093559
Author(s):  
Jamie Cleland ◽  
Daryl Adair ◽  
Keith Parry
Keyword(s):  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Rugby League ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
Online Media ◽  
National Anthem ◽  
Racial Exclusion ◽  
Data Source ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
Rugby Players ◽  
Theory Framework

This article explores the implications of widely publicized national anthem protests by several Indigenous rugby league players in Australia during 2019. With a goal of doing justice to these Indigenous voices (and in this case also their silence), a critical race theory framework was deployed to both listen to and interpret the reasons behind the protests. The data source was online media reports that centered on the perspectives of players and rugby league officials, along with responses to the protests by prominent journalists and politicians via online opinion pieces. The findings indicate that the voices of Indigenous athletes in Australia are important in raising concerns about nationalist rituals and symbols that, by their colonialist nature, subjugate Aboriginal peoples. Importantly, the Indigenous rugby league players were not alone in their campaign. The Recognition in Anthem Project, which began in 2017, indicates that the perspectives of these protesting rugby players were part of a wider discussion about change. The movement for a new national anthem, therefore, was not just isolated to sport, and this appears to have provided the Indigenous rugby players—as social commentators—with atypical influence.

scholarly journals Young Pacific Male Rugby Players’ Perceptions and Experiences of Mental Wellbeing

Sports ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Caleb Marsters ◽  
Jemaima Tiatia-Seath
Keyword(s):  
Family Support ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Rugby League ◽  
Rugby Union ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Male Athletes ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Rugby Players

Recent studies and increased media reporting across Australasia have linked young Pacific maleelite athletes to depression, suicide, and other adverse mental health-related events. Despite these accounts,little is known about the way this group experience emotions and mental wellbeing. The aim of this studywas to explore young Pacific male athletes’ perceptions and experiences of emotions and mental wellbeing.This qualitative study involved 20 face-to-face interviews with young Pacific males (16–24 years) engaged inelite rugby union and rugby league programmes in Auckland, New Zealand. The results identified thatathletes defined mental wellbeing in a holistic and relational manner and perceived and mental wellbeing asthe culmination of several interconnected factors, including: Family support, reciprocating family support,living a ‘well-balanced’ life, athletic performance, and personal development away from sports. Themaintenance of a well-balanced athletic identity and positive social relations were deemed central tosustaining mental wellbeing for these young men.

scholarly journals Concurrent Validity and Reliability of My Jump 2 App for Measuring Vertical Jump Height in Recreationally Active Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Špela Bogataj ◽  
Maja Pajek ◽  
Slobodan Andrašić ◽  
Nebojša Trajković
Keyword(s):  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Vertical Jump ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Jump Height ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Active Adults

This study aimed to examine the reliability, validity, and usefulness of the smartphone-based application, My Jump 2, against Optojump in recreationally active adults. Participants (18 women, 28.9 ± 5.6 years, and 26 men, 30.1 ± 10.6 years) completed squat jumps (SJ), counter-movement jumps (CMJ), and CMJ with arm swing (CMJAS) on Optojump and were simultaneously recorded using My Jump 2. To evaluate concurrent validity, jump height, calculated from flight time attained from each device, was compared for each jump type. Test-retest reliability was determined by replicating data analysis of My Jump 2 recordings on two occasions separated by two weeks. High test-retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) > 0.93) was observed for all measures in both male and female athletes. Very large correlations were observed between the My Jump 2 app and Optojump for SJ (r = 0.95, p = 0.001), CMJ (r = 0.98, p = 0.001), and CMJAS (r = 0.98, p = 0.001) in male athletes. Similar results were obtained for female recreational athletes for all jumps (r > 0.94, p = 0.001). The study results suggest that My Jump 2 is a valid, reliable, and useful tool for measuring vertical jump in recreationally active adults. Therefore, due to its simplicity and practicality, it can be used by practitioners, coaches, and recreationally-active adults to measure vertical jump performance with a simple test as SJ, CMJ, and CMJAS.

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