Seasonal Accumulated Workloads in Collegiate Women’s Soccer: A Comparison of Starters and Reserves

Research quantifying the unique workload demands of starters and reserves in training and match settings throughout a season in collegiate soccer is limited. Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to compare accumulated workloads between starters and reserves in collegiate soccer. Methods: Twenty-two NCAA Division III female soccer athletes (height: 1.67 ± 0.05 m; body mass: 65.42 ± 6.33 kg; fat-free mass: 48.99 ± 3.81 kg; body fat %: 25.22 ± 4.78%) were equipped with wearable global positioning systems with on-board inertial sensors, which assessed a proprietary training load metric and distance covered for each practice and 22 matches throughout an entire season. Nine players were classified as starters (S), defined as those playing >50% of playing time throughout the entire season. The remaining 17 were reserves (R). Goalkeepers were excluded. A one-way ANOVA was used to determine the extent of differences in accumulated training load throughout the season by player status. Results: Accumulated training load and total distance covered for starters were greater than reserves ((S: 9431 ± 1471 vs. R: 6310 ± 2263 AU; p < 0.001) and (S: 401.7 ± 31.9 vs. R: 272.9 ± 51.4 km; p < 0.001), respectively) throughout the season. Conclusions: Starters covered a much greater distance throughout the season, resulting in almost double the training load compared to reserves. It is unknown if the high workloads experienced by starters or the low workloads of the reserves is more problematic. Managing player workloads in soccer may require attention to address potential imbalances that emerge between starters and reserves throughout a season.

The interaction between servant leadership and organizational culture: an NCAA Division III case study

PurposeServant leadership is primarily focused on the empowerment and moral development of followers (Burton et al., 2017). Within sports research, little is known about how servant leadership interacts with organizational culture in teams. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the servant leadership of one head baseball coach and examine the degree to which servant leadership affects the program's culture.Design/methodology/approachData were collected for this case study of an NCAA Division III head baseball coach throughout one academic year. Sources included 12 interviews (ranging from four minutes to 92 min), observation of practices and games, textual analysis of documents and websites, as well as the coach's reflection journal. Data were analyzed using a six-phase process of thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006).FindingsThe participant exhibited the following servant leadership behaviors: empowering, helping subordinates grow and succeed, behaving ethically, and conceptual skills (Liden et al., 2015, 2008). In addition, the program maintained a culture featuring a few distinct artifacts, very clear espoused values, and three deeply held basic assumptions. The findings suggest that the head coach used servant leadership not to create or change culture but instead to amplify the existing culture of the baseball program.Originality/valueThere is strong evidence of a link between servant leadership and team culture, which is context-bound. At the Division III level, servant leadership behaviors can be used to embody a program's culture. Furthermore, through this embodiment, servant leaders can perpetuate an effective, functioning team culture, particularly within intercollegiate athletics.

Assessment of Sport Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Practices, and Sources of Nutrition Information in NCAA Division III Collegiate Athletes

Nutrition knowledge is a critical component of meeting sport nutrition guidelines. The present study aimed to evaluate the sport nutrition knowledge of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III (DIII) athletes using a validated questionnaire, and to assess the dietary practices and sources of nutrition information in this population. A total of 331 student-athletes (n = 149 males, n = 181 females, n = 1 no sex indicated) completed the questionnaire. The mean score for total sport nutrition knowledge was 6.49 ± 8.9 (range −49 to 49) with a mean percent (%) correct score of 36.9 ± 19.1%. Athletes who had a previous college-level nutrition course (n = 62) had significantly higher (p < 0.05) total sport nutrition, carbohydrate, and hydration knowledge compared to those who did not (n = 268). Individual sport athletes (n = 90) scored significantly higher (p < 0.05) on hydration and micronutrients knowledge than team sport athletes (n = 237), while females scored higher than males for hydration knowledge (p < 0.05). The majority of athletes reported sensible dietary habits, such as not frequently skipping meals and eating carbohydrate and protein foods peri-workout. Athletes also reported their primary sources of nutrition information, the top three sources being social media, coaches, and athletic trainers, despite most frequently rating registered dietitians/nutritionists as “extremely knowledgeable”. Despite low sport nutrition knowledge, NCAA DIII collegiate athletes practiced seemingly prudent dietary habits but lacked exposure to high-quality sources of nutrition information.

Developmental Outcomes of University Female Basketball Athletes As Participants in Peer Mentoring Groups

Peer group mentoring can stimulate developmental outcomes for university basketball athletes. Seven female university basketball athletes from an NCAA Division III team participated in peer mentoring groups over the course of an academic year. By sharing about their lived experiences, the researchers were able to capture narratives that illuminated the impact of this developmental relationship. Thematic analysis was utilized to explore these descriptions and collate them into findings relevant for athletes, coaches, Athletics administrators, and others. Findings presented below indicate that these peer group mentoring experiences (a) nurtured synergistic relationships; (b) cultivated athletes’ resilience; and (c) developed athletes’ self-efficacy.

Examining the Nature and Extent of Hazing at Five NCAA Division III Institutions and Considering the Implications for Prevention

Building on the scholarship of Hoover (1999) and Allan and Madden (2008, 2012), we examined the nature and extent of hazing at five NCAA Division III institutions. NCAA Division III athletics has not been a focus of scholarly inquiry on the subject of hazing, despite documented accounts of athletes experiencing hazing and the outsized impact varsity athlete hazing can have on campus climate, given the high percentage of the student body at Division III institutions that may be at risk. Across the five institutions in this study, 40.9% of athletes experienced hazing, compared to 24.8% of non-athletes. The percentage of athletes that experienced hazing at the five Division III institutions ranged from 19.6% to 56.5%. Athletes experienced high-risk and abusive behaviors and were more likely than their non-athlete peers to have attitudes and perceptions supportive of hazing. These results indicate there is a need for research-informed hazing prevention strategies that can be utilized by Division III colleges and universities. Researchers can build upon these findings by continuing to examine hazing and factors predictive of hazing across institutional type within NCAA Division III.

Normative measures of hip strength and relation to previous injury in collegiate cross-country runners

Context: Running related injury occurs frequently in collegiate cross-country runners. Hip strength is one factor that may be important in the rehabilitation and training of cross-country runners. However, no normative values exist to inform these strategies. Objective: Establish normative values for hip abduction and external rotation isometric strength in collegiate cross-country runners and explore the association between strength and previous injury. Design: Mixed methods using descriptive epidemiology and retrospective cross-sectional designs. Setting: University Laboratory Patients or Other Participants: Eighty-two NCAA Division III cross-country runners (38 males, 44 females) participated in this study. Main Outcome Measure(s): Isometric hip strength and reported injury Results: Males demonstrated greater absolute hip strength than females. Measures of hip strength were not different between sexes when normalized to height and mass. Hip abduction asymmetry was associated with previous injury in males. A combination of at least one leg with hip abduction weakness and bilateral external rotation weakness was associated with previous injury in females. Conclusions: Knowledge of normative values of hip strength may help inform rehabilitation strategies in collegiate cross-country runners. Males and females may demonstrate differing strength profiles following running related injury.