1,720,967 research outputs found
When Taekwondo Referees See Red, but It Is an Electronic System That Gives the Points
No full textPrevious studies in taekwondo have considered the use of the manual scoring system or the electronic system with only the use of the electronic body protector. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the color protectors and success in 1,327 taekwondo matches from six World Grand Prix Series of two 4-year Olympic periods when electronic body and head protectors are used. In the total sample, the results did not show a relationship between the match outcome and the color of the protectors (p = 0.97, C = 0.001). For the individual six editions, the results showed a positive and strong relationship between wearing blue protectors and winning matches and one between wearing red protectors and winning matches (p = 0.001, C = 0.19; p = 0.001; C = 0.19). Regarding the weight categories, 8 and 5 of 48 showed higher percentages of blue and red winners, respectively. Regarding sex, male competitors showed a positive relationship between blue color and winning the match in 6 of 24 weight categories, and wearing red and winning the match was shown in 2 of 24 weight categories. Female competitors showed a positive relationship between blue color and winning the match in 2 of 24 weight categories, and wearing red and winning the match was shown in 3 of 24 weight categories. When it comes to the influence of being a seeded athlete, the results did show a significant confounding effect on the color of the protectors worn by the winner of the match in 2 of 13 weight categories in which a color effect was observed (p = 0.02, C = 0.28; p = 0.02, C = 0.28). In conclusion, wearing red does not provide a higher chance of winning the match. It seems that seeing red has a stronger effect than wearing red, especially in male contenders. Moreover, being a seeded athlete does not explain the result of the match. It seems that the introduction of the electronic helmet protector, in addition to the electronic body protector, made the scoring system more objective, decreasing the advantage of wearing red in winning matches
Exploring the age of taekwondo athletes in the Olympic Games: an analysis from Sydney 2000 to Rio 2016
No full textBACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to quantify the age at which taekwondo athletes competed in the Olympic Games and to provide initial insights into weight category changes over time. METHODS: For the first analysis, the study included all 611 taekwondo athletes who competed in the Olympics between 2000 and 2016; for each sex, a three-way ANOVA(edition of Olympic Games, competitive achievement, weight category) was performed to detect differences in the age of athletes. For the second analysis, we considered all 109 taekwondo athletes who took part in more than one edition of the Olympics between 2000 and 2016; chi-squared goodness of fit tests were performed to study the number of participations and changes in weight category of these athletes. RESULTS: Female athletes, with a mean age of 23.8±4.1 years, are significantly younger (P=0.001) than their male counterparts, with a mean age of 25.1±3.9 years. In weight category, lighter athletes being younger than heavier ones in both females (22.7±3.7 vs. 24.5±4.2 years, P=0.04) and males (23.6±3.8 vs. 26.7±3.8 years, P=0.001; 24.2±3.5 vs. 26.7±3.8 years, P=0.001). When an athlete reaches Olympic competition several times, he/she generally competes in the same weight category (P=0.001) and takes part in two consecutive editions (P=0.001). Heavier athletes have greater longevity at Olympic level than lighter athletes (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The current data provides important information for national federations engaged in the selection of athletes for Olympic competitions
Talent development environments in elite taekwondo population: a study within an Italian context
No full textBACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the quality perception of the main talent development environments within the elite taekwondo population, through the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ-5). METHODS: The TDEQ-5 was given to 107 top level athletes from the Italian National Team and from 12 domestic clubs. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out and the descriptive statistics were measured for all the individual item scores; for each factor the independent t-tests were carried out to identify differences in scores between the National and the Club environments. RESULTS: The EFA revealed four principal components (56.68%). These four factors reported good reliability values (α= from 0.63 to 0.93) and significant correlations. The development environments were positively perceived by the athletes, with factor 1 being the highest performing component and factor 2 the weakest. Factor 1 was identified as the strength of the Club environment, while factor 2 as the area of improvement for the National environment. The scale values of factors 1, 2 and 3 were significantly higher (P<0.01) in the Club environment. The item-by-item analysis revealed the presence of three strengths and six areas of improvement in the national environment, eleven strengths and no areas of improvement in the Club environment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the different development environments surveyed and may allow to plan targeted interventions to increase the perception of quality of the talent development environments, thus allowing the stakeholders to optimize their work
Birth Advantages in Male Italian Soccer: How They Influence Players Youth Career and Their Future Career Status
No full textSoccer organizations generally adopt deterministic models within their talent pathways. In this framework, early ability and results are emphasized, leading to selection biases, such as birth advantages (i.e., relative age effects and birthplace effects), which research has shown affect both early developmental experiences and continued sporting involvement. Accordingly, this study aimed to (a) provide further test of birth advantages in Italian youth soccer by exploring the birth quarter (BQ) and birthplace (BP) distribution of 1050 male Italian players born between 1999 and 2001 who competed in the national U17 championship throughout the 2015–16 season and (b) investigate how birth advantages influenced selected players’ future career status. Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests revealed early born players, and players born in North Italy were overrepresented at the youth level (p-values < 0.0001). Successive prospective analysis revealed only 18% of players developed into professional-level soccer players. Chi-square tests of independence indicated that players’ BP was associated with their future career status (p < 0.0001), whereas their BQ was not (p = 0.459). Odds ratios showed players born in North Italy were five times more likely to complete the youth-to-senior transition than those born in South Italy. These findings highlighted environmental factors influence Italian players’ early developmental experiences and their future career status
Relationships between sport-specific tests and their validity in predicting the time-motion profile in international taekwondo matches
No full textBackground: The Frequency Speed of Kick Test (FSKT) and the Progressive Specific Taekwondo Test (PSTT) are among the most used sport-specific tests in taekwondo. This study aimed to: (i) investigate the relationship between sport-specific anaerobic (FSKT) and aerobic (PSTT) performance; (ii) evaluate these tests’ validity in predicting the time-motion profile in official matches. Methods: Sixteen national/international-level taekwondo athletes participated in this study. The FSKT and the PSTT were performed on consecutive days. Within the following 1–3 weeks, athletes competed in an international competition. Videos of each athlete’s first combat of the day were analyzed for time-motion analysis, including thirty-two performances (tested athletes and respective opponents), with a total of 2988 actions. Results: Multiple FSKT performance was correlated with aerobic power (Rho [ρ] = 0.730–0.759 [95% CI: 0.352–0.914], p ≤ 0.013) and capacity (ρ = -0.606 [95% CI: -0.852 – -0.141], p = 0.013) indicators of the PSTT. Time-motion indexes were correlated (ρ = 0.756–1.000 [95% CI: 0.402–1.000], p < 0.001) and the activity profile did not differ (p > 0.05) between tested athletes and their opponents. No significant relationship emerged between FSKT performances and time-motion indexes (ρ = -0.442–0.396 [95% CI: -0.776–0.753, p > 0.05), as well as between PSTT indicators and time-motion indexes (ρ = -0.462–0.462 [95% CI: -0.786–0.786], p > 0.05). Conclusions: The pattern of correlations emerged between sport-specific performances suggests that the dynamics of interaction between anaerobic and aerobic metabolism are crucial for maintaining the short and intermittent kicking actions. The rhythm of the first combat of the day, generated by the technical-tactical dynamics, justifies the inability to predict high- and low-intensity actions from the physical fitness variables. However, both the time-motion indexes and tests’ performance allow for the prescription of specific trainings. Time-motion indexes could be used to structure sport-specific high-intensity interval training (HIIT), while the ten seconds FSKT performance and the capacity and power indicators of the PSTT (i.e., kick frequency at the heart rate deflection point and maximal kick frequency, respectively) could be used to prescribe HIIT with short and long intervals
Relative age effects and the youth-to-senior transition in Italian soccer: the underdog hypothesis versus knock-on effects of relative age
No full textRelative Age Effects (RAEs) appear largely throughout youth soccer. However, little is known about how RAEs at youth levels can impact transition at senior levels. Accordingly, this study aimed to: (a) provide further test of RAEs by exploring the birth quarter (BQ) distribution of 2,030 Italian players born from 1975 to 2001 who have played in any of the Youth National Italian Soccer Teams; and (b) investigate how RAEs influence future career outcomes, by exploring the BQ distribution of players who completed the transition from youth squads to the Senior National Team (n = 182). Chi-square statistics revealed significantly skewed BQ distributions for all Youth squads (P values <0.0001), and for the cohort of players who completed the transition (P = 0.003). In contrast, results from the Odds Ratios highlighted how BQ4s were more likely to transition from youth-to-senior compared to BQ1s. Results showed BQ1s remained overrepresented at senior level due to a residual bias effect. Whereas BQ4s who were able to overcome selection processes at youth levels recorded the highest likelihood of competing at senior levels. Involving players’ career trajectories in RAEs studies is needed to understand how RAEs impacts career outcomes of early selected players
(Beyond) the field of play: contrasting deterministic and probabilistic approaches to talent identification and development systems
No full textTalent identification and development systems (TIDS) adopt a deterministic perspective (i.e. athletes’ future state/performances can be predicted by observations of their initial state/performance), which encourages early identification and specialisation in sport. In this framework, the main aim of sport systems is to enhance predictability and reduce uncertainty, by investigating the causal relationship between entering a talent pathway and becoming an expert performer. Generally, athletes who display ideal body proportions and attain certain performance standards in early developmental stages are labelled as talented (i.e. they display the potential to succeed) and are selected by TIDS, which afford them a superior developmental opportunity (i.e. better training facilities, certified coaching staff, and higher competition levels), to realise their potential. A deterministic approach, thus, (a) sees talent as a fixed capacity, whereby future successful athletes can be identified early (i.e. early identification); and (b) considers entering at an earlier age in a talent pathway a pre-requisite for sporting success (i.e. early specialisation). Contrary to deterministic expectations, recent research has highlighted how being considered talented from the early stages does not guarantee a better likelihood of successfully achieve senior sporting success. In this paper, taking ideas from ecological anthropology, a new probabilistic approach is proposed which considers TIDS as a process (i.e. being talented is about remaining responsive to what you could become), dialogical (i.e. athlete selection and development are not done in isolation, but both influenced by sociocultural constraints), and open-ended (i.e. unpredictability related to future outcomes). If sport systems embrace the uncertainty of developmental pathways opportunities arise to participate in conversations across and within TIDS to support systemic change. We conclude by proposing four key foundations of any probabilistic TIDS: give sport back to kids, ethos of amateurism, delaying selection processes, and early diversification
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Influences of sociocultural and historical constraints on athletes’ developmental experiences: a case study of baseball in Japan
No full textMany observers have pointed out how baseball in Japan is narrated, taught, and played differently from its counterpart in North America. Hard-work, selfless behaviors, and defensive and collectivistic strategies are described as the basic tenets of Japanese baseball, often referred to as ‘Samurai Baseball’. This paper aims to investigate sports and non-sporting constraints that define this distinct way of perceiving the game. Ecological psychology, arguing individuals’ actions should be investigated at the level of interactions which happen between them and their environment, provides the epistemological foundation for this study, while the Skilled Intentionality Framework, proposing behaviours occur amid specific sets of promoted values, gives the ontological base for investigating proximal and distal influences on Japanese ballplayers’ development. Using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model as a theoretical framework, this paper demonstrates how coaches’ strategies and training proposals, as well as players’ skill-acquisition processes, are constrained by socio-cultural-historical features of the culture of reference
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