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This study examined the effects of body mass-based resistance training (bmRT) on selected measures of physical fitness and injury incidence and burden in soccer players. Forty-six U16 male soccer players were randomly assigned to an control (CG; n = 26) or experimental group (EG; n = 20) Countermovement jump (CMJ), change of direction (CoD) (i.e., 20 m with one CoD), and linear sprint over 30 m were assessed before and after a 15-weeks training. Any type of musculotendinous injury that occurred throughout the intervention period was recorded. Between-group difference was noted at post-test for CMJ (p = 0.008). Pre-to-post training values increased in the EG (effect size [ES] = 1.01) while in the CG no pre-to-post changes were detected (ES = 0.27). No between-group differences at post-test were observed for sprint and CoD tests. Differences in injury burden were reported (33.28 [CG] vs. 9.55 [EG] absence days/1,000 hours exposure, rate ratio = 3.49, 95% CI 2.03-6.00, p

The main objective of the present study was to provide seasonal variation data for inter-limb asymmetry in youth elite team-sport athletes. Fifty-nine players performed the single leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ) and the one leg hop for distance (OLHT) tests during pre-season, mid-season and end-season. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to determine magnitude differences in asymmetry scores between time points. Kappa coefficients (κ) were calculated to determine the levels of agreement for the direction of asymmetry. When comparing inter-limb asymmetry magnitudes across the season, the SLCMJ test showed significantly higher asymmetries at mid-season in comparison with pre-season and end-season (p

Our study aims were to identify the frequency of continued play following sport-related concussion (SRC), defined as continuing athletic activity on the same day following a suspected SRC, characteristics associated with continued play, and whether continued play was associated with worse outcomes. A prospective study of participants ages 13-18 years diagnosed with SRC at a pediatric sports medicine clinic over a 4-year period was conducted. A comparison was performed between athletes who reported continued play following SRC (PLAY) and those who did not (NO PLAY). Of 441 participants, 231 (52.4%) were in the PLAY group. The PLAY group recalled less severe balance problems from the day of injury (p = 0.02), but reported greater symptoms of trouble falling asleep, concentrating, and remembering at their initial clinic visit (p

Previous studies of parents of adolescent athletes identified a belief among parents of the importance of early specialization for skill development. However, it is unclear if these attitudes and beliefs are also held among parents of baseball athletes, which is the second-most popular boy's sport in the United States. The purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of parents of Little League baseball players regarding sport specialization and college scholarships.Two-hundred and forty-four parents of Little League baseball players (female parents: 60.7%, parent age: 41.1 ± 6.2 years old, male children: 98.0%, child age: 9.5 ± 1.6 years old) completed an anonymous online questionnaire regarding parent attitudes and beliefs on sport specialization and college scholarships.Most parents (72.4%) felt that specialization would increase their child's baseball ability either 'quite a bit' or 'a great deal.' Fewer than half of all parents (42.0%) reported that specialization was either 'quite a bit' or 'a great deal' of a problem. Parents underestimated the availability of Division I college baseball scholarship availability (median [IQR]: 5 [4-10]), compared to the actual value of 11.7 scholarships per Division I roster. Only 10.2% of parents (N = 25) reported that they believed it was 'somewhat' or 'very' likely that their child would receive a college baseball scholarship.Further efforts are needed to understand parent attitudes and beliefs regarding sport specialization and college scholarships in various sports to better understand current trends in youth sport participation.

This article examines the impact travel sports have on adult participants. Parents of travel team players are expected to attend team meetings, be present at practices and training sessions year-ro...

Youth sports provides the foundation for successful dynamics and organization within a sports ecosystem. Thus, it is necessary to explore the experiences of youth who either drop out of or persist ...

Two key value issues in youth sports development intersect in this article: 1) gender equality, and 2) the opportunity for youths to voice their concerns about their own participation. The purpose is to explore ?gender equality? as a topic of deliberation in Swedish youth sport, and specifically young sports person?s possibilities for speaking out about gender equality issues. The article draws on material from an interview study with 17 leaders and coaches, and 24 teenage athletes, with a particular attention on a focus group interview with three young badminton players. The findings indicate a dominating discourse about sport and gender that may contribute to undermine both the legitimacy of gender equality efforts and the opportunity for youths to voice their concerns. According to most leaders and coaches in the study, no problems with gender equality exist. However, some of the athletes voice experiences of injustice in their sports participation. At the same time, they indicated that talking about perceived injustice can be problematic in a sporting context. The article concludes that that there is ample room for creating opportunities for young athletes to systematically voice their concerns about their own participation, for example concerning gender (in)equality.

Research demonstrates support for life skill development and in some instances the life skill transfer. However, coaching practices used to teach life skills are still being understood. This scopin...

Youth league administrators (N = 172) documented knowledge of/compliance with state concussion legislation, and were assigned to groups based on whether their state concussion legislation extended to non-school-affiliated (NSA) youth sport leagues: EXTEND (50.6%) or NOT EXTEND (49.4%). Administrators within the EXTEND group were 2.7x more likely to report having a formal concussion policy. Only 90.7% confirmed a policy for removing concussed athletes from play, and 75% required independent medical clearance, and 82% mandated education for coaches, 49.1% for parents, and 35.9% for athletes. These results raise questions regarding compliance with state concussion legislation, especially for NSA youth sports leagues.

Many sport-based youth development (SBYD) programs assume that short-term changes in participant attitudes, knowledge, and intentions will lead to long-term behavior change. However, this does not ...

© 2020 Australia and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies. Physical activity is essential for good health and sport participation is an important contributor to physical activity. Sport can achieve many health and broader social benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Indigenous Australians). Children’s physical activity typically declines during teenage years. This study examined 14-year sport participation trends among youth aged 15–19 years. Indigenous youth sport participant levels were lower than non-Indigenous levels. The highest sports participation level was 80.1% (non-Indigenous males, 2016); the lowest was 56.8% (Indigenous females, 2018). Lower sport participation was reported by females compared to males in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups in each survey year with the lowest levels found among Indigenous females. These findings challenge current discourses of high Indigenous sport participation. A comprehensive understanding of the factors related to sports participation is required to inform future strategies and programmes to increase participation and contribute to closing health and broader equity gaps.

In this paper, we outline a systematic testing programme developed to help identify excellence in youth basketball players. We examine the links between biological maturation and training experience with anthropometry, body composition, physical performance, technical and tactical skills from five age-cohorts, and characterize, in detail, facets of their environment. In total, 238 young basketball players aged 11-15 years, clustered into five age-cohorts (11, 12, 13, 14, 15 years) were recruited. We assessed measures across three domains: (1) biological [anthropometry, body composition, biological maturation and physical performance]; (2) skill/game proficiency [technical skills and tactical skills]; and (3) contextual [family support, coach knowledge and competence and club context]. The data were analysed using one-way ANOVAs and multivariate analysis of covariance adjusting for biological maturation and training experience. We report significant differences favouring older basketball players on most biological and skill/game proficiency variables. However, differences between age-cohorts in physical performance and technical skills were mitigated after controlling for the effects of both covariates. In conclusion, our findings highlight the important role of both biological maturation and training experience on youth basketball players' performance and development. We discuss the implications of these findings for research as well as for athletes, parents, coaches and clubs.

Earlier research shows that wide regional variations exist in the success of athletes' talent development but is divided with respect to the role of urbanity: both low and high urbanity have been identified as settings that contribute to the presence of talent hotspots. In this article, we intend to provide more insight into the role of urbanity in talent development in Dutch football. We used public data on the regional background of male elite players (N = 825) and combined this with public data on municipal characteristics from Statistics Netherlands and other sources: urbanity, football participation, instructional resources and population composition effects (migration background and income of inhabitants). Linear regression analysis showed that football participation, the proportion of non-western migrants and median income predict "talent yield", i.e., the proportion of young people that reach an elite level in a municipality. Urbanity does not have an independent influence when the proportion of non-western migrants in the municipality is taken into account. The presence of instructional resources does not have an independent influence. The results suggest that characteristics of the built environment, such as indoor and outdoor play opportunities, may be less influential in talent development than previously assumed.

The aim of the present article is to outline a heuristic model that facilitates movement toward an integrated understanding of the youth sport system. We define the youth sport system as the set of...

Few intervention programmes focussing on increasing physical activity among children have been successful long term. It has also become increasingly common among scholars as well as politicians to advocate for organisations within a field to 'join up' to tackle social challenges. Research indicates that collaborative processes may entail challenges in implementing programmes informed by high quality knowledge. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine partner organisations' conceptions about objectives of an alternative sports programme, how such objectives are meant to be achieved, and how such conceptions may affect children's development of a physically active lifestyle. Qualitative content analysis revealed three underlying lines of thought regarding alternative activities for children, as follows: they should increase the member base through modifications; they should awaken the inherent desire to move through targeting motor skills; and they should transform sports clubs by providing an exercise arena. The article discusses how activities fail to consider children's predisposing factors and what implications this has for the work of promoting children's physical activity. Finally, we suggest that partnerships would benefit from applying a multi-leveled ecological model when designing programmes.

Models of positive youth development suggest that athletes may be influenced by parent education programmes; however, there is little research examining the impact of such programmes on athlete outcomes. This study examined the impact of the Respect in Sport Parent Program on athlete outcomes among minor hockey players over three years. This study consisted of cross-sectional and longitudinal online surveys measuring athletes' positive and negative developmental experiences, prosocial and antisocial behaviours, parental support and pressure, and sport enjoyment and commitment. Athletes completed at least one online survey during the study period (

Social identity (i.e., the strength with which individuals identify with a group) is a key mechanism through which youth sport participants derive developmental benefits. However, despite the impor...

BackgroundThree commonly used non-invasive protocols are implemented to estimate the timing at which PHV most likely occurs. Accurate estimation of circumpubertal years can aid in managing training load of adolescent athletes.AimThree protocols were compared against observed age at PHV: an estimate of 13.8 ± 1.0 years – generic age at PHV (from longitudinal measures); an estimate based on the maturity offset equation, predicted age at PHV ±1.0 year; a window of PHV based on 85–96% of predicted adult height at time of observation.Subjects and methodsA final sample of 23 (from 28) adolescent male participants were selected from the academy of an English Premier League club. Anthropometric measures were collected across five playing seasons; age at PHV was estimated with Super-Imposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR). The three protocols were compared based on measures at 13.0 years.Results and Conclusions: An age window based on predicted maturity offset did not improve estimation of PHV compared to generic age method; however, the percentage of predicted adult height window showed improvement in performance shown by the following results. Predicted age at PHV correctly assigned 15 participants (65%) as experiencing PHV, while the percentage height correctly assigned 17 participants (74%). Generic age and predicted age at PHV correctly predicted observed age at PHV for 14 participants (61%), percentage of adult height window correctly predicted 22 participants (96%).

Introduction: To determine clinical parameters that are related to abnormal cardiac symptoms in physically active youth.Methods: We used Simon’s Heart Heartbytes National Youth Cardiac Registry to ...

Objective: Pediatric primary care sports medicine physicians and pediatric sports medicine orthopedic surgeons, in conjunction with physician assistants (PAs), often manage patients with fractures....

Although inadequate immunization is a significant public health problem, as covid-19 is an urgent reminder, it has been largely ignored in amateur youth sports. By comparison, safety issues such as...

Literature is reviewed on parent-child relationships related to youth sports, both positive and negative effects are discussed. Family systems theory is presented as a guide to understanding the re...

Utilizing skateboarding in the San Francisco Bay Area at its case study, Moving Boarders provide diverse depictions of young skateboarders and the macro forces that influence their experiences in t...

The extant literature suggests that the formation of social networks within local communities may be linked to both positive (e.g., health, social well-being) and negative (e.g., social segregation...

Background: During adolescence, deselection from sport occurs during team try-outs when month of birth, stage of growth and maturation may influence selection. Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in growth and maturity related factors between those selected and deselected in youth sports teams and identify short-term associations with continued participation. Subjects and methods: Eight hundred and seventy participants, aged 11–17 years, were recruited from six sports try-outs in Saskatchewan, Canada: baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer and volleyball. Two hundred and forty-four of the initial 870 (28%) returned for follow-up at 36 months. Chronological (years from birth), biological (years from age at peak height velocity (APHV)) and relative (month of birth as it relates to the selection band) ages were calculated from measures of date of birth, date of test, height, sitting height and weight. Parental heights were measured or recalled and participant’s adult height predicted. Reference standards were used to calculate z-scores. Sports participation was self-reported at try-outs and at 36-month follow-up. Results: There was an over-representation of players across all sports born in the first and second quartiles of the selection bands (p < 0.05), whether they were selected or deselected. z-scores for predicted adult height ranged from 0.1 (1.1) to 1.8 (1.2) and were significantly different between sports (p < 0.05). Height and APHV differences (p < 0.05) were found between selected and deselected male participants. In females only weight differed between selected and deselected female hockey players (p < 0.05); no further differences were found between selected and deselected female participants. Four per cent of deselected athletes exited sports participation and 68% of deselected athletes remained in the same sport at 36 months, compared with 84% of selected athletes who remained in the same sport. Conclusions: It was found that youth who attended sports team’s try-outs were more likely to be born early in the selection year, be tall for their age, and in some sports early maturers. The majority of both the selected and deselected participants continued to participate in sport 36 months after try-outs, with the majority continuing to participate in their try-out sport.

We examined positive youth development within a high performance sport environment. Youth football players (N = 455; Males = 315; Females = 140) completed a range of questionnaires including: the Youth Experiences Survey for Sport; Self-Confidence subscale of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised; Sport Competence Inventory; Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviour in Sport Scale; and the modified Coach-Athlete Relationship questionnaire. The players reported a relatively high level of self-confidence, competence and positive youth experiences. They felt a strong coach-athlete relationship and displayed higher levels of prosocial than antisocial behaviour. Males scored significantly higher than females on self-confidence, perceived self-competence, antisocial behaviour to teammates and opponents, relationship with their coach, and cognitive skills. Findings suggest a relationship between high performance sport environments and positive youth development.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:50:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 Objective: To analyze the risk of bone traumatic fractures according to the engagement in sports, as well as to identify the potential impact of sports participation and traumatic fractures on health-care costs among adolescents. Methods: This is a longitudinal 12-month study of 285 adolescents of both sexes in Brazil. We assessed the occurrence of traumatic fractures and health-care services (hospitalizations, medicine use, medical consultations, and exams) by phone contact every month for 12 months. Adolescents were divided into four groups according to sport characteristics: non-sport (n = 104), non-impact sport (swimming [n = 34]), martial arts (n = 49 [judo, karate, kung-Fu]) and impact sports (n = 98 [track-and-field, basketball, gymnastics, tennis, and baseball]). Results: The incidence of new fractures was 2.1%. The overall costs accounted during the 12-month follow-up were U$ 3,259.66. Swimmers (US$ 13.86) had higher health-care costs than non-sport (US$ 1.82), martial arts (US$ 2.23), and impact sports (US$ 2.32). Conclusion: swimming seems to be related to higher health-care costs among adolescents. Post-Graduation Program in Movement Science. Department of Physical Education Sao Paulo State University–UNESP Institute of Environment Health and Societies Brunel University Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre Sport and Health Sciences University of Exeter Department of Physical Education São Paulo State University (UNESP) - Campus Bauru Human Movement Research Laboratory (MOVI-LAB) Laboratory of InVestigation in Exercise–LIVE. Department of Physical Education Sao Paulo State University–UNESP Post-Graduation Program in Movement Science. Department of Physical Education Sao Paulo State University–UNESP Department of Physical Education São Paulo State University (UNESP) - Campus Bauru Human Movement Research Laboratory (MOVI-LAB) Laboratory of InVestigation in Exercise–LIVE. Department of Physical Education Sao Paulo State University–UNESP

Parent involvement provides one lens through which the emotional, physical, and financial effects of youth sports may be understood. To examine parent involvement in the context of an emerg...

For 20 years, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) has trained adults who are currently involved in youth sport as coaches and parents to help young athletes have positive sport experiences. Th...

Purpose: The purposes of the present study were to (a) compare context-specific conceptions of friendship quality in youth sport and music, and (b) determine how friendship quality is relat...

There has been growing discontent between American school-based sports programs and those offered by youth sports clubs. Both institutions offer numerous benefits while likewise facing syst...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the association of subjective well-being with injury and injury severity in adolescent elite athletes.Design: Prospective cohort study.Participants: Three hundred eighty-six adolescent elite athletes (age range 15-19), participating in seven different sports, were monitored repeatedly over 52 weeks using a valid questionnaire about injuries, substantial injuries, injury severity and subjective well-being (scale 0-100).Results: A linear mixed model showed that subjective well-being was significantly influenced by injury severity (p < .001, estimate -1.7, 95% CI -1.4 to -2.0) and sex (p = .019, estimate -3.6, 95% CI -6.0 to -0.2). Of all injury reports where the athletes reported a well-being score of less than or equal to 20, 54% reported substantial injury, whereas 9% of the injury reports where the athletes reported a well-being score above 80 reported substantial injuries. In addition, an increase in subjective well-being with a score of 10 decreased the odds of injury with 5.6% (p = .036, 95% CI 89.5 to 99.6) and injury severity with 0.4 points (p = .01, 95% CI -0.6 to -0.1).Conclusion: Medical personnel need to be aware that young athletes may face well-being challenges while injured and that a low subjective well-being increase the injury risk the subsequent week.

Despite continued interest in youth sport participation, the consensus among researchers is that a thorough understanding of the phenomenon of youth sport specialization is still lacking. The popular and scholarly narratives regarding sport specialization challenge the adaptive nature of this practice. However, the lack of synthesis of youth sport specialization research makes existing practical recommendations potentially tenuous. This scoping review utilized a multidisciplinary lens to survey and integrate the full spectrum of youth sport specialization research by summarizing empirical findings and examining the characteristics of empirical research (e.g., field of publication, participant role, study design). Multiple databases were utilized to span the various disciplines in which sport specialization has been studied. The systematic review protocol yielded 906 publications for screening. After analysis of these records through inclusion/exclusion criteria, 40 empirical research publications examining youth sport specialization were included in this review. Analysis of these empirical findings indicated two higher-order emerging themes of this research: 1) Sport specialization participation behaviours; 2) Sport specialization outcomes. Descriptive results of the research characteristics are also explored. This review examined key findings that underlie recommendations for structuring youth sport participation, and highlighted future research avenues vital towards a more holistic understanding of this phenomenon.

In a scientific effort to understand the reasons for low physical-activity levels among children, there is a need to consider how children perceive and interact with their complex environments holistically. This study outlines an image of the perceived landscape within which children in two lower-socioeconomic contexts engage in daily physical activity. By applying bioecological perspectives (Bronfenbrenner, U. 2005. Making human Beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human development. SAGE), the aim included an analysis of how the perceived landscape and its interrelated factors influence children’s physical activity. We used 15 focus-group interviews with children (n = 63, ages 8–13) from four different rural and suburban areas of southern and central Sweden. Through analyzing the children’s stories about their experiences of everyday physical activity from a bioecological perspective, an image of a complex landscape was revealed. Structural (schools’ institutional frameworks), cultural (local sports cultures), and environmental factors (e.g. schoolyard design) were evident in interpersonal relations within the microsystem and interacted with personal characteristics, primarily gender and level of physical competence and, thereby, affected the possibilities of the children engaging in proximal processes related to physical activity. This study contributes new qualitative understanding based on children’s voices about how the performance of daily physical activity among younger children (ages 7–13) in lower-socioeconomic areas may be considered an interactional process between individuals and their perceived environment, which can be thought of as a multidimensional landscape. Implications include actions which contribute to more diverse environments enabling proximal processes among a broader group of children.

Objective Betaine supplementation may enhance body composition outcomes when supplemented chronically during an exercise program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of betaine supplementation on development-related hormones, body composition, and anthropometrics in professional youth soccer players during a competitive season. Methods Twenty-nine players (age, 15.45 ± 0.25 years) were matched based upon position and then randomly assigned to a betaine group (2 g/day; n = 14, BG) or placebo group (PG, n = 15). All subjects participated in team practices, conditioning, and games. If a subject did not participate in a game, a conditioning protocol was used to ensure workload was standardized throughout the 14-week season. Growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, cortisol, height, weight, and body composition were assessed at pre-season (P1), mid-season (P2) and post-season (P3). Anthropometric variables were also measured following a one-year follow-up (F). Results Significant (p

This article considers gymnastics to illustrate how culture, law, and elite youth sports intertwine, focusing on the recent revelations of sexual abuse. It proposes an intervention based in the wor...

This study tested two hypotheses relating young athletes’ sports motivations to parental behaviors and cognitive appraisal: (1) young athletes’ motivation in sports is related to their parents’ behavior; and (2) this relationship is mediated by cognitive appraisal, even after controlling for competitive level and sports records. Method: This cross-sectional study included 673 young athletes and it measured the athletes’ perceptions of parental behaviors, cognitive appraisal, and sports motivation. Results: Structural equation modeling confirmed Hypothesis 1 -- the mother’s behaviors accounted for 15 to 16% of the variance in sports motivation, and the father’s behaviors accounted for 12 to 21% of the variance. The correlation patterns differed according to whether the athletes were evaluating the mother’s or father’s behaviors. Hypothesis 2 also was confirmed, for cognitive appraisal partially mediated the relationship between the perception of parental behaviors and sports motivation (34% of the variance was accounted for by the perception of the mother’s behavior; 30% by the father’s). The mediating model did not vary with competitive level or sports records. Conclusion: Parental behaviors and cognitive appraisal need to be taken into account to understand young athletes’ sports motivations., Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho COMPETE2020. PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653) Project UID/MAT/00013/2013 Guimarães, European City of Sport 2013, info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The popular method of organising youth sport participants into age divisions, based solely on their birthdate, can result in an imbalance of the distribution of players. This is known as relative age effect (RAE), which inadvertently creates bias and is associated with deleterious short and long-term consequences. The overall purpose of this study was to examine how the potential for RAE is mitigated when simultaneously accounting for additional player criterion, supplementary to age. A mid-Atlantic American youth football registration database was acquired, including chronological (age), anthropometric (weight), and competency (skill) factors. Player (n = 1,265) data were classified into quartiles and multiple chi-square goodness of fit tests were conducted using proportions of live births as expected theoretical distribution values. When data were categorised by a single developmental criterion (e.g. age), results indicated significant departures (p ≤ 0.002) from expected proportions. However, when categorised using multiple criteria (i.e. age, weight, and skill), equitable birthdate distributions were observed. Findings from this study indicate using only one developmental criterion for organising players is associated with RAE, whereas approaches accounting for multiple variables are not associated with RAE. This study provides youth football programs with early evidence for considering alternative methods of organising players.

The purpose of this study was to examine parental values associated with children’s participation in organized sports, how these values are shaped by social class, race and age, and the influence o...

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studies that investigate risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in female youth athletes are limited, especially related to training attributes and position status.to determine risk factors including training attributes and position status for a self-reported musculoskeletal injury history in female youth soccer players.we conducted a cross-sectional study of young female soccer players (mean age: 13.6 ± 2.3 years). we asked about their history of musculoskeletal injuries using an electronic questionnaire. the proportion of young female soccer players with and without a history of soccer-related musculoskeletal injuries were compared based on physical characteristics, training attributes, position status (single vs. multiple), lower extremity strength, and joint laxity. a binary logistic regression analysis was used to generate, and adjusted odds ratios adjusted for potential co-variates (aor). a 95% confidence interval (95%ci) that did not cross one or p 0.05 were considered statistically significant.a total of 160 young female soccer players (mean age: 13.6 ± 2.3 years) participated in the study. an independent association was found between prior musculoskeletal injuries and older ages (aor: 1.60, 95%ci: 1.17, 2.20, p = 0.004), higher weight (aor: 1.10, 95%ci: 1.01, 1.20, p = 0.026), and greater bmi (aor: 1.43, 95%ci: 1.07, 1.90, p = 0.014).musculoskeletal injuries were associated with age, weight, and bmi in female youth players. the current study indicates that maintaining proper body composition may be beneficial to reduce musculoskeletal injuries among female youth soccer players.

Youth athletes are known to be at high risk of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. Children in developed countries are increasingly adopting a sedentary lifestyle. Although some risk factors related to sports activities have been reported, the effect of lifestyle (i.e. screen time behaviour) on MSK pain in youth athletes is not well known. This study aimed to examine the association of game playing and TV viewing with MSK pain among youth athletes. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to youth athletes belonging to the Miyagi Amateur Sports Association. The final study population included 6,143 youth athletes (male, 71.1%; age range, 6-15 years). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of game playing and TV viewing behaviour with MSK pain. The point prevalence of MSK pain was 25.5%. The longest category of game playing time (≥3 h) was significantly associated with MSK pain as compared with the shortest category (1 h) (odds ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.73, p = 0.003). There was no significant association between TV viewing time and MSK pain. These results suggest that game playing time might be an associated factor for MSK pain among youth athletes.

Forty-one practitioners inclusive of physiotherapists, sports scientists and strength and conditioning coaches from the academies of elite soccer clubs in the United Kingdom completed an on-line questionnaire which examined their: (1) background information; (2) perceptions of injury occurrence and risk factors; (3) screening and return to play; and (4) approach to designing and delivering injury prevention programmes with a response rate of 55% (41/75). Contact injuries were the most common mechanism reported and players between 13-16 years of age were perceived to be at the greatest risk. Pertinent risk factors included: reduced lower limb and eccentric hamstring strength, proprioception, muscle imbalances, and under developed foundational movement skills. Joint range of motion, jump tests, the functional movement screen, overhead and single leg squats were the most utilised screening methods. Training modalities rated in order of importance included: resistance training, flexibility development, agility, plyometrics and balance training. Training frequency was most commonly once or twice per week, during warm-ups, independent sessions or a combination of both. Injury prevention strategies in this cohort appear to be logical; however, the classification of injury occurrence and application of screening tools to identify 'at risk' players do not align with existing research. The frequency and type of training used may also be insufficient to elicit an appropriate stimulus to address pertinent risk factors based on current recommendations.

The growth in participation in men's lacrosse has increased the likelihood of sport-specific injuries, yet there continues to be a need for specific epidemiological data concerning lacrosse injuries. The purpose of this literature review is to aggregate available published data on injuries that occur in the sport of men's lacrosse at the youth, high school, collegiate, and professional levels.A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, High Wire Press, SPORTDiscus, Google Scholar, and Ovid, using the keywords Lacrosse Injuries, Epidemiology Lacrosse Injuries, Lacrosse Injury, Lacrosse AND Injury and limited to 1990-2016. All bibliographies were cross-referenced to identify any additional publications. Sources were categorized based on data provided and were aggregated into groups based on reported overall injury rates, rates by setting (competition vs. practice), nature of injury, location, type, severity, and player position.The game and practice injury rates in college are greater than the rates in high school, similarly rates greater for high school players than in youth leagues. Rates of injury varied from 0.095-12.98 per 1000 athlete exposures. Game injury rates were higher across all studies. Injuries in men's lacrosse occur most often from player-to-player contact, which result in immediate injuries, such as concussions, contusions, and lacerations. Overall concussion incidence was reported to range from 0.11-0.84 per 1000 AE. The most common types of injuries were sprain, strain, concussion, and contusions and the most common area of injury was hand (23%), with a significant proportion of these (59.4%) being to the thumb. Limited evidence of different injuries among the player positions suggests there might be a pattern that midfield players had the most injuries, followed by offensive players and then defensive players.The potential for sports-related injury is of relative concern; especially considering rising participation and total number of injuries. Further development and proper enforcement of safety rules on player contact and protective equipment are recommended to decrease the rate of lacrosse-related injury. Additional longitudinal research is needed to better classify and to ultimately predict lacrosse injury factors and mechanisms across all levels of play.

The relative age effect (RAE) describes an overrepresentation of players born early (Q1) in a selection year and is highly prevalent within youth sport pathways. However, a dearth of research has investigated the RAE at the "super-elite" level. The present research assessed the presence of RAE in super-elite performers. Study 1 investigated RAEs in the world's best international Test cricketers (N = 262) over a 20-year period according to a robust and stringent "super-elite" criteria. Results revealed the RAE (Q1) when all disciplines were combined. Upon closer examination, this effect was also observed for the batting and spin bowling disciplines, whereas no RAE was found for the pace bowling discipline. Study 2 investigated RAEs in super-elite rugby union players (N = 691) over a 20 year period. Results revealed the RAE for backs (Q1) and a reversal of the traditional RAE (Q4) for forwards, and when all rugby union positions were combined. These findings provide new evidence of RAEs at the super-elite level and present both inter and intra sports differences. Potential explanations for these findings are explored, owing to the survival and evolution of the fittest concepts, and the implications for future research and applied practice are presented.

Recently parental involvement in youth sport has intensified, challenging the understanding of youth sports as an arena where adolescents can develop their identity and autonomy. On this background, our study explores how adolescents understand and negotiate their parents’ involvement in sport and how they define ideal and undesirable forms of parental involvement. Our empirical setting is Norway, and we draw on data from 16 focus group interviews among 13–14-year-olds (n = 92) recruited from two lower secondary schools. The analysis shows that young people distinguish between different aspects of the sport activity when defining ideal and undesirable forms of parental involvement. When discussing sport as a healthy activity necessary for physical and social development, the young people interviewed approve of parents’ role in regulating and encouraging participation. When considering the athletic aspects and peer sociability, however, they see parental involvement as mostly undesirable. The analysis also shows that the adolescents generally describe their parents as attentive to the boundaries their children draw for them about levels and types of involvement. Therefore, young people should be seen not only as subjected to parental involvement but also as active co-constructors of valid parental roles in and beyond the sporting arena.

Talent detection intends to support lifelong sports participation, reduce dropouts and stimulate sports at the elite level. For this purpose it is important to reveal the specific profile which directs children to the sports that connect to their strengths and preferences. This study evaluated a perceptuomotor skills assessment as part of talent detection for table tennis, a sport in which perceptuomotor skills are considered essential to cope with the difficult technical aspects. Primary school children (n = 121) and gifted young table tennis players (n = 146) were assessed using the Dutch perceptuomotor skills assessment measuring “ball control” and “gross motor function”. A discriminant function analysis confirmed the added value by identifying primary school children fitting the table tennis perceptuomotor profile of the young gifted table tennis players (28%). General linear model analyses for the assessment’s individual test items showed that the table tennis players outperformed their primary school peers on all “ball control” items (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the assessment appears to be of added value for talent detection in table tennis at this young age. Longitudinal studies need to reveal the predictive value for sports participation and elite sports.

Objectives: Current trends among young athletes towards earlier specialization age and year-round training on multiple teams has raised concern for increased injury risk. Our previous analyses showed higher risk for injury in highly specialized young athletes. The goal of this research was to determine whether sports specialization and injury patterns vary by sports type. Methods: In this clinical case-control study, injured athletes (aged 7–18 years) were recruited from sports medicine clinics and compared to similarly aged uninjured athletes recruited from primary care clinics. Participants completed a survey reporting age, gender, sport type, specialization patterns, and details regarding sports-related injuries in the previous 6 months. Clinical diagnoses were collected from patients’ medical records. Injuries were classified as acute, overuse, or serious overuse. Results: Of 1,190 athletes enrolled, 26% (313) were single-sport specialized (reported participation in one sport and trained >8 months/year). Sports with the highest proportion of single-sport specialized athletes were tennis (46.7%), gymnastics (30.1%), and dance (26.3%). Single-sport specialized athletes in individual sports started specializing at a younger age (11.2 ± 2.4 vs. 12.0 ± 2.7, p = 0.05) and reported higher training volumes (11.8 vs. 10.3 h/week, p = 0.04) than those in team sports. Sports with the youngest specialization age were gymnastics (8.9 ± 1.7), dance (10.8 ± 3.0), and soccer (10.9 ± 2.4). Single-sport specialized athletes in individual sports accounted for a higher proportion of overuse injuries (44.3% vs 32.2%, OR = 1.67, p = 0.037) and serious overuse injuries (23.4% vs 11.6%, OR = 2.38, p = 0.011), but a lower proportion of acute injuries (28.8% vs 13.8%, OR = 0.37, p = 0.001) compared to single-sport specialized athletes involved in team sports. Conclusions: Athletes in individual sports may be more likely to specialize in a single sport than team sport athletes. Single-sport specialized athletes in individual sports also reported higher training volumes and greater rates of overuse injuries than single-sport specialized athletes in team sports.

An emerging area of research has focused on understanding how the group dynamics of a sport team influence positive youth development (PYD). The identities that youth form through their membership in sport teams (i.e., social identities) have been found to influence teammate behavior and team performance. Yet, minimal work exists on social identity and PYD in youth sport. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between social identity and PYD in sport. Method: Youth engaged in recreational sport (N = 219; Mage = 11.61 years, SD = 1.39 years) completed measures of social identity and PYD in sport. The social identity measure assessed 3 dimensions including ingroup ties (IGT; perceptions of similarity, bonding, belongingness), cognitive centrality (importance of being a team member), and ingroup affect (IGA; feelings associated with group membership). A regression analysis was performed separately for 4 PYD outcomes (personal and social skills, goal setting, initiative...