OAR@UM Collection:
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1017
2024-03-29T11:27:01ZEffect of a sport leadership programme on students’ perception of their professional development as a measure of involvement
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113477
Title: Effect of a sport leadership programme on students’ perception of their professional development as a measure of involvement
Authors: Cánovas-Alvarez, Francisco José; Meroño, Lourdes; Leiva-Arcas, Alejandro; Arias-Estero, José L.; Conde, Elena; Isidori, Emanuele; Decelis, Andrew; Samantzis, Charalampos; Balli, Özgür Mülazımoğlu; Fazio, Alessandra; Sánchez-Pato, Antonio
Abstract: The European Union stresses the importance of sport as a tool for social and economic
development, although there are still few intervention programmes that have been analyzed, it is justified
that this type of programme should be carried out in universities. The main objective of this intervention
was to analyze whether significant differences would occur after the programme intervention in the
analyzed transversal competences of the student volunteers as a measure of involvement. Participated 61
university students (29 female and 32 males, Mage = 23.20 years, SDage = 9.79). Two tests were carried
out, at the beginning of the intervention (pre-test) and after 24 months of the intervention (post-test). There
were improvements from pre-test to post-test in organization and planning (Δ = .07, d = .35), management
of knowledge and information (Δ = .10, d = .32), emotional control (Δ = .09, d = .39), autonomous work (Δ
= 0.03, d = .40) and adaptation to new situations (Δ = 0.01, d = .35). According to the effect sizes, the
differences were significant in practical terms. Consequently, this means that the students were more
involved regarding the pre-test measures. The present work was the first one carried out enacting a
European programme on sport leadership assessed on students’ own perception of relevance about their competences as a measure of involvement. In future studies it must be analyzed the actual effect of this
program on participants’ competences.2020-01-01T00:00:00ZThe impact of scholastic factors on physical activity levels during the COVID-19 lockdown : a prospective study on adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113475
Title: The impact of scholastic factors on physical activity levels during the COVID-19 lockdown : a prospective study on adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Sekulic, Damir; Ostojic, Daria; Decelis, Andrew; Castro-Piñero, José; Jezdimirovic, Tatjana; Drid, Patrik; Ostojic, Ljerka; Gilic, Barbara
Abstract: Scholastic factors (academic achievement) are hypothesized to be important determinants of
health-related behaviors in adolescents, but there is a lack of knowledge on their influence on physical
activity levels (PAL), especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed lockdown.
This study aimed to investigate the associations between scholastic factors and PAL before and
during the pandemic lockdown. The participants were adolescents form Bosnia and Herzegovina
(n = 525, 46% females), who were observed prospectively at the baseline (before the pandemic
lockdown) and during the lockdown in 2020 (follow-up). The scholastic factors (grade point average,
behavioral grade, school absences, unexcused absences) were evidenced at the baseline (predictors).
The outcome (PAL) was evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents at the
baseline and the follow-up. Gender, age, parental/familial conflict, and sport participation were
observed as confounders. No significant influence of the predictors on PAL were evidenced at the
baseline or at the follow-up. The scholastic variables were significantly associated with the changes
of PAL which occurred due to pandemic lockdown, with a lower risk for negative changes in PAL
among adolescents who were better in school (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34–0.81, and OR = 0.66, 95%CI:
0.34–0.97, for the grade point average and behavioral grade, respectively). Students who do well in
school are probably more aware of the health benefits of proper PAL, and therefore are devoted to the
maintenance of their PAL even during the home-confinement of lockdown. Public health authorities
should focus more on helping adolescents to understand the importance and benefits of proper PAL
throughout the school system.2021-01-01T00:00:00ZThe effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the position-specific match running performance of professional football players ; preliminary observational study
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113474
Title: The effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the position-specific match running performance of professional football players ; preliminary observational study
Authors: Sekulic, Damir; Versic, Sime; Decelis, Andrew; Castro-Piñero, Jose; Javorac, Dejan; Dimitric, Goran; Idrizovic, Kemal; Jukic, Igor; Modric, Toni
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted professional football in the 2019/2020 season, and football experts anticipate that the consequences of lockdown measures will negatively affect the physical performance of players once competition restarts. This study aimed to evaluate position-specific match running performance (MRP) to determine the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on the physical performance of professional football players. Players’ MRPs (n = 124) were observed in matches before and after the COVID-19 lockdown in the 2019/2020 season of the highest level of national competition in Croatia and were classified according to player position: central defenders (CD; n = 42), fullbacks (FB; n = 20), midfielders (MF; n = 46), and forwards (FW; n = 16). The MRPs were measured using Global Positioning System, and included the total distance covered, low-intensity running (≤14.3 km/h), running (14.4–19.7 km/h), high-intensity running (≥19.8 km/h), total accelerations (>0.5 m/s2), high-intensity accelerations (>3 m/s2), total decelerations (less than –0.5 m/s2), and high-intensity decelerations (less than –3 m/s2). The results indicated that, in matches after the COVID-19 lockdown, (i) CDs and FBs featured lower running and high-intensity running (t-value: from 2.05 to 3.51; all p < 0.05; moderate to large effect sizes), (ii) MFs covered a greater distance in low-intensity running and achieved a lower number of total accelerations, and total and high-intensity decelerations (t-value: from –3.54 to 2.46; all p < 0.05, moderate to large effect sizes), and (iii) FWs featured lower high-intensity running (t-value = 2.66, p = 0.02, large effect size). These findings demonstrate that the physical performances of football players from the Croatian first division significantly decreased in matches after the COVID-19 lockdown. A combination of inadequate adaptation to football-specific match demands and a crowded schedule after the competition was restarted most likely resulted in such an effect.2021-01-01T00:00:00ZImplementing the European sports leadership programme : a vehicle to help development graduate workplace competencies
https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/113366
Title: Implementing the European sports leadership programme : a vehicle to help development graduate workplace competencies
Authors: Brunton, Julie A.; Cánovas-Alvarez, Francisco José; Meroño, Lourdes; Leiva-Arcas, Alejandro; Arias-Estero, José L.; Conde, Elena; Isidori, Emanuele; Decelis, Andrew; Samantzis, Charalampos; Yildiz, Alper; Doğan, Yeliz İlgar; Fazio, Alessandra; Mallia, Oliver; Koustelios, Athanasios; Sánchez-Pato, Antonio
Abstract: This research was part of a large intervention study implementing the European Sports Leadership Programme (ESLP). This paper reports the outcomes of the qualitative study that employed focus groups to assess the students’ perceptions of the 15 competencies determined according to the Framework for qualifications of the European Higher Education Area, before and after the ESLP. Focus groups were carried out at each of the five universities. The ESLP involved university students working as a sports leader for 24 months with the aim to engage more students in university sport, whilst they took part in a graduate employability programme. Each university recruited five sports leaders in their second year at university, to deliver 10 new sport and recreational activities targeting the wider inactive or semi-active student population. Findings highlighted that Organization and planning, Oral and written communication, Development of planning and decision making, and Teamworking, followed closely by Emotional control and Adapting to new situations, were the most commonly reported competencies. They affirmed that this programme had helped to develop these competencies. Use of information, communication and technology, Communication in a foreign language, Research and Emotional control were the most common competencies that students stated they needed to improve further. This research found that implementing the ESLP helped to develop students’ perceptions of their workplace and career competencies. The ESLP is therefore, recommended as one approach to helping universities to develop student’s workplace and career competencies.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z