American Journal of Recreation and Sports

The Determinants and Prevalence of Drug Abuse by Gender in the Selected Competitive Sports at the Universities in Kenya

Ramara Timothy, Simon Munayi , Bailasha Nicholas, Chumba Janet — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0300

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to identify the determinants and prevalence of drug abuse by gender in selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya.

Methodology: The study used a mixed methods research design with an intention to capture and utilise both qualitative andquantitative data. The study sample comprised 300 respondents. Out of the 300 students, 173(57.7%) were male and 127 (42.3%) were female players derived from six selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya.The selected sports were badminton, tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer and rugby. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling was used to select 10 universities proportionately (4 private and 6 public), the method was the most appropriate to capture universities with women rugby in addition to the five other selected sports. The study sought to investigate the prevalence of drug abuse due to factors such as psychosocial, medicinal and competition. SPSS computer version 20 was used to process data. The data was presented inform of Tables.

Findings: The study found that more male players than females abused drugs, with majority being rugby players. Findings indicated that there were more males than females abusing drugs at approximately 89% and 11% respectively. It was concluded that more male than female athletes engaging in sports in universities in Kenya, abuse drugs. This could be attributed to the assumption that males tend to experiment more on most things than do their female counterparts.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Learning Theory, Self Determination Theory and Harm Reduction Theory may be used to anchor future studies. It was recommended that various stakeholders that include the university management, NACADA and the security apparatus work together with an aim to sensitize and curb drug abuse menace among university athletes, general students’ community and the entire community bordering the universities.

Competition Experience of the Coach and Team Performance in the Kenyan National Soccer and Volleyball Leagues

Mucheke Charles, Bailasha Nicholas, Waiganjo Luka Boro — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0300

Purpose: The objective of the study was to establish whether past competition experiences of the coach predicted team performance in the Kenyan national soccer and volleyball leagues.

Methodology: The study adopted Cross-Sectional survey design. The population of the study was 53 head coaches handling teams in the Kenyan national soccer and volleyball leagues. Census sampling was used to pick the 53 coaches for the study. Data collection instrument was a self-administered questionnaire for the coaches. The coaches’ questionnaire was divided into sections which captured demographics and academic background. The study used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 22) for data analysis. Chi-Square and Fisher’s Exact test was used to show whether competition experience had an effect on the team’s performance. Data was presented using tables

Findings: For soccer, Chi square and Fisher’s Exact Test results showed that coaches past competition experience had a significant effect on team performance (χ2 =30.292≤ p _0.059df). The fisher’s exact test had a p value of 0.003 which was also less than 0.05 confirming that there was a significant relationship between soccer coaches’ past competition experience and team performance. For volleyball, Chi square and Fisher’s Exact Test results showed that volleyball coaches past competition experience had a significant effect on team performance (χ2 =23.910≤ p _0.059df). The fisher’s exact test had a p value of 0.008 which was also less than 0.05 confirming that there was a significant relationship between volleyball coaches’ past competition experience and team performance.

Recommendations: Policy makers such as team managers, owners and other stake holders in sports to consider more experienced coaches. They should consider coaches who have long period of coaching experience as well as coaches with a long period of competition experience. This is because coaching knowledge comes from observations and experiences of other coaches. Team managers, owners and other stake holders in sports should also consider coaches with past playing experience from recognized local clubs. This will enhance team performance.

Analyzing the Relationship between Exercise Frequency and Stress Reduction in Working Professionals in Madrid

Dr. Carol Maknae — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0300

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between exercise frequency and stress reduction in working professionals in Madrid.

Materials and Methods: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low-cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.

Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the relationship between exercise frequency and stress reduction in working professionals in Madrid. Preliminary empirical review revealed that tracking exercise habits and perceived stress levels of working professionals increased. Relationship between exercise frequency and stress reduction were found in most of the studies reviewed.

Implications on Theory, Practice and Policy: The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) Theory, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Health Belief Model (HBM) may be used to anchor future studies on the relationship between exercise frequency and stress reduction in working professionals. Organizations should consider fostering a culture that promotes physical activity during work hours, such as providing designated break times for exercise or supporting workplace wellness programs. Policy initiatives could also play a pivotal role in encouraging exercise as a stress reduction strategy for working professionals. Government agencies and public health bodies could collaborate with workplaces to develop guidelines and resources that emphasize the importance of exercise frequency for stress management

A Theoretical Training Plan and Facility for Ontario-Based Olympic Weightlifters

Brendan Shaffick — Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 +0300

Olympic Weightlifting is a sport where athletes of different weight classes utilize either the Snatch or Clean and Jerk (CJ) technique to lift the heaviest load overhead. This case study describes the training program for a team of Senior (age; 18-35 years) Olympic weightlifters during a normal competitive season. The team of Olympic weightlifters will be participating in team training 3 to 4 times a week; however, variations will occur on the training schedule for each individual athlete based on the on-going testing results. Each athlete will also participate in an additional day of training noted as the “active rest” day which prioritizes injury management for the individual based on their test results, during the training season. In conclusion, the training program in this study provided an insight on implementing velocity profiling into an Olympic weightlifting training program. The device in this study (PUSH Band) quantifies the bar movement via the force velocity curve and the coach has a clearer means in which to determine the repetitions that follow. This study is based around the theoretical idea of implementing a means in which to avoid the traditional periodization rep schema to administer training volume, but rather utilize new technologies. To conclude, methods that accommodate for velocity profiles to determine volume in conjunction with 1RM percentages and a coach’s discretion may allow for more efficient training and a reduction in excess fatigue.