Determinants and Reasons for Dropout in Swimming -Systematic Review

Initial Validation of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire in a Sample of Portuguese Athletes

Our primary objectives in this study were to translate and provide psychometric support for the Coach Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q) Portuguese version, assess its invariance across sex, and explore its nomological validity in relation to enjoyment. Our sample participants were 470 athletes (226 females, 244 males) aged between 16 to 39 years from various individual and team sports. We found that the translated Portuguese version of the CART-Q exhibited satisfactory test-retest reliability and can serve as a reliable tool for evaluating the core constructs of the coach-athlete relationship - closeness, commitment, and complementarity. Moreover, this instrument showed evidence of nomological validity through significant positive correlations between its underlying factors and athletes' enjoyment with their sport. The proposed model for explaining item variance was also found to be invariant between male and female respondents. We recommend further use of this instrument in research and practical applications.

In the pitfall of expectations: An exploratory analysis of stressors in elite rhythmic gymnastics

The present study explored the types of stressors faced by rhythmic gymnastics athletes, their parents, and coaches. Semi-structured interviews with 12 participants—four gymnasts, five coaches, and three parents—were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis in a theory-driven framework. The categorizations of sport-related stressors for the parents, coaches, and gymnasts were based on existing theories. The results showed that both the gymnasts and the coaches predominantly noted mastery-avoidance goals in terms of performance, while the interviews with parents mostly indicated performance-avoidance goals. All three groups of participants consistently reported a detrimental atmosphere in rhythmic gymnastics. For instance, they emphasized the stress related to inadequate communication between the concerned parties. Moreover, all parties believed that having a lean body was linked to success in the competitive world of rhythmic gymnastics. The present study provides insight into some of the potential major stressors and the related subjective experiences affecting athletes socializing in the same sporting environment.

Nutritional intakes of highly trained adolescent swimmers before, during, and after a national lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic

Strict lockdown measures were introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused mass disruption to adolescent swimmers’ daily routines. To measure how lockdown impacted nutritional practices in this cohort, three-day photograph food diaries were analysed at three time points: before (January), during (April), and after (September) the first UK lockdown. Thirteen swimmers (aged 15 ± 1 years) from a high-performance swimming club submitted satisfactory food diaries at all time points. During lockdown, lower amounts of energy (45.3 ± 9.8 vs. 31.1 ± 7.7 kcal∙kg BM∙day^-1, p<0.001), carbohydrate (5.4 ± 1.2 vs. 3.5 ± 1.1 g∙kg BM∙day^-1, p<0.001), protein (2.3 ± 0.4 vs. 1.7 ± 0.4 g∙kg BM∙day^-1, p = 0.002), and fat (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 1.1 ± 0.3 g∙kg BM∙day^-1, p = 0.011) were reported. After lockdown, no nutritional differences were found in comparison compared to before lockdown (energy: 44.0 ± 12.1 kcal∙kg BM∙day^-1; carbohydrate: 5.4 ± 1.4 g∙kg BM∙day^-1; protein: 2.1 ± 0.6 g∙kg BM∙day^-1; fat: 1.5 ± 0.6 g ∙kg BM∙day^-1, all p>0.05), despite fewer training hours being completed (15.0 ± 1.4 vs. 19.1 ± 2.2 h∙week^-1, p<0.001). These findings highlight the ability of adolescent swimmers to alter their nutrition based on their changing training circumstances when receiving sport nutrition support. However, some individuals displayed signs of suboptimal nutrition during lockdown that were not corrected once training resumed. This warrants future research to develop interactive education workshops that maintain focus and motivation towards optimal nutrition practices in isolated periods away from training.

Competition age: does it matter for swimmers?

OBJECTIVE

To establish reference data on required competition age regarding performance levels for both sexes, all swimming strokes, and race distances and to determine the effect of competition age on swimming performance in the context of other common age metrics. In total, 36,687,573 race times of 588,938 swimmers (age 14.2 ± 6.3 years) were analyzed. FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) points were calculated to compare race times between swimming strokes and race distances. The sum of all years of race participation determined competition age.

RESULTS

Across all events, swimmers reach top-elite level, i.e. > 900 FINA points, after approximately 8 years of competition participation. Multiple-linear regression analysis explained up to 40% of variance in the performance level and competition age showed a stable effect on all race distances for both sexes (β = 0.19 to 0.33). Increased race distance from 50 to 1500 m, decreased effects of chronological age (β = 0.48 to - 0.13) and increased relative age effects (β = 0.02 to 0.11). Reference data from the present study should be used to establish guidelines and set realistic goals for years of competition participation required to reach certain performance levels. Future studies need to analyze effects of transitions between various swimming strokes and race distances on peak performance.

Pandemic-Induced Reductions on Swim Training Volume and Performance in Collegiate Swimmers

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant training disruptions during the 2020-2021 season, due to lockdowns, quarantines, and strict adherence to the pandemic protocols. The main purpose of this study was to determine how the pandemic training restrictions affected training volume and performance in one collegiate swim team. Cumulative training volume data across a 28-week season were compared between a pandemic (2020-2021) versus non-pandemic (2019-2020) season. The swimmers were categorized into three groups (sprinters, mid-distance, and long-distance) based on their training group. The performance times of 25 swimmers who competed in the regional championships, during both the non-pandemic and pandemic year, were compared via one-way ANOVA. Twenty-six male and 22 female swimmers commenced the 2020-2021 (pandemic) season, with 23% of the swimmers voluntarily opting out. Three COVID-19 cases were confirmed (2%) by the medical staff, with no long-term effects. Significant reductions in the average swim volume were verified in sprinters (32,867 ± 10,135 vs. 14,800 ± 7995 yards; p < 0.001), mid-distance (26,457 ± 10,692 vs. 17,054 ± 9.923 yards; p < 0.001), and long-distance (37,600 ± 14,430 vs. 22,254 ± 14,418 yards; p < 0.001) swimmers (non-pandemic vs. pandemic season, respectively). In the regional performance analyses, the sprinters swam faster (n = 8; -0.5 ± 0.6 s), while the mid-distance (n = 10; 0.17 ± 2.1 s) and long-distance (n = 7; 6.0 ± 4.9 s) swimmers swam slower (F = 11.76; p = 0.0003; r² = 0.52). Thus, the pandemic caused significant reductions in swim training volume, with sprinters performing better and long-distance swimmers performing worse at the regional championships.

Parents' and Children's (6-12 Years Old) Physical Activity Association: A Systematic Review from 2001 to 2020

Worldwide, studies reveal that a significant proportion of adults and children do not meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity (PA). Therefore, it is crucial that proxy determinants for child physical activity enhancement could be identified. Parents have been considered to have a key role in child adherence to physical activity. Thus, this systematic review aimed to identify association between parents’ and children’s PA. The search of scientific papers was conducted from 31 October 2020 until 31 January 2021, on the Web of Science, Scopus, Psycinfo, SportDiscus, and Pubmed databases. The PRISMA protocol was used. Findings indicate a consistent association between parents’ and children’s (6–12 years old) PA. Despite the imbalance of the number of assessed fathers and mothers with the latter clearly overrepresented, a trend towards the same gender dyads on PA significant and positive association (father/son, mother/daughter) was evidenced. Results support the relevant importance of parents’ PA as role modeling (either explicitly or implicitly) for children’s PA. Besides, results revealed the importance of promoting PA in family for the enhancement of children’s PA. Moreover, and given the positive impact of exerting PA with the children on children’s PA, parents should spend more time practicing PA with their children, especially on MVPA and meeting the recommended guidelines for PA. Future studies should highlight the role of mediator variables on this interaction process, extending the knowledge on the contribution of other factors to the requested enhancement of children adherence to PA practice.

The time to peak blood bicarbonate (HCO3-), pH, and the strong ion difference (SID) following sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion in highly trained adolescent swimmers

The timing of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) supplementation has been suggested to be most optimal when coincided with a personal time that bicarbonate (HCO₃^–) or pH peaks in the blood following ingestion. However, the ergogenic mechanisms supporting this ingestion strategy are strongly contested. It is therefore plausible that NaHCO₃ may be ergogenic by causing beneficial shifts in the strong ion difference (SID), though the time course of this blood acid base balance variable is yet to be investigated. Twelve highly trained, adolescent swimmers (age: 15.9 ± 1.0 years, body mass: 65.3 ± 9.6 kg) consumed their typical pre-competition nutrition 1–3 hours before ingesting 0.3 g∙kg BM^-1 NaHCO₃ in gelatine capsules. Capillary blood samples were then taken during seated rest on nine occasions (0, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135, 150, 165 min post-ingestion) to identify the time course changes in HCO₃^–, pH, and the SID. No significant differences were found in the time to peak of each blood measure (HCO₃^–: 130 ± 35 min, pH: 120 ± 38 min, SID: 98 ± 37 min; p = 0.08); however, a large effect size was calculated between time to peak HCO₃^– and the SID (g = 0.88). Considering that a difference between time to peak blood HCO₃^– and the SID was identified in adolescents, future research should compare the ergogenic effects of these two individualized NaHCO₃ ingestion strategies compared to a traditional, standardized approach.

Early Drop-Out from Sports and Strategic Learning Skills: A Cross-Country Study in Italian and Spanish Students

The search for overarching factors involved in both sport and broader lifestyle and achievement domains may help to understand the early drop-out phenomenon. This study aimed to analyze the association between early sport drop-out and strategic learning skills, checking for the individual and joint role of nationality, school type, gender, age and sport habits. Six hundred and fourteen Italian and Spanish students aged 14–18 years completed two self-assessment questionnaires concerning physical activity, sports habits and learning strategies. Outcomes were analyzed with frequency analysis. Higher affective–motivational strategic learning skills were associated with lower drop-out rates in Italian but not Spanish students. In high schools with an enhanced sports curriculum, drop-out rates were negligible compared to other Italian and Spanish curricula. A lack of persistence in the same sport type was significantly associated with a higher drop-out rate in males but not in female students, who had overall higher drop-out rates. This study suggests that overarching personal skills, cultural characteristics and sports habits may independently and jointly contribute to sport drop-out. Specifically, affective–motivational learning skills may play a key role in sport persistence and in strategies tailored to drop-out prevention.

Reasons for Sports-Based Physical Activity Dropouts in University Students

Despite extensive evidence reporting the numerous health benefits of physical activity, recent studies show that many people (60%) do not follow the recommendations to meet the accepted minimums of physical activity. Some of the main problems in today’s society are the high dropout rates (35%) and low adherence to the conditions for achieving the physical activity recommendations. The aim of the study is to analyze the reasons for dropout from sports that the participants particularly liked, to design a new scale of reasons as to why they dropped out based on several previously existing scales, and to study the dropout differences based on different variables. The sample consisted of 813 Vizcaya university students (61.6% women and 38.4% men), aged between 18 and 29 (M = 20.5; SD = 1.8). Frequency distributions, univariate descriptive analyses, and bivariate statistical analyses, such as t-test, analysis of variance, and correlations, were analyzed. The construct validity of the dropout reasons questionnaire was analyzed by combining an Exploratory Factor Analysis (n = 406) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (n = 407). The five-factor measurement model was appropriate and allowed to identify the factor rankings and its relation to some key variables. Lack of time (or dedication to other activities unrelated to physical activity) and fatigue seem to be the main factors for dropping out. The life changes produced at the time of entry and during university life seem to guide students to value other activities.

Competition-Based Success Factors During the Talent Pathway of Elite Male Swimmers

Marginal differences in race results between top swimmers have evoked the interest in competition-based success factors of long-term athlete development. To identify novel factors for the multi-dimensional model of talent development, the aim of the study was to investigate annual variation in competition performance (ACV), number of races per year, and age. Therefore, 45,398 race results of all male participants (n = 353) competing in individual events, i.e., butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and individual medley, at the 2018 European Long-Course Swimming Championships (2018EC) were analyzed retrospectively for all 10 years prior to the championships with Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis. Higher ranked swimmers at the 2018EC showed significant medium correlations with a greater number of races per year and small but significant correlations with higher ACV in 10 and nine consecutive years, respectively, prior to the championships. Additionally, better swimmers were older than their lower ranked peers (r = −0.21, p < 0.001). Regression model explained a significant proportion of 2018EC ranking for 50 m (47%), 100 m (45%), 200 m (31%), and 400 m races (29%) but not for 800 and 1,500 m races with number of races having the largest effect followed by age and ACV. In conclusion, higher performance variation with results off the personal best in some races did not impair success at the season's main event and young competitors at international championships may benefit from success chances that increase with age. The higher number of races swum per year throughout the career of higher ranked swimmers may have provided learning opportunities and specific adaptations. Future studies should quantify these success factors in a multi-dimensional talent development model.

Variation in competition performance, number of races, and age: Long-term athlete development in elite female swimmers

While talent development and the contributing factors to success are hardly discussed among the experts in the field, the aim of the study was to investigate annual variation in competition performance (AVCP), number of races per year, and age, as potential success factors for international swimming competitions. Data from 40’277 long-course races, performed by all individual female starters (n = 253) at the 2018 European Swimming Championships (2018EC) for all 10 years prior to these championships, were analyzed. Relationships between 2018EC ranking and potential success factors, i.e., AVCP, number of races per year, and age, were determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis. While AVCP was not related to ranking, higher ranked swimmers at the 2018EC swam more races during each of the ten years prior to the championships (P < 0.001). Additionally, older athletes were more successful (r = -0.42, P < 0.001). The regression model explained highly significant proportions (P < 0.001) and 43%, 34%, 35%, 49% of total variance in the 2018EC ranking for 50m, 100m, 200m, and 400m races, respectively. As number of races per year (β = -0.29 –-0.40) had a significant effect on ranking of 50-400m races, and age (β = -0.40 –-0.61) showed a significant effect on ranking over all race distances, number of races per year and age may serve as success factors for international swimming competitions. The larger number of races swum by higher ranked female swimmers may have aided long-term athlete development regarding technical, physiological, and mental skill acquisitions. As older athletes were more successful, female swimmers under the age of peak performance, who did not reach semi-finals or finals, may increase their chances of success in following championships with increased experience.

Sport participation settings: where and 'how' do Australians play sport?

Background

Leisure-time physical activity and sport participation trends are often reported, both in aggregate and by specific activity. Recently there has been a rise in overall leisure-time physical activity, but little change in the prevalence of organised sport. It is important that the development of sport policy, infrastructure and strategic developments meet the changing landscape of participation. However, there has been relatively little research into the settings in which people participate. The aim of this study is to investigate the settings of participation of children and adults in 12 major Australian sports.

Methods

This study utilised data about participation in sport and recreational physical activity collected in the AusPlay survey from a representative sample of adults and children in the Australian state of Victoria. For each type of physical activity, the settings of participation are identified. Respondents can report participation in a particular activity in more than one setting. Therefore we use the term “instance of participation” to refer to a person playing a particular sport in a particular setting. Participation and settings across 12 major sports were investigated for children and adults.

Results

For children, the most popular sport was swimming with a weighted estimate of 323,565 (30.3%) instances of participation in the Victorian population, followed by Australian football (n = 180,459; 16.9%), and basketball (n = 137,169; 12.9%). For adults the most popular sports were swimming (n = 703,950; 30.9%) followed by golf (n = 274,729; 12.1%), and tennis (n = 260,814; 11.4%). There were considerable differences between the profiles of settings of participation for the 12 sports. Across the 12 sports, the majority of participation by children took place within a sports club or association setting, representing 63% of all instances of sport participation. For adults, sports clubs and associations was also the most popular setting, but it represented only 37% of instances of participation.

Conclusions

Traditionally, community clubs and inter-club competitions provided the main setting for sport participation, but this is no longer the case, particularly for adults. If the community sport sector is to continue to flourish, it must consider new strategies and participation options more attractive to other segments of its potential market.