Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Start date: 2022Subject: search.filters.subject.420799 Sports science and exercise not elsewhere classified

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    An emergent athlete development framework : examining the case of Swiss Triathlon from a coach’s perspective : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-04-08) Lamont, Cameron
    In New Zealand (NZ), recent high-performance (HP) reviews of National Sport Organisation (NSO) teams have identified issues around selection and athlete support. This current study examines Swiss Triathlon’s athlete development pathways (youth to elite), specifically issues of selection, de-selection and non-selection, and their practical implications from a coach’s perspective. In this thesis, the researcher (originally from NZ) through reflecting on his current role as National Coach for Swiss Duathlon, has used the case of Swiss Triathlon to examine athlete development pathways. This thesis reviews issues of early versus late sport specialisation and the importance of athlete development pathways addressing both physical performance and the athlete’s development as a person. Two theoretical and conceptual approaches provide the basis for the research; the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model and the Foundation, Talent, Elite and Master (FTEM) Framework. The background to triathlon and Swiss Triathlon are presented, along with the author’s personal and professional career, first as a professional athlete and then as a coach at a range of athlete development levels through to HP. A multi-method approach primarily involves an auto-ethnographic analysis providing a ‘reflective practitioner’ perspective of the researcher’s athlete and coaching experiences (at a regional, national, and international level). Triangulation enhances the study’s credibility through cross reference to a bricolage of secondary sources, for example, document analysis from Swiss Triathlon, results of athlete testing, National and Youth League races, and feedback from athletes, parents, and coaches. The findings of this research have resulted in an emergent framework for enhancing athlete development pathways (youth to elite) for Swiss Triathlon, which is hoped will be transferable to other triathlon, regional and national sport contexts. The framework specifically addresses issues of selection, de-selection, and non-selection, with practical implications provided for coaches, which are designed with the intent of being athlete-centred.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploring sports leaders’ understanding of male allyship for female high-performance coaches in Aotearoa : an exploratory study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters of Business Studies in Management at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Mulhern, Emma
    The sports coaching profession has historically been and remains a male dominated profession, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and worldwide. Not only are female coaches under-represented, but the numbers of female high-performance coaches are declining, leading to the loss of the female voice from the coaching landscape. Sports organisations cannot genuinely reflect their communities without female representation and that includes female coaches. Men in sports leadership and coaching positions can be utilised to support and empower women coaches, by men playing an essential role in enabling gender equity. Little is known about male allyship advancing gender equity and supporting female high-performance coaches. Therefore, this study focused on the following questions: what are the perceptions and understandings that sport leaders hold about individual and organisational male allyship in the context of female high-performance coaches in Aotearoa? And how, and to what extent, is male allyship evident in the support of the development of high-performance women coaches in Aotearoa? This study utilised the Transformational Allyship Model and the theory of allyship as frameworks to guide the study. A purposeful sample was selected from senior leadership teams representing 8 individual national sports organisations currently working with High Performance Sport New Zealand. A total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom and analysed using reflexive Thematic Analysis which followed a six-phase process. Three key themes were developed from the data: male sports leaders’ perceptions of allyship; the range of male allyship for high-performance female coaches in Aotearoa and supportive actions of ally activists in Aotearoa. Key findings indicated the existence of male allyship for female high-performance coaches in Aotearoa and being an ally activist was identified as the most effective form of allyship. Overall, participants perceptions of allyship were associated with support of female coaches. This study contributes to the literature by adapting the continuum of gender allies for the purpose of this research and it identifies the presence of male allyship for female high-performance coaches in Aotearoa utilising the transformational allyship model.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The effect of COVID-19 restrictions on physical activity levels and mental well-being in adult females living in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Awsi, Haya
    Background: Previous research has suggested positive associations between physical activity (PA), mental health (MH) and well-being, however the current literature also suggests that females are less active than males. With the arrival of Coronavirus (COVID-19), containment strategies were implemented to minimise the global spread of COVID-19, with varying degrees of physical containment and social isolation. These containment strategies have impacted individuals’ ‘normal’ daily routines and social lives, changed the way we work and reduced opportunities in typical avenues of PA including gyms, recreational facilities and sport. The impact of such restrictions on PA levels in females, and the effect on MH and well-being has not been described in the research to date. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand the effect of the New Zealand Government’s COVID-19 containment strategies on adult females’ PA and mental well-being. The researchers also sought to identify factors that influenced PA participation during these periods of social isolation and physical containment. Methods: Adult females residing in New Zealand (n = 1504; mean ± SD : age 48 ± 14 years, 83.4% New Zealand European) were recruited through a combination of convenience and snowball sampling and completed two amalgamated anonymous online surveys during Level 4 (L4) lockdown and Level 2 (L2) restrictions (Qualtrics; Survey 1 - 10-29th April 2020; Survey 2 - 5-18th June 2020) to assess PA via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – short form (IPAQ-SF), MH via the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-9 (DASS-9) and well-being via the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). PA level was classified as high (≥3000 MET·min·wk⁻¹), moderate (≥600 to 2999 MET·min·wk⁻¹) or low (˂600 MET·min·wk⁻¹). Factors that influenced PA participation were assessed as to whether they had no influence or some influence on PA participation. Results: Our participants were sufficiently physically active to meet the WHO and New Zealand PA guidelines, and more met the PA guidelines during L4 (94.1%) than pre COIVD-19 (79.4%) or during L2 (85%). Although PA was higher during L4, sitting time was also significantly higher when compared to L2 (449 ± 169 vs 426 ± 189 min·wk⁻¹). Well-being scores (WHO-5) were higher at L4 (59 ± 20) than at L2 (57 ± 20). DASS-Anxiety scores were lower at L4 (0.5 ± 1.1) than at L2 (0.6 ± 1.2), whereas DASS-Depression and -Stress scores were higher at L4 (Depression 1.9 ± 1.8, Stress 1.9 ± 1.6) than at L2 (Depression 1.6 ± 1.7, Stress 1.7 ± 1.6). Compared to those who participated in lower levels of PA (according to IPAQ classification), those who participated in higher levels of PA had higher WHO-5 scores at both L4 (66.3 ± 19.3, p < 0.001) and L2 (62.9 ± 19.6). The high IPAQ group also had lower DASS-Depression, -Anxiety and -Stress scores ([1.5 ± 1.6, p < 0.001][0.3 ± 0.9, p < 0.001][1.6 ± 1.5, p < 0.001]) compared to those in the low group. The major factors that influenced PA participation were time available, working situation and MH. Conclusions: These results support previous findings on the positive association between PA, MH and well-being in females and illustrates the importance of maintaining adequate PA levels during times of mental unease, such as during a global pandemic or periods of social isolation. Governments and public health advisers are encouraged to use the findings and recommendations in this report to encourage and promote PA in the event a situation such as COVID-19 was to arise again in the future in order to best preserve the mental well-being of females and other New Zealanders.