Evaluation of a Program of Aquatic Motor Games in the Improvement of Motor Competence in Children from 4 to 5 Years Old.

The present study aimed to verify whether a program of initiation to the aquatic environment composed of motor games (motor stories, learning environments and motor circuits) is more effective in the acquisition of aquatic skills in early childhood education than a traditional program. For this purpose, the Escala de Competencia Motriz Acuática for 4-5 year-old children was used before and after both programs. This scale has two factors, one named Familiarization, linked to more elementary aquatic abilities, and the Immersion factor, which integrates more advanced aquatic abilities. The two programs were used as independent variables, and there was a sample of 17 children over six weeks. The results show that both programs improved the acquisition of aquatic skills. The program that integrated motor games impacted the improvement of skills related to the Immersion factor significantly more.

Teaching and Learning Process of Decision-Making Units in Talented Young Players From U-10 to U-14.

There are multiple factors that have been studied for talent identification (TI) with regard to sport performance, such as physical and physiological parameters; psychological, social, and contextual parameters; and technical-tactical parameters. However, despite the importance of these indicators for reaching the elite, new trends seem to assure that one of the key elements in a young player is decision making (DM). Thus, in the last decades, research DM in young players has increased. Nevertheless, very little has been done in relation with DM and talented players. The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the effectiveness, number, and duration of DM units (DMUs) of three groups of talented young players in U-10, U-12, and U-14 levels. Ninety-seven youth players participated in the study. A total of 1,087 actions were analyzed. The Nomination Scale for Identifying Football Talent was utilized to screen the talent pool (N = 18), and the Game Performance Evaluation Tool was used for analyzing the 1,087 actions completed. The results showed that the effectiveness has to be more than 80% for children to be considered talented. Moreover, a greater effectiveness of DMUs was shown in older age groups. The game speed also increased with age. It was revealed that U-12 did not follow the progression in the decisional demands in the formative stages. It is highlighted, therefore, the necessity of reviewing the organizational aspects in the U-12 age group, related mainly to the size of the pitch and the number of players, because it does not follow the same progression in regard to decisional demands. Future studies should follow this study with the U-16, U-18, and U-23 age groups, with the purpose of knowing the effectiveness, duration, and number of DMUs in older age groups. Furthermore, policy makers and teachers/coaches from both educational and soccer context must take these results into account, with the purpose of adjusting the teaching and learning process of talented children in sport.

Psychometric Analysis and Effectiveness of the Psychological Readiness of Injured Athlete to Return to Sport (PRIA-RS) Questionnaire on Injured Soccer Players.

The decision-making process about when an athlete may safely return to training and competition after an injury is a difficult decision. Safe return to training and competition is characterised by physical and psychological readiness to return to the sport. The objectives of this study are (1) to assess the measurement properties of the Psychological Readiness of Injured Athlete to Return to Sport questionnaire (PRIA-RS), and (2) to analyse the effectiveness which the PRIA-RS questionnaire possesses when applied during four consecutive seasons on professional soccer players. One hundred and nine male soccer players from the Albacete Soccer Club (Spain) were involved during four consecutive seasons for the current study: 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. Psychometric analysis (validity, reliability, internal consistency and effectiveness) and external psychometric analysis (evaluating measures of patient-reported outcomes (EMPRO)) were confirmed and supported. The main results of the study reveal that the psychometric properties of this questionnaire are optimum for their application in a professional sports context.

Are Physical Education Lessons Suitable for Sport Talent Identification? A Systematic Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to shed light on the existent knowledge, internationally published over the last decade (2009-2019), on how to deal with talented children in physical education (PE). METHODS: A mixed systematic review (SR) was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number: CRD42019117211. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The articles included were selected using the following criteria: (a) studies published in peer-reviewed international journals; (b) studies published from 2009 to 2019 (both inclusive); (c) studies that included quantitative and/or qualitative methods and findings; (d) research conducted within school contexts; (e) articles that focused on both talent/gift and PE, and (f) studies published in English or Spanish. RESULTS: A total of 11 articles were identified. Results showed a gradual change in both methods and instruments used for talent identification (TI) in PE, focused currently on children's health and involvement in sports. Second, there is consensus on the lack of clarity in schools' policies and guidelines on how to deal with talented children in PE. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, there are alternative programs to elite athlete models that better fit in PE to deal with talented children and to avoid child disengagement in PE and sports.

Observation Criteria for Physical Education Teachers to Identify Gifted Children through Invasion Games.

Whilst in other curriculum subjects, it exists observation criteria to detect gifted pupils, there is a paucity of information in Physical Education. For that reason, we aimed to reveal the observation criteria for identifying gifted pupils in Physical Education in an invasion game. Physical Education (PE) talent was evaluated combining results of questionnaire to experts, parents, and students. A validated nomination scale (NSIFT) and the Game Performance Evaluation Tool (GPET) were used. The research approach used in this study was transversal, descriptive, and inferential. The talent pool was composed of 18 gifted pupils aged 8-14 (Mage = 11.67, SD = 1.53). The results showed that the most discriminating criteria to identify PE talent were found to be precocity in both execution and decision-making in the acquisition of tactical principles and tactical-technical skills. Getting free was the skill that they best mastered. In conclusion, the importance of tactical principles and decision-making as observation criteria is emphasized. Future studies should focus on developing mentoring programs in Physical Education.

Hábitos y comportamientos relacionados con la salud de los adolescentes en su tiempo de ocio / Habits and behaviours related to the health in adolescents during their leisure time

Este estudio trata de determinar cuáles son las prácticas habituales en relación a la participación en actividades físicas y deportivas junto con el consumo de sustancias nocivas en adolescentes. Se realizó un diseño descriptivo correlacional transversal. Participaron en el estudio 1140 sujetos (edad: 18.75 ± 6.35 años; género: masculino 46.7%, femenino 53.3%), de los cuales 790 eran universitarios y 350 no universitarios en la comunidad de Castilla-La Mancha (España). Se utilizó el Cuestionario de Evaluación de los Hábitos relacionados con la Salud (Gil Madrona, González Villora, Pastor Vicedo, y Fernández Bustos, 2010). El análisis descriptivo reveló que un alto porcentaje no practica actividad física de forma regular. El análisis inferencial marcó valores estadísticamente significativos en la relación entre los hábitos de práctica de actividad física y aquellos relacionados con el consumo de tabaco, alcohol y/o drogas. Se concluye por tanto la necesidad de programas que fomenten la práctica de actividad física

This research attempts to determine which are the common practices related to the participation in sport and physical activities within the consumption of harmful substances in adolescents. A descriptive, correlational and transversal design was performed. A total of 1,140 subjects participated in the study (Mean age: 18.75 ± 6.35 years old; gender: male 46.7%, female 53.3%), of wich 790 were undergraduates and 350 non-undergraduates from the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). It was used the Evaluation Questionnaire of the Habits related to the Health (Gil-Madrona, González-Víllora, Pastor-Vicedo, & Fernández-Bustos, 2010). Descriptive analysis revealed that a high percentage of adolescents do not practice sport regularly. The differential analysis showed significant statistical values which relates the sport habit with the tobacco, alcohol and/or drugs consumption. It was concluded that the design and development of programmes which foster physical activity are a need

Content Validity and Psychometric Properties of the Nomination Scale for Identifying Football Talent (NSIFT): Application to Coaches, Parents and Players.

The identification of football talent is a critical issue both for clubs and the families of players. However, despite its importance in a sporting, economic and social sense, there appears to be a lack of instruments that can reliably measure talent performance. The aim of this study was to design and validate the Nomination Scale for Identifying Football Talent (NSIFT), with the aim of optimising the processes for identifying said talent. The scale was first validated through expert judgment, and then statistically, by means of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal reliability and convergent validity. The results reveal the presence of three factors in the scale's factor matrix, with these results being confirmed by the CFA. The scale revealed suitable internal reliability and homogeneity indices. Convergent validity showed that it is teammates who are best able to identify football talent, followed by coaches and parents. It can be concluded that the NSIFT is suitable for use in the football world. Future studies should seek to confirm these results in different contexts by means of further CFAs.