Frontiers in Sports and Active Living最新文献

This paper explores key concepts of intellectual property in shaping the legal framework and challenges of the burgeoning eSports industry. The author argues that intellectual property extends beyond mere asset protection, acting as a strategic factor that drives competitiveness, innovation, and collaboration within this dynamic ecosystem. Furthermore, through a theoretical framework, the analysis of the potential legal issues surrounding the Palworld case as an illustration of tensions between creativity and rights, the examination of contracts and copyright licenses, and a proposal of guidelines against infringements, the paper highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to intellectual property in eSports. The findings underscore the importance of protecting copyrights, managing contracts and licenses, and safeguarding trademarks and Trade Dress to ensure the sustainable development and integrity of the industry.

Introduction: In badminton, anthropometric characteristics and physical capacities are essential to meet playing demands across ages and sexes. The objective of this study was to investigate age- and sex-related differences in anthropometric characteristics and physical capacities among highly trained junior badminton players, focusing on differences between (i) under (U) 13, U15, and U17 age groups, and (ii) sexes within each age group.

Materials and methods: Sixty-two Indonesian highly trained junior badminton players were tested over two sessions for body height, weight, fat mass, and body mass index (BMI), as well as balance, reaction time, hand grip strength, counter movement jump (CMJ) height, linear and non-linear sprint times, and anaerobic sprint and multistage fitness test performances. Traditional (one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests) and alternative statistical approaches (magnitude-based inferences) as well as effect size (ES) calculations were applied for statistical analysis.

Results: Regarding age-related differences, in males, U17 players had a statistically significant and most likely higher BMI (p = 0.001; ES = very large), as well as statistically significant and most likely superior CMJ height, linear sprint performance, fatigue index, and relative peak power than the U13 players (p ≤ 0.003; ES = large to very large). In females, U17 players had a statistically significant and most likely higher BMI and body fat mass (p ≤ 0.002; ES = large to very large), as well as statistically significant and very likely inferior non-linear sprint performance and relative peak power than the U13 players (p ≤ 0.005; ES = large). For sex-related differences, in U17 and U15 players, males had a statistically significant and most likely lower body fat mass (p = 0.001; ES = very large), as well as statistically significant and most likely superior linear sprint performance and relative peak power than females (p = 0.001; ES = large to extremely large).

Conclusion: This study shows that anthropometric characteristics and anaerobic capacities differ by age and sex, whereas aerobic capacity is similar among Indonesian highly trained junior badminton players. These findings can support training, testing, and talent identification to help develop highly trained juniors into world-class badminton players.

Background: In baseball, monitoring player load solely through pitch count and innings overlooks the variability introduced by different pitch types. This study analyzed differences in external load, measured as Player Load, across various pitch types using a GPS-based wearable device. Additionally, the relationship between Player Load and ball velocity was examined.

Methods: Data from 320 baseball pitches were collected for experimental analysis. External loads were collected for four pitch types, fastball, changeup, curveball, and slider, using a wearable sensor device that recorded six variables: Maximum Player Load (Max PL), Maximum Rotation (Max Rot), Pitching Hourly Velocity, and Percentage of Acceleration Change in the Three Axes (Up Load %, Side Load %, and Fwd Load %). A one-way ANOVA test was used to assess differences across pitch types, while stepwise multiple regression analyzed the impact of Player Load on pitching speed.

Results: Significant differences were observed among pitch types for Max PL, Max Rot, Hourly Speed, Up Load %, and Fwd Load % (p < 0.05), while Side Load % did not show a significant difference (p > 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression indicated that pitching speed was influenced by Max PL, with the equation: mph = 78.816 + 7.001 Max PL, R ² = 0.192, suggesting that Max PL accounted for 19.2% of the variability in pitching speed.

Discussion: External training loads in pitching vary by pitch type, with variable-speed pitches generating higher peak external loads, whereas fastballs are associated with greater ball speeds.

Purpose: Hindsight bias is known to hinder people from learning and make people too adventurous in future decisions. The influence of hindsight bias on athletes, however, has not been widely and extensively investigated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine self-related motivational aspects of hindsight bias in a sports context.

Method: Questionnaires were completed by 84 soccer players in a retrospective-design study. Respondents were divided into winning team members vs. losing team members and playing members vs. nonplaying members to assess the culpability for a negative outcome and outcome controllability.

Results: Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant hindsight bias for the expected match score regardless of team and player factors. In terms of player factors, playing members of the losing team and nonplaying members of the winning team increased their confidence levels for the expected match score. In terms of team factors, winning team members increased their confidence levels for the expected winning team. The reverse was true for losing team members.

Conclusions: Playing members of a losing team used retroactive pessimism and showed greater hindsight bias. Winning team members showed greater hindsight bias, consistent with previous findings that people show hindsight bias for their own good performances. The results are further discussed in light of outcome controllability, expertise, and disappointment.

Background: Physical asymmetries in soccer (football) are inconsistently reported, and data on female youth players remain limited. This study evaluated asymmetries in leg lean mass, dynamic balance, landing kinetics and postural stability among 12-year-old female soccer players.

Methods: Eighty-five players from 10 football clubs in Reykjavik, Iceland, participated between April and June 2024. Leg lean mass was assessed via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), dynamic balance using the Y Balance Test (YBT), and single-leg landing test with VALD force plates. Asymmetry between the preferred kicking leg (PKL) and the non-preferred kicking leg (NPKL) was assessed with paired t-tests. Absolute asymmetry magnitudes were compared across coach-rated performance groups using Welch's ANOVA.

Results: Participants had a mean age of 11.7 ± 0.3 years, height of 154.4 ± 6.9 cm, and weight of 44.2 ± 8.1 kg. No significant asymmetries were found between leg lean mass (p = 0.197), landing force (p = 0.905) or time to stabilization (p = 0.083). However, significant asymmetry was observed in anterior reach on the YBT (p = 0.008, d = 0.29), favoring the NPKL. No differences were seen in other YBT directions.

Discussion: While lean mass and landing performance were symmetrical, the anterior reach asymmetry may reflect early neuromuscular differences. These results suggest that asymmetries in young female players may begin to emerge in select functional domains, even in the absence of structural or kinetic differences. Ongoing monitoring during adolescence may help clarify how training exposure and development influence these patterns.

Introduction: The concept of a dual career, which emphasizes the integration of athletic and academic pursuits, has become increasingly central to athlete development policies worldwide. Although the Dual Career Competency Questionnaire for Athletes (DCCQ-A) has been psychometrically validated in multiple European contexts, Japan still lacks a culturally adapted and scalable tool to assess student-athletes' dual-career competencies. Therefore, this study aimed to address this gap by developing and validating a web-based Japanese version of the DCCQ-A (DCCQ-AJ) to facilitate empirical research and provide evidence-based educational interventions.

Methods: Data were collected via an online survey from 1,035 university student-athletes (M = 19.82, SD = 1.12). The original 29-item DCCQ-A was translated following a back-translation protocol and evaluated across two dimensions perceived importance and perceived possession of competencies spanning four theoretical domains. Content validity was assessed using content validity coefficients (CVC); item discrimination was evaluated via good-poor (G-P) analysis. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to verify the factorial structure. Internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha, and paired-sample t-tests were used to assess discrepancies between perceived importance and possession levels.

Results: All items demonstrated strong content validity, and G-P analysis indicated significant item discrimination (p < .001). CFA confirmed the four-factor structure with good model fit indices. Internal consistency was acceptable to excellent across subscales. Descriptive statistics indicated that perceived importance scores (e.g., M = 3.95-4.08) consistently exceeded perceived possession scores (e.g., M = 3.62-3.99). Paired-sample t-tests revealed statistically significant differences across all domains (t = 5.38-15.01, p < .001), with small-to-moderate effect sizes (Cohen's d = 0.17-0.47). These results underscore meaningful gaps between what student-athletes value and what they perceive themselves as possessing, indicating domains in need of targeted support.

Conclusion: The DCCQ-AJ is a psychometrically sound web-based instrument for assessing dual-career competencies among Japanese student-athletes. Its scalability and structural equivalence to the original DCCQ-A render it suitable for cross-cultural comparative studies and longitudinal monitoring. This tool has practical utility for researchers and institutions aimed at evaluating and enhancing dual-career support frameworks in higher education and elite sports contexts.

Introduction: Kendo, a Japanese martial art rooted in traditional swordsmanship, has spread internationally. The art maintains strong cultural ties to Japan. As the global practitioner base expands, questions arise about how kendo is adapted in different cultural contexts and to what extent its original values and traditions are preserved. This qualitative study explored how cultural background influences kendo instruction by comparing the perspectives of Japanese and Dutch kendo instructors.

Method: Ten experienced kendo instructors from Japan and the Netherlands participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory served as the analytical framework for interpreting the influence of national culture on instructors' teaching approaches.

Results: Japanese instructors emphasized competitive success, hierarchical relationships, and student creativity, reflecting cultural values of masculinity and high power distance, while also subverting expectations regarding individualism. In contrast, Dutch instructors promoted recreational practice and egalitarian relationships, and reported challenges with overly critical students. These findings mirror cultural tendencies of femininity and low power distance, but defy assumptions regarding individualism. Despite these differences, both groups showed a strong commitment to preserving kendo's traditional values.

Discussion: The findings suggest that while instructional styles vary by culture, kendo's traditional principles are maintained across borders. Instructors play a key role in negotiating the balance between cultural adaptation and the preservation of kendo's identity. This study contributes to understanding the cross-cultural transmission of martial arts and highlights the need for further research including student perspectives and other national contexts.

Introduction: Teacher effectiveness is a critical factor influencing student outcomes, with physically active learning (PAL) emerging as an evidence-based approach that enhances academic achievement and health. Embedding PAL within Initial Teacher Education (ITE) may support pre-service teachers to develop pedagogical competence and confidence. TransformUs Higher Ed is a research-informed intervention designed to integrate PAL within ITE, aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers-Graduate Level. While prior research shows improvements in pre-service teacher confidence and willingness to use PAL, limited evidence exists on how these strategies are embedded in pre-service teachers' lesson planning. This study explored how components, philosophies, and strategies from TransformUs Higher Ed were incorporated into the lesson planning of first-year Bachelor of Education pre-service teachers at an Australian university.

Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted with first-year Bachelor of Education pre-service teachers (N = 141). Participants received the TransformUs Higher Ed program as part of a core Curriculum and Pedagogy unit. Quantitative data were extracted from lesson sequence assessments, capturing inclusion, frequency, type, and purpose of PAL strategies and their alignment with professional standards. Descriptive statistics were generated using Stata SE 18. Qualitative data were drawn from students' video reflections and analysed inductively in NVivo 14.

Results: Of the 141 participants, 89% incorporated at least one PAL strategy into lesson planning, yielding 447 active strategies (M = 3.17 per student). Active breaks, particularly transition- and structure-based breaks, were more common than active lessons, with experiential learning the most frequent lesson type. Strategies were typically applied during the lesson body and aligned with Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning. Thematic analysis identified eight pedagogical themes, including Learning Through Doing, Constructivist Learning, and Collaborative Learning. Findings demonstrate the utility of TransformUs Higher Ed in promoting PAL adoption within lesson planning, supporting pedagogical competence and alignment with evidence-based teaching standards.

Conclusion: Embedding PAL-focused interventions within ITE programs can foster pedagogical competence, with lesson planning serving as a crucial step in developing effective, evidence-based teaching practices among future educators.

Introduction: Efforts to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in sport aim to challenge systemic discrimination and promote equitable participation. In Sweden, Strategy 2030 represents a national initiative to integrate parasport into mainstream sport structures by embedding inclusive practices across all national sports organizations (NSOs). This study examines how key stakeholders within Swedish NSOs construct, interpret, and implement inclusion in this policy context. Guided by social identity theory (SIT), the study explores how processes of categorization, identification, and comparison influence ingroup/outgroup boundaries and shape inclusion practices.

Methods: The study draws on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders formally mandated to implement inclusion within Swedish NSOs. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in how inclusion is understood, negotiated, and enacted within organizational settings.

Results: The analysis revealed persistent tensions between formal commitments to inclusion and structural conditions that reproduce hierarchies of ability and belonging. Participants expressed strong normative support for inclusive values but described challenges in translating these values into practice within entrenched organizational cultures marked by ableist norms and resource disparities. Stakeholders also negotiated identity boundaries beyond the abled/disabled binary, indicating that inclusion efforts are shaped by intersecting dimensions of identity.

Discussion: The findings illuminate how identity processes, power relations, and normative assumptions influence the implementation of inclusion policy at the organizational level. Despite policy ambitions, structural and cultural constraints limit transformative change. The study contributes to understanding the complexities of fostering inclusion in sport governance and underscores the need for more equitable, reflexive, and context-sensitive policy frameworks.