Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Child athletes'

The aims of this thesis were to determine the relationship between transition model variables and athlete reactions to the transition event, the incidence of positive versus negative reactions to the event, identifications of variables that assisted or hindered the adaptation process, and the usefulness of the revised model for investigating a transition event. The study was conducted using a sample of adolescent athletes who participated in the residential program at the Australian Institute of Sport during the years 1993 to 1997. The findings highlighted areas for future consideration in research and development of transition programs for institutional settings
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Psychology)

Millions of children participate in sport and through their participation come into contact with coaches who are there to guide and support them. However, it has been observed that not all children’s relationships with their coaches have been positive ones, and concerns have been raised about the nature of the child-athlete relationship within the sports context. This research sought to use theory from child maltreatment research and apply it within a sports context to investigate perceived child athlete experiences. The research used both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to investigate retrospectively athletes’ perceptions of, and emotional responses to their coach’s behaviour. The initial study used qualitative method to establish if key theoretical frameworks from outside sport had a resonance and relevance within a sports context. Twelve elite athletes, all of whom had been identified as ‘elite’ when children reported that they had experienced negative coaching behaviour on a frequent basis they also reported negative emotional responses to this behaviour, and emotional problems as a consequence of how they were coached when they were children. Study Two (n=229), focused on broadening the research to access a larger population of athletes in order to examine their perceptions and experiences of being coached. In order to achieve this aim a new questionnaire, the Sport Emotional Response Questionnaire (SER-Q), was developed. The SER-Q was grounded in the real-life experiences of those athletes in Study One, and as such represented their expert opinions of their coaches’ behaviour. Through factor analysis, a 22-item questionnaire was established which measured frequency of negative (i.e. emotionally abusive) coach behaviour, athletes’ emotional response and perceived effect on performance. Results from this study showed that frequency of negative coach behaviour and emotional response were significantly and negatively correlated such that, as the frequency increased so did the negative emotional response. Study Three (n=314), was a confirmatory study, and found similar results to Study Two. Study Four (n=543), sought to investigate, through the SER-Q, specific questions in relation to: competitive level, athlete gender, and type of sport (either team or individual) and gender of the coach. Results revealed that there were no significant differences between athlete gender, type of sport and coach gender. However, significant results were found in relation to competitive level. Elite athletes (international-level and national-level) reported experiencing significantly more frequent negative coach behaviour: they also reported a greater negative emotional response to it than any of the non-elite (recreational-level, club-level and regional-level) groups. Finally, Study Five examined the perceived performance effect, and found a significant negative relationship with frequency, such that has the frequency increased so did the perceived negative performance effect; and a significant positive relationship with emotional response. Further results from this Study Five also found that there were only significant differences in relation to competitive level. Again elite athletes reported significantly greater detriments to their perceived performance resulting from their coach’s behaviour than did non-elite athletes. A consistent finding across all the studies was that when athletes reported ‘never’ having experienced emotionally abusive behaviour from their coach, they always reported ‘no emotional response’, and no effect on their performance. Therefore, the SER-Q was able to discriminate between these two populations of athletes. Overall, the findings from these studies have contributed to the development of a theoretical model that describes the process of emotional abuse from a child athlete perspective. Secondly, the findings reveal that elite athletes report different experiences of being coached when children than non-elite athletes. Furthermore, these studies found that theories anchored in family settings can be used to explore issues within a sports setting, and thus the child maltreatment perspective has relevance in developing sports specific theory in relation to the coach-child athlete relationship. A consistent finding across all the studies was that when athletes reported ‘never’ having experienced emotionally abusive behaviour from their coach, they always reported ‘no emotional response’, and no effect on their performance. Therefore, the SER-Q was able to discriminate between these two populations of athletes. Overall, the findings from these studies have contributed to the development of a theoretical model that describes the process of emotional abuse from a child athlete perspective. Secondly, the findings reveal that elite athletes report different experiences of being coached when children than non-elite athletes. Furthermore, these studies found that theories anchored in family settings can be used to explore issues within a sports setting, and thus the child maltreatment perspective has relevance in developing sports specific theory in relation to the coach-child athlete relationship.

The purpose of this paper was to look at selected parental traits (i.e. cohesion, commitment, coping, and communication) and determine if they positively affected a student's involvement in extracurricular activities. Also, parental support and pressure were assessed by the athlete in relation to how much of each of these qualities the athlete felt one's parents exhibited. The researcher also examined family categories such as biological parents, step parents, mother only, and an "other" category which combined all other family types. The study took place at a conservative mid-sized institution in the Midwest with 126 males and 106 females participating. All of the participants were in their freshman year of college.Based on the results of the study, parental support and parental pressure were not contributing factors to how well an athlete did in one's sporting event. Also, family type was not a major factor in determining the amount of support and pressure an athlete receives from one's parents. Finally, families that seemed to have higher cohesion, commitment, coping, and communication skills were more likely to be associated with athletes which came from a two parent biological family type.
School of Physical Education

Adolescent athletes with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) face unique challenges when compared to peers with and without diabetes. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) provides a method of insulin delivery that can enhance flexibility in insulin regimens and lifestyle that may be especially appealing to the adolescent athlete. No studies have explored the impact of athletics in this population. This descriptive qualitative study explored and described the experiences of adolescent athletes using CSII as their primary insulin delivery method, with a focus on athletic participation and performance. The purposeful sample consisted of four adolescent athletes, ages 13 to 15 years with T1DM, using CSII, in excellent diabetes control, and recently participated in organized sports activities. After written informed consent, data were collected through a semi-structured interview with the adolescent and parent. Results were transcribed verbatim and analyzed for emerging themes. Four themes emerged from the transcripts along with multiple subcategories. The main themes included: protecting the pump and infusion site; dealing with highs and lows; maximizing participation and performance; and keeping watch. Information gathered from this study will prepare healthcare professionals to anticipate the needs of adolescent athletes using CSII when prescribing a diabetes management regimen.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 292 p.; also includes graphics (some col.) Includes bibliographical references (p. 273-292). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Denna studie har undersökt hur barn pratar om och beskriver begreppet delaktighet inom idrottsrörelsen, i syfte att klargöra barns perspektiv inom detta kunskapsområde. Studien genomfördes med hjälp av en kvalitativ ansats och baserades på tre gruppintervjuer med tolv unga idrottare i åldrarna 10–15 år. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten för studien var delaktighetsteorier, dels utifrån ett statsvetenskapligt samt ett sociologiskt perspektiv, men också specifikt, teorier som rör barns delaktighet (children’s participation) där framförallt delaktighet utifrån Roger Harts (1992) "ladder of participation" har använts. Resultatet för studien visar att idrottande barns beskrivningar av begreppet delaktighet är omfångsrik och innefattar å ena sidan en varierad bild av beslutsprocessen, där beskrivningar av att våga och inte få välja utgör exempel på icke delaktighet medan komma överens, kompromissa, rösta, vara med och bestämma, få välja, bli tillfrågad, få förklaringar, ge feedback, ge förslag och önskemål samt säga vad man tycker utgör barns beskrivningar av delaktighet. Å andra sidan visar även resultatet att idrottande barns beskrivningar av delaktighet går utöver beskrivningar av själva beslutsprocessen och innefattar även ett socialt perspektiv, där känna sig utanför, vara utesluten, och som att man inte finns utgjorde beskrivningar av att inte vara delaktig, medans beskrivningar av att man är med i ett gäng, alla får vara med och att man upplever att man finns till samt blir sedd, lyftes fram som viktiga komponenter för att beskriva delaktighet. Resultatet ligger i linje med tidigare forskning som har indikerat att barn uppfattar begreppet delaktighet som något mer än bara vara en del av en beslutsprocess. Studiens forskningsbidrag är därmed dels en bekräftelse av tidigare antydningar av idrottande barns breda syn på delaktighet men framförallt vad denna breda syn består av, vilket till min kännedom inte har utforskats tidigare. Resultatet ska emellertid beaktas med försiktighet givet det begränsade urvalet för studien.
The aim of this study has been to investigate how children talk about and describe the concept of participation in the sports movement, thus illuminating a child’s perspective of this area, and providing a basis for future quantitative work. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach and was based on three group interviews with twelve young athletes aged 10–15 years. The theoretical starting point for the study was participatory theories, partly from a political science and a sociological perspective, but also specifically, theories concerning children's participation. The results of the study show that athletes’ descriptions of the concept of participation are comprehensive and include, on the one hand, a broad picture of the decision-making process, where descriptions of daring and not being able to choose are examples of non-participation, while agreeing, compromising, voting, participating and deciding, getting to choose, being asked, getting explanations, giving feedback, giving suggestions and wishes and saying what you think, constitute children’s descriptions of participation. On the other hand, the results also show that young athletes’ descriptions of participation go beyond the decision-making process itself and also include a social perspective, where feeling outside, excluded, or that you don’t exist, are descriptions of non-participation, whilst descriptions such as being a part of a group, everyone is included, that you feel that you exist and are seen, were highlighted as important components to describe participation. The results are in line with previous research which has indicated that children perceive the concept of participation as something more than just being part of a decision-making process. The study’s main contribution is therefore firstly a reinforcement of the indications of previous research of children’s broad view of participation and secondly, illuminating what this comprehensive view consists of, which to my knowledge hasn’t been explored before. Further research is however needed given the small sample in this study, in order to strengthen these findings.

Tesis para optar al grado de Magíster en Administración
No disponible a texto completo
El objetivo de este Plan de Ne gocios es demostrar la factibilidad técnico económica de desarrollar un proyecto cuyo nombre es “The Urban Athlete Chile”, pproyecto que pretende ser una revolución de los centros deportivos en Chile, unificando la oferta disponible para desarrollar la actividad física como un verdadero profesional, de manera de encausar las capacidades y los talentos de las personas. Para el desarrollo de este proyecto, se unen dos grandes actores en este negocio, el primero es la casa matriz canadiense, llamada del mismo nombre, es decir, The Urban Athlete, (www.theurbanathlete.ca ), y el centro médico de Alejandro Koch, medico de reconocido talento en la salud de deportistas. Por lo tanto, la innovación principal de este proyecto tiene dos grandes aristas, la primera, es la unificación de una clínica de deporte sumado a un centro de entrenamiento físico funcional y la segunda es la instalación de un completo SHOP de insumos tanto médicos como deportivos. Conforme a esto, el proyecto cuenta con tres grandes unidades de negocios que funcionarán en forma conjunta a modo de entregar a los clientes un servicio integral en lo relacionado a deporte y la salud. La primera unidad de negocio , es el centro de entrenamiento funcional, en la cual se entregara al cliente una oferta de programas y servicios de entrenamiento a cargo de preparadores físicos especialistas. Su infraestructura estará compuesta de pistas, gimnasios, piscinas, etc. La segunda unidad de negocio estará compuesta por una clínica, en la cual se ofrecerá al cliente poder consultar y atende rse en diferentes disciplinas médicas orientadas a la salud, recuperación y rendimiento de deportistas, estará a cargo de Nutricionistas, kinesiólogos, ortopédicos, Quiroprácticos. Etc ., Su infraestructura será la disposición de Box de consultas mas el instrumental y equipo especializado para diagnóstico y tratamiento . La tercera unidad de negocio será colocar al cliente un completo Shop de insumos deportivos, que ofrecerá desde proteínas, vitaminas, suplementos alimenticios y potenciadores de diferente índole, hasta un completo stock de vendajes neuromusculares y ropa técnica. En relación al mercado, podeos decir, que d ebido a la constante mejora económica del país, la población dedica más recursos a la entretención, al deporte y al cuidado de la salud, de esta manera el mercado del deporte está en crecimiento, y conforme a esto, un proyecto orientado al deporte y la salud es sin duda un acierto en estos tiempos. El estudio de Chile Deportes, identifico un mercado potencial de 2.178.000 personas, que realizan actividad física. No obstante, el mercado objetivo para este proyecto se concentra en Santiago y lo componen las personas que realizan deporte, llegando a un número de 618.993 personas. Esta cifra significa un mercado cercano a los 100 millones de dólares con un crecimiento anual del 7%. Una vez conocido el mercado objetivo, se realizo una encuesta, que identifico las características de los clientes, en cuanto a sus gustos y prefer encias, orientándonos a definir los productos y servicios a ofrecer al mercado. De esta manera The Urban Athlete Chile, entregara un producto único que satisface de manera integral los requerimientos deportivos del subgrupo de deportistas que requieren una atención especial de entrenamiento y salud , con énfasis en una disciplina específica. En el mercado objetivo se realizo una sub segmentación, identificando deportistas profesionales, amateur avanzado y amateurs, cada uno con una representatividad especifica, para posteriormente realizar una estrategia comercial, identificando el modelo de ventas, promoción, imagen, plan de medios y idealización de clientes. Operacionalmente, la experiencia de ambos socios estratégicos es fundamental para el desarrollo exitoso del proyecto, ya que aportaran su conocimiento y expertiz en cada etapa de la implementación y luego en la continuidad del negocio. Finalmente, las proyecciones de venta y las financieras mostraron un proyecto sólido, que considera una fuerte inversión inicial, que sin problemas será asumida por los socios, y concluye, en términos de valoración, que el proyecto genera valor a sus socios arrojando un resultado para el VPN Total del orden de $6.504.022.340 millones de pesos con una TIR de 87,24%, lo que implica que el proyecto es viable económicamente.

This study explores the nature of the communication between parent and child as the context changes to place them into the roles of coach and member of the team. Previous studies of parents coaching their own children are limited, suggesting the need for further examination in this area. The parent/coach is becoming far more common in competitive contexts due to the growing number of programs available for children without a corresponding growth in the number of adults able and interested in coaching (Turman & Schrodt, 2004). The study examines and extends role theory, conflict theory, and communication privacy management (CPM) theory.

The purpose of this Master’s thesis was to document parents’ and their children’s perspectives on parental involvement in sport during early-mid adolescence. Individual semi- structured interviews were conducted with eight parent-child dyads, composed of eight athletes (three males, five females) between 12 and 16 years of age (M= 14) and eight parents (six males, two females) between 36 and 53 years of age (M = 44). The dyads recruited were involved in four team sports: basketball (n=3), ice hockey (n=2), soccer (n=2), and Canadian football (n=1). Based on the data collected, two articles were written. In article one, Basic Needs Theory (BNT) was used as a theoretical framework (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2000) to examine parents’ and their children’s perspectives on how parental involvement in sport influences basic psychological needs during early-mid adolescence. The findings revealed how parental behaviours were generally believed to satisfy athletes’ basic psychological needs within the sport context, although need frustration was also reported. Article two explored how parents’ interactions with coaches and teammates were perceived to influence the sport climate. The findings demonstrated the importance of having parents make efforts to establish friendly and supportive relationships with their children’s coaches and teammates to nurture a positive sport climate. Collectively, the findings from this Master’s thesis contribute to the literature by providing a theoretically-informed and nuanced portrait of parental involvement in youth sport.

Leadership studies and leadership development have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, much of this popularity has been focused on leadership in adults. This thesis explores the emergence and development of leadership skills in children as they gain experience from play, athletics, and school. The definition of leadership is examined as well as the skills needed for proficient leadership. The skills are structured around the Big Five personality factors. Each of the areas discussed – play, athletics, and school – gives children many opportunities to interact with their peers allowing for valuable development. Overall, this thesis asserts that leadership and its development can occur at the beginning of an individual’s lifetime and does not need to be restricted to adulthood.

Syfte och frågeställningar: Syfte med studien är att kartlägga förekomsten av kommersiella aktörer inom barn- och ungdomsidrotten i Sverige, och att analysera vilken verksamhet som erbjuds (inriktningar) för vem (målgrupper). Syfte är även att undersöka vilken inställning representanter för några specialidrottsförbund har till de kommersiella aktörerna. De centrala frågeställningarna är: Vilket utbud av kommersiella aktörer finns idag inom den organiserade barn- och ungdomsidrotten? Vad anser specialidrottsförbunden om dem? Föreligger det någon skillnad i utbudet mellan idrotterna och har utbudet förändrats över tid? Metod: Studien har både en kvantitativ och en kvalitativ ansats. Insamling av data gjordes genom kartläggning av kommersiella aktörer inom idrotterna basket, danssport, fotboll, gymnastik, innebandy, ishockey, ridsport och tennis med hjälp av internetsökningar. Kartläggningen kategoriserades och redovisades enligt L-M Engströms logiker med huvudprinciperna prestation, träning och upplevelse för att tydliggöra inriktningar och målgrupper. För att undersöka specialidrottsförbundens inställning genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultat: Antalet nyregistrerade kommersiella aktörer har ökat sedan mitten av 1990-talet. Störst ökning skedde mellan 2011 och 2015 då drygt 60 nya kommersiella aktörer registrerades, vilket är en ökning med 154 procent jämfört perioden 2006-2010. Inom alla de studerade idrotterna finns kommersiella aktörer som ett komplement för de som vill träna mer utanför ordinarie föreningsverksamhet medan det inom idrotterna danssport, gymnastik, ridsport och tennis går att förlägga all träning hos kommersiella aktörer. Kommersiella aktörer erbjuder sällan tävlingsverksamhet, men genom samarbeten med ideella föreningar finns ändå möjlighet att tävla. Företrädare för specialidrottsförbunden uttrycker viss oro eftersom de inte kan påverka de kommersiella aktörerna. Oron grundar sig i att de anser att kommersiella aktörer saknar tillräcklig kunskap för att bedriva barn- och ungdomsidrott. Förbunden menar också att kommersiella aktörer kan göra idrotten mindre tillgänglig eftersom speciella målgrupper eller ökade kostnader riskerar att utesluta grupper i samhället. Slutsats: Kommersiella aktörer inom barn- och ungdomsidrott har främst ett utbud som ger ökade träningsmöjligheter. Fri konkurrens gör att idrottsrörelsen inte kan påverka de kommersiella aktörerna vars verksamhet både konkurrerar och kompletterar föreningarnas.
Aim and research question: The aim of this study is to survey the occurrence of commercial operators within child and youth athletics in Sweden, and to analyze what activities they provide and whom they are aimed towards. The aim is also to examine the attitude of National Governing Bodies in regards to commercial operators. The central questions are: What range of commercial operators exists today within organized child and youth athletics? How has commercial interest in a range of sports and has this changed over time? What attitude do the National Governing Bodies have towards the commercial operators? Method: The study uses both a quantitative and a qualitative data collection. Data has been collected through surveying commercial operators via the internet. This study covered the sports of basketball, dance, football, gymnastics, floorball, ice hockey, equestrianism and tennis. The investigation is categorized and presented according to the logic of L-M Engström. The main areas of covered in the investigation were: playing level, training and experience in order to clarify directions and audiences. Semi-structures interviews were also conducted to underline the opinions of the National Governing Bodies. Results: The number of newly registered commercial operators within sport has increased since the mid-1990s. The largest increase occurred between 2011 and 2015 when more than 60 new commercial operators were registered, an increase of 154 percent compared to the period 2006-2010. In all the studied sports there are commercial operators as supplements for those who want to practice more outside regular sports association while athletes who take part in dance, gymnastics, equestrianism and tennis can do all the training at a commercial operator. Commercial operators rarely offer competitive activity, but through partnerships with non-profit organizations athletes could be able to compete. The concern is based in that they believe that commercial operators lack sufficient knowledge to engage children and young athletics. The unions also believe that commercial operators can make the sport less accessible because specific audiences or increased costs likely to exclude groups in society. Conclusion: Commercial actors in child and youth athletics have primarily a supply that provides increased training opportunities. Free competition means that the sports movement cannot affect the commercial operators whose activities both compete and complement the sports clubs.
Kommersialiseringstrender i barn- och ungdomsidrott

Can you imagine a world where no-one goes outside? Our world is under threat from human activities, from what we do, and the way we do it. This will have a huge impact on our future lives, and we need to think about how we protect places and the people, animals and plants found there. Whilst, there is a widely-recognised need to address this threat, there is a specific focus on how we can involve young people in this process. Within this, there is additional concern about how little time children and young people spend outside. My qualitative study responds to these concerns by exploring young people’s relationship with nature, and how this may be developed through the projects we offer them. The participating projects have been spread across England, from south-east to north-west, including rural, coastal and urban environments. The young people, aged between 11 and 25, were from diverse backgrounds, with a wide range of individual needs. This transdisciplinary research has used an innovative blended methodology, combining hermeneutics, (auto)ethnography and action research (HEAR) to explore the topic. I have been creative in my approach, preferring everyday language and making use of stories. I have listened to and observed people’s stories, and created new stories based on these experiences. My work emphasises the importance of communication, how we talk to and with people, and how we talk about the natural environment. Contributions to practice include the development of a new toolkit providing guidance for practitioners on how to work effectively outdoors, with young people identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. Contributions to knowledge include a new conceptualisation of the different forms of story, and a new methodological approach (HEAR) to explore outdoor learning experiences. These outcomes are founded in young peoples’ perspectives and grounded in practice.

The aims of this thesis were to determine the relationship between transition model variables and athlete reactions to the transition event, the incidence of positive versus negative reactions to the event, identifications of variables that assisted or hindered the adaptation process, and the usefulness of the revised model for investigating a transition event. The study was conducted using a sample of adolescent athletes who participated in the residential program at the Australian Institute of Sport during the years 1993 to 1997. The findings highlighted areas for future consideration in research and development of transition programs for institutional settings

abstract: Background: Although childhood engagement in physical activity has received growing attention, most children still do not meet the recommended daily 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity [MVPA]. Children of ethnic minorities are less likely to meet the guidelines. Interventions have been implemented in various settings to increase child physical activity levels, yet these efforts have not yielded consistent results. The purpose of this study was to assess the preliminary effects of a community-based intervention on light physical activity and MVPA among 6-11 year old children. Methods: The present study was part of a larger study called Athletes for Life [AFL], a family-based, nutrition-education and physical activity intervention. The present study focused on physical activity data from the first completed cohort of participants (n=29). This study was a randomized control trial in which participating children were randomized into a control (n=14) or intervention (n=15) group. Participants wore accelerometers at two time points. Intervention strategies were incorporated to increase child habitual physical activity. Analyses of covariance were performed to test for post 12-week differences between both groups on the average minutes of light physical activity and MVPA minutes per day. Results: The accelerometer data demonstrated no significant difference in light physical activity or MVPA mean minutes per day between the groups. Few children reported engaging in activities sufficient for meeting the physical activity guidelines outside the AFL program. Of the 119 total distributed child physical activity tracker sheets (7 per family), 55 were returned. Of the 55 returned physical activity tracker sheets, parents reported engaging in physical activity with their children only 7 times outside of the program over seven weeks. Conclusion: The combined intervention strategies implemented throughout the 12-week study did not appear to be effective at increasing habitual mean minutes per day spent engaging in light and MVPA among children beyond the directed program. Methodological limitations and low adherence to intervention strategies may partially explain these findings. Further research is needed to test successful strategies within community programs to increase habitual light physical activity and MVPA among 6-11 year old children.
Dissertation/Thesis
Masters Thesis Exercise and Wellness 2015

In sport, psychological skills training is as important as physical training. Psychological skills training (PST) package programs aim to train a variety of psychological skills simultaneously. While extensively utilized overseas, PST programs are seldomly conducted with South African elite sportspeople and are generally not available to local youth athletes. Furthermore, the impact of PST programs on life and general health and the related components of biological, psychological, social and spiritual well-being has been typically neglected, with research in this regard minimal or non-existent. For example, before this thesis, the impact of PST on the core health component of psychological well-being had not been evaluated, nor had the conceptual and/or empirical relationship between psychological skills and psychological well-being been investigated. Although PST is often conducted individually because of its specific and personal nature, group training should not be overlooked especially in South Africa where communal living is a way of life and community interventions are an important part of health promotion. The value of broad base PST programs is that they train psychological skills as life skills thus aiding overall biopsychosocialculturalspiritual development. With these considerations in mind a triangulated design involving individual, group and community interventions, as well as elite and expert case studies was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a PST program and to investigate the relationship between psychological skills and psychological well-being. Results based on quantitative and qualitative outcome and process measurements indicated general improvement in psychological skills, psychological well-being and sporting performance. Psychological skills and psychological well-being were found to be interrelated concepts, with overlapping components. Recommendations for ongoing and future research at individual, group and community level are made.
Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2008.
Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences
unrestricted

Thesis of (M.A.)--University of Alberta, 2009.
Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on October 6th, 2009). "Fall, 2009." At head of title: University of Alberta. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduates Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of arts, Faculty of Physical Education & Recreation, University of Alberta. Includes bibliographical references.