The use of social networking within the sport and exercise sciences - James T. Beale (2008)
Department of Health and Biosciences,
University Of East London

Please see Page 66 – 70 of The London Journal of Tourism, Sport and Creative Industries. Click the PDF icon to the left to view the journal.

The Abstract below was presented at the European Congress of Sport Psychology In 2007

Paper 3. Evaluation of an inter-disciplinary sports science intervention (SSI) to the Great Britain under 16 korfball team preparing for the Youth World Cup (YWC) 

Beale, J.T.*, Johnstone, J., & Williamson, A

*University of East London 

Korfball is a mixed gender invasion game with the objective to score points through shooting a ball into afree standing basket. This paper aims to gain a qualitative appreciation of the recipients’ perspective of aninter-disciplinary SSI. The evaluation is a qualitative assessment after a proposition by Biddle et al (2001) that more diverse methods such as qualitative research is required within the sports science domain. The 3 month SSI provided evidence based support to enhance performance through utilising the areas of psychology,nutrition and physiology.

The SSI, adapting methods from Halliwell et al, (2003) worked with the squad 8 times over the time period to achieve the objective in the lead up to and during the YWC. Post YWC Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith, 1997) was conducted on a representative sample (n = 4) of the squad.  Interviews were transcribed and analysed independently by 2 of the authors before coming to agreement on the themes, clusters and master themes. IPA analysis identified 2 master themes, empowerment and improved performance. Master themes were identified through 9 clusters. Empowerment master themes were derived from, education, learning, knowledge and engagement clusters. Improved performance were derived from, coach reinforcement, outcomes, coach endorsement, general effectiveness and effectiveness.

Results from the IPA suggest that the intervention had a direct positive impact on performance over the intervention period, thus suggesting this form of analysis can be applied to assess an inter-disciplinary SSI. Further qualitative research on the recipients of such interventions is necessary to gain a wider appreciation of athletes and coaches perceptions of SSIs.