Professor David Morley

This book provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the research behind the preparation, development and performance of the young rugby player.

Sports Science.

Essential reading for those studying Physical Education at secondary level. >

Sport plays a crucially important role in our society and the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity are widely acknowledged in terms of personal health and well-being.

The authors contributing to this book are world leading in their respective fields, ranging from academics researching rugby performance to practitioners delivering this information within the professional game.

An aim of this paper was to discover whether athletes of different pubertal status, chronological age, and gender reported distinct coping strategies in response to stress during a competitive event in their sport. A secondary aim was to examine pubertal status group, chronological age, and gender differences in coping effectiveness. Participants were adolescent athletes (n=527), classified as beginning-pubertal (n=59), midpubertal (n=189), advanced-pubertal (n=237), and postpubertal (n=22). Findings revealed that there were small, but significant differences in how athletes of different pubertal status and chronological age coped. There were also significant differences between how athletes of different pubertal status perceived the effectiveness of their coping strategies. Interestingly, our results suggested that the relationship between pubertal status and coping and coping effectiveness is different from the relationship between chronological age and coping and coping effectiveness.

Since Bailey and Morley (2006) developed a model of talent development (TD) in physical education (PE), several researchers have attempted to understand TD in the PE context. However, the definition of ‘talent’ in PE remains unclear. Currently, identifying refers to using a range of predefined criteria to recognise potential; providing to offering support for those identified; and developing to the process of defining, identifying, and providing talent in PE. This study aimed to examine secondary school PE teachers’ perceptions of TD processes in PE. A purposive sample of 20 Spanish PE teachers was interviewed (n = 17 males and 3 females). Through thematic analysis, five main themes were identified. Teachers associated talented students in PE with physical abilities. Teachers suggested several limiting factors in identifying and supporting talent within PE, including a lack of curricular guidelines, knowledge, and time. However, some teachers acknowledged that they were not equipped with strategies for TD in PE. Some teachers employed strategies to limit the abilities of talented students and balance the level of the class, while others found it difficult to develop talent in PE. Additionally, extracurricular activities were considered to play a key role in TD. Furthermore, teachers’ pedagogy might be biased when developing talented students in PE, as the difference between sports talent and PE talent is unclear. Our results reveal a need for professional development in TD for PE teachers.

Background This study examined the effects of the iPlayClean anti-doping intervention on attitudes towards doping and susceptibility, and whether delivery mode affected the results. Methods A total of 1081 high-level UK athletes (14–18 years old, 904 males, 177 females) were cluster-randomised to the control (11 teams/organisations/schools, 314 athletes), face-to-face group presentation (8 teams/organisations/schools, 254 athletes), online (11 teams/organisations/schools, 251 athletes), or face-to-face presentation with online access (5 teams/organisations/schools, 262 athletes). Results Compared to the control group, all modes of the iPlayClean anti-doping education programme reduced favourable attitudes towards doping immediately after the intervention, which was sustained across all intervention groups 8 weeks later. All delivery modes impacted doping susceptibility immediately after the intervention, in comparison to the control group, but the effects were only sustained for the face-to-face presentation group. Conclusion Contrary to findings within previous anti-doping interventions, we have shown that doping attitudes can be changed and that the results can be sustained across all modes of delivery, 8 weeks later. Research is required to assess for how long these changes are sustained, and how often anti-doping education should be delivered to high-level athletes to reinforce clean play values.

In this study, we tested an a priori model that included coach behaviour, motivational climate, and mental toughness among 290 athletes. Structural equation modelling demonstrated that supportive coach behaviours were related to a task-involving climate, and that task-involving climates positively associated with mental toughness. The path between supportive coach behaviours and mental toughness was insignificant. When task-involving climate was taken into account, however, supportive coach behaviours were positively associated with task-involving climates, which in turn was positively associated with mental toughness. This study illustrates the importance of coach behaviour in relation to shaping the motivational climate, which in turn may impact on the development of mental toughness among athletes.

This study evaluated whether exposing junior netball players to greater amounts of competition relevant activity (playing form activity) had an effect on game play outcomes and session involvement. A group-randomised controlled trial in one junior netball club in the Hunter Region, NSW, Australia. Ninety female athletes (mean age = 9.04 years, SD 1.53) were randomised by team (n = 11) into the intervention (n = 41) or 9-week wait-list control (n = 49) condition. The Professional Learning for Understanding Games Education into Sport (PLUNGE into Sport) programme was undertaken in the first half of nine training sessions (9 × 30 min). The intervention exposed athletes to playing form activity through a coach development programme within training sessions. Athletes’ decision-making, support and skill outcomes during a small-sided invasion game, and session involvement (pedometer step/min), were measured at baseline and 9-week follow-up. Linear mixed models revealed significant group-by-time intervention effects (P < 0.05) for decision-making (d = 0.4) and support (d = 0.5) during game play, and in-session activity (d = 1.2). An intervention exposing athletes to greater levels of playing form activity, delivered via a coach education programme, was efficacious in improving athlete decision-making and support skills in game play and increasing athlete involvement during sessions.

There is a positive relationship between children's movement competence and physical activity, with a further relationship established between physical activity and childhood obesity. The Movement Oriented Games Based Assessment (MOGBA) is a delivery and assessment intervention designed to improve children's complex movement skills, based on principles of motor development and assessment theories. MOGBA aims to improve children's movement competence, physical fitness and self-perceptions (physical and game) and increase children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). MOGBA is to be used in the 'Made to Play' initiative, involving 105 sports and activity programs across 21 countries, involving over 25 million children. A multi-site cluster randomized controlled trial will take place across three global sites (UK, Ireland and Australia). Each site will recruit eight primary schools (four experiment, four control) with each school providing two separate classes of children from age ranges 8-12 years (Site n = ~300, total n = 904). After baseline assessments, schools will be randomly allocated to an experimental or wait-list control group. Following two half-day workshops, trained facilitators will deliver the MOGBA intervention for 9 weeks. The main intervention components include delivery of 14 games-based activities with associated assessments of children's movement and differentiation to meet children's needs by manipulating space, effort and relationships. The primary outcome of the trial is to improve children's' movement competence (The Dragon Challenge), with secondary outcomes of improving children's' in-activity and leisure-time MVPA (5-day accelerometer), physical fitness (standing long jump and push ups) and self-perceptions (physical and game). Data will be analysed using multilevel modelling approaches. The MOGBA intervention has been designed to improve children's movement competence and scalable interventions based on MOGBA could be applied across programs within the Made to Play initiative, globally. The trial is registered at the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12619001320145p, 27 Sep 2019).

The Model of Motivational Dynamics (MMD; Skinner and Pitzer, 2012) infers that peers influence behavioral engagement levels, which in turn is linked to coping and resilience. Scholars, however, are yet to test the MMD among an athletic population. The purpose of this paper was to assess an a priori model that included key constructs from the MMD, such as resistance to peer influence, behavioral engagement and disaffection, coping, and resilience among athletes. Three hundred and fifty-one athletes (male n = 173, female n = 178; Mage = 16.15 years) completed a questionnaire that measured each construct. Our results provide support for the model. In particular, there were positive paths between resistance to peer influence and behavioral engagement, behavioral engagement and task-oriented coping, and task-oriented coping with resilience. There was also a positive path between resilience and resistance to peer influence, but a negative path from resistance to peer influence to behavioral disaffection. Due to the reported benefits of enhancing resistance to peer influence and behavioral engagement, researchers could devise sport specific interventions to maximize athletes' scores in these constructs.

Assessing children's movement competence (MC) offers numerous benefits for academics, practitioners, clinicians and children, allowing individuals to meet children's developmental needs and improve their MC. Yet, there is concern that currently available assessment tools only provide a single plane (fundamental movement skills) perspective of a child's MC. The aim of this study was to elicit the expert opinion of a mixture of academics and practitioners from a variety of fields (research, education, sport, physiotherapy, athletic therapy) to design a tool to measure both the fundamental and functional movement skills of children aged 8–12. A three-round Delphi poll with an international panel of 17 academics ( n = 8) and practitioners ( n = 9) was conducted. The consensus was that the assessment should assess (a) object manipulation, (b) locomotor, and (c) stability MC and the assessment layout should be dynamic, incorporating a hybrid model of stations and a circuit. Expert consensus was that most skills were to be performed using the dominant and non-dominant side, with object manipulation skills assessed using process and product criteria. The consensus was also that the assessment should have varied ‘layers’ of marking criteria to cater for varying assessor expertise and have a series of ‘add-on” elements to provide a more detailed evaluation should it be needed. These findings present the foundation and content validity of an assessment which takes a dualistic view of children's movement skills, that could be used across several environments (schools, sports clubs, clinical settings, etc.) and could be suitable for use with a large group of children.

The objective of this study was to explore what coaches wanted to learn about identifying, developing, supporting and progressing athletes through a national performance pathway, before commencing a professional development course. A concept mapping (CM) design was used with Australian national sports organisation coaches undertaking an online professional development course. The coaches: (i) brainstormed what they wanted to know; (ii) grouped the brainstormed ideas around perceived similarity of meaning; and (iii) rated the ideas for importance to know and impact on coaching practice on five-point Likert scales. Data were collected and analysed (including multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis) using the Concept Systems groupwisdomTM online platform. Thirty-two coaches brainstormed 42 statements that the research team synthesised and edited to 47 unique statements, with forty coaches sorting and rating these statements. An 8-cluster map best represented the sorted data, with the following clusters: Sport psychology and athlete engagement; Training and competition environments; Athlete wellbeing; Monitoring and modelling; Talent identification; Supporting coaches to work with stakeholders; Transition and significant others; and Benchmarking and performance pathway design. Using a CM system to elicit coaches’ needs prior to their professional development has the potential to empower coaches and target specific domains of required knowledge.

The purposes of this study were to (a) identify psychosocial factors associated with athletic success by talented English school children and (b) examine potential gender differences in their perceptions of athletic success. Thirty-nine athletically talented English children (20 females, 19 males, M age = 13 years, SD = 1.4 years) participated in structured interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and subjected to an inductive-deductive analysis procedure. Results revealed nine categories (comprising 28 themes) of psychosocial factors associated with athletic success during childhood: Ambitions, Choice of Sport, Motives, Success Attributions, Sacrifices, Obstacles, Emotional Support, Informational Support, and Tangible Support. Gender differences are considered and findings are compared to previous talent development and youth sport research.

Gender differences in how technology is used to facilitate physical activity engagement was examined. 578 adults completed a survey assessing gender, mobile device usage, stages of change in physical activity based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change (TTM) and relevant covariates. Data analysis revealed that both cumulative device types and cumulative reasons for using devices mediated gender differences in stage membership for physical activity. Females used fewer devices and reported fewer reasons for using such devices than male participants. These dispositions predicted a reduced probability of achieving action/maintenance stages for physical activity. Females used fewer mobile devices and perceived fewer incentives for using such devices. As a result they are less likely to enter the action/maintenance stages of physical activity. Interventions to promote female participation in physical activity need to recognise gender differences in the use of mobile technology.

Sport plays a crucially important role in our society and the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity are widely acknowledged in terms of personal health and well-being.

Sport plays a crucially important role in our society and the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity are widely acknowledged in terms of personal health and well-being.

Sport plays a crucially important role in our society and the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity are widely acknowledged in terms of personal health and well-being.

Meeting the Needs if Your Most Able Pupils in PE/Sports Studies provides specific guidance on: Recognizing high ability and multiple intelligences. Planning, differentiation and extension/enrichment. Teacher questioning skills. Support for more able pupils with learning difficulties. Homework. Recording and assessment. Beyond the classroom: visits, residentials, competitions, summer schools, masterclasses, links with other institutions. The book features comprehensive appendices and downloadable resources with: useful contacts and resources, lesson plans, liaison sheets for teaching assistants, homework activities and monitoring sheets. For secondary teachers, subject heads of departments, Gifted and Talented co-ordinators, SENCos and LEA advisers.

In order to investigate the ways in which schools identify and support talented pupils in physical education, a national (English) survey was conducted. The survey aimed to establish a clear picture of current policy and practice in secondary school curricular physical education by obtaining specific information concerning talent identification, provision and support of very able pupils. Employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis tools ensured that patterns and trends could be identified and allowed the opportunity for individual schools to illustrate specific examples relating to their own experiences and circumstances. The findings reveal that schools draw on an extremely varied range of strategies to identify and develop their talented pupils in physical education. Although the majority of schools appear to have developed a whole school and departmental policy for developing talent, there was a strong indication that a whole school policy was a significant driving force for designing a policy at department level. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings, suggesting that instances of good practice need to be highlighted and widely disseminated, and detailed guidance should be made available to all schools, if effective and equitable talent development practices are to be properly adopted within physical education departments.

This chapter examines coach development in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, delving into its historical progression, current perspectives, and associated challenges. Despite their remarkable international high-performance sports records, coach development efforts in both countries often lack consistency and alignment with the prevailing sport performance culture. Through case studies, anecdotal accounts, and an analysis of previous policies and historical developments, we explore the evolving systems and infrastructures supporting coach development and the persistent tensions between community and performance coaching priorities. We argue that cyclical governance and dissemination processes hinder the potential for advancements by perpetuating past ideologies and delivery methods. Moving forward; cultural responsiveness, recognition of diverse coach typologies, and consideration of unique environments are crucial for effective coach development in both countries.

Designing and facilitating high-quality coach education involves the constructive alignment of key topics, learning episodes, journeys, modalities and, particularly in online delivery, the use of technological learning enhancement approaches and tools. The coach should be placed at the heart of this process in order to support them in taking ownership of their development, empowering them to make decisions around their developmental needs, and provide them with a voice that catalyses their developmental self-regulation. The assessment of a coach’s knowledge, skills, and understanding related to the intended learning outcomes of coach education programmes during and after delivery can often be ad hoc, lacking contextual appreciation and alignment to the broader aims of the programme. This chapter chronicles the integration of opportunities to understand and promote learning, using an assessment for learning (AfL) approach, across distinct and sequentially phrased blocks of delivery. We view the construction of these blocks as a series of ‘dilemmas’ that we worked through, pertaining to the coach’s: (a) organisation and its stakeholders (b) development in an online environment, and (c) ownership of learning. In light of our insights and experiences, we conclude with recommendations for the authentic use of opportunities for learning in professional development programmes for sport coaches.

Traditional conceptions of talent generally emphasise the construction of threshold values and the development of relatively unitary abilities, and this approach still dominates talent development programmes for elite sport. Most researchers on high ability, however, now favour domain-specific, multidimensional conceptions of ability that stress the development of behavioural potential and its interaction with personal and environmental characteristics. This paper presents a model of talent in physical education, drawing together findings from a wide range of literature on the realisation and inhibition of abilities, international studies of effective school-based identification and provision strategies, and a conception of the subject as an integration and realisation of different forms of ability. In presenting this model, the authors aim to redress the imbalance within the current debate from an almost total concern with out-of-school clubs and the preparation for adult elite sport, in favour of a more equitable and inclusive approach, premised upon the unique importance of mainstream, curricular physical education within any talent development scheme.

Work considering the influence of power dynamics and potential confounders such as social status is beginning to receive more attention in physical education literature. While power dynamics deserve particular attention in student-centred and social constructivist pedagogies, exploration of this topic has largely escaped the grasp of Game-Based Approaches (GBAs). This position paper aimed to review current micro-interactional research in physical education and to propose the utilisation of four key principles as a means to disrupt power dynamics in GBAs, namely: (a) teaching paradoxically; (b) ethical dilemmas; (c) unfamiliar games; and (d) Socratic questioning. Two illustrative vignettes present the practical application of these principles to produce a state referred to in Classical Greece as Aporia (impasse or without passage). Building on the work of Joy Butler, we argue that student insights gained in these moments of Aporia are central to the disruption of power-based barriers to learning.

It is accepted among scholars that coping changes as people mature during adolescence, but little is known about the relationship between maturity and coping. The purpose of this paper was to assess a model, which included dispositional coping, coping effectiveness, and cognitive social maturity. We predicted that cognitive social maturity would have a direct effect on coping effectiveness, and also an indirect impact via dispositional coping. Two hundred forty-five adolescent athletes completed measures of dispositional coping, coping effectiveness, and cognitive social maturity, which has three dimensions: conscientiousness, peer influence on behavior, and rule following. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for our model, suggesting that coping is related to cognitive social maturity. This information can be used to influence the content of coping interventions for adolescents of different maturational levels.

The Equality Act called on British schools to ‘avoid as far as possible by reasonable means, the disadvantage which a disabled pupil experiences’. Teachers, therefore, must be creative and flexible in order to meet the needs and optimise the capabilities of all pupils. Using focus group interviews, this article explores the influence of an online resource on pre‐service teachers’ perceptions of making reasonable adjustments for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Pre‐service teachers appeared committed to making reasonable adjustments, with reports of the online resource being particularly influential on their planning and assessing progress. The influence of the resource was less significant on those pre‐service teachers with previous experience of making reasonable adjustments.

Teachers who demonstrate a high degree of empathy are said to have more positive attitudes towards pupils with disabilities. Therefore, this article sought to explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective teachers’ self-perceptions of empathy. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they aspired to be a physical education teacher and had attended a placement in a special school. Interview transcripts were analysed and the following themes constructed: Stepping into the shoes of the Other ; Frustrated ‘for’ not ‘with’ pupils with disabilities ; Empathy for planning inclusive lessons and ‘reading’ pupil body language ; and Knowing when not to show empathy . All prospective teachers felt that: (a) they could empathise with pupils with disabilities; (b) situated learning experiences within the placement enabled them to reflect on the ways in which their empathy influences their teaching now and could continue to do so in the future; and (c) it was important that teachers demonstrated empathy. Thus, it is recommended that all prospective teachers gain some experience teaching in special schools. Our research also warns against teachers claiming the last, conclusive word about who children with disabilities are, what they think, how they feel and what they want, in myriad contexts and situations.

Few studies have investigated the attributes of group interaction that are used to support individuals and help them contribute to the group product. This exploratory study, aims to help address this problem and looks at groups in various contexts, including construction, to establish what group members do to encourage and support their colleagues. Most studies that have examined support mechanism have done so in educational setting. Therefore, in grounding this work reference is made to educational research. The focus of the research is group interaction and attempts made to encourage others to participate in the group discussion. The observations focus on data collected from professionals attending management and design team meetings. Also, interaction behaviours and tendencies that produce positive social responses are discussed and explored. In the construction meeting, few attempts were made to actively encourage those reluctant to participate to engage in the group discussion. The findings show that those who did successfully draw members into active conversation used a combination of techniques to encourage participation.

This chapter explores the use of digital technologies for the assessment, recording and monitoring of children’s movement competence within primary school physical education (PE). There is currently limited support for teachers to assess children’s movement competence and this presents a problem in effectively supporting children’s movement development. In an attempt to solve this problem, we explain the use of digital technology in the creation of a user-friendly movement assessment app. We detail the sequential and exploratory nature of the process, using first-hand accounts of teachers and movement experts to illuminate the process of developing the app. Drawing upon a range of theoretical constructs related to meaningful assessment within PE and the generic use of digital technology, we provide a fascinating, applied and critical perspective on the realities of using digital technology to enhance our ability to assess children’s movement competence. We articulate how we encounter experts’ and users’ dilemmas and how these are overcome. Finally, we provide some useful dialogue and frameworks for further examination of the uses of digital technology and establish a platform for future practice and research in this field.

Objectives: This study investigated cognitions of cyclists during a competitive time trial (TT) event using Think Aloud (TA) protocol analysis. Design: Single group, observational design. Method: Fifteen male and three female cyclists from the North West of England verbalised their thoughts throughout an outdoor competitive 16.1 km cycling TT (Level 2 TA). Verbalisations were recorded using iVue Horizon 1080P camera glasses. Data were transcribed verbatim, analysed using deductive content analysis and grouped into themes: (i) Pain And Discomfort (Fatigue, Pain), (ii) External Feedback (Time, Speed, Heart Rate), (iii) Environment (Surroundings, Traffic and Other Cyclists), and (iv) Pace and Distance (Pace, Distance). The number of verbalisations within each theme was analysed by distance quartile using Friedman tests to examine changes in cognitions over time. Results: Associative themes, including Fatigue and Pain, were verbalised more frequently in the earlier stages of the TT and less in the final quartile, whereas verbalisations about Distance significantly increased in the last quartile. Conclusions: This study demonstrates how a novel data collection method can capture in-event cognitions of endurance athletes. It provides an important extension to previous literature, showing how individuals may process and attend to information over time during an exercise bout. Future research should establish the relationship between performance and cognitive processes.

A child’s early school years provide a crucial platform for them to develop fundamental movement skills (FMS), yet it has been acknowledged that there is a shortage of suitable FMS assessment tools for teachers to use within schools. To begin to address this shortfall, the purpose of this study was to elicit expert recommendations for the design of a FMS assessment tool for use by primary school teachers. A multi-phase research design was used, involving two scenario-guided focus groups with movement experts (n = 8; five academics and three practitioners). Data captured in both focus groups were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Three dichotomous dilemmas emerged from the data in relation to assessing children’s movement competence: (a) Why? For research purposes or to enhance teaching and learning?; (b) How? Should the assessment setting be engineered or natural?; and (c) What? Should the detail of the assessment be complex or simple and should the nature of the tasks be static or dynamic? These findings suggest that any future development of movement competence assessment protocols for use by primary school teachers needs to consider the specific purpose and context of the assessment.

The aim of this study was to establish the content of a teacher-oriented movement assessment tool (MAT) for children aged 4–7 years. A three-round Delphi poll with an international panel of forty-six academics and practitioners was conducted. Consensus was reached on a selection and number of fundamental movement skills to be assessed with four stability (one foot balance, walk forwards along a line, front support, and sideways roll), five object control (two handed catch, underarm throw, overarm throw, kicking a ball, dribbling a ball with hands), and five locomotor (run, hop, horizontal jump, side-stepping, and skipping). A developmental stage approach and process-oriented scoring were deemed most suitable. These findings present the requisite elements to develop a teacher-oriented MAT for children aged 4–7 years. This framework would provide teachers the opportunity to effectively assess children’s FMS and subsequently intervene to improve movement competence.

PROJECT OVERVIEW Recent evidence shows today’s children are the least active generation in history. Only 20% of children reach the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of 60 minutes physical activity a day. Moreover, children are not achieving average levels of movement competence and are dropping out of organised sport at an increasing rate, globally. The reasons for this dropout include: 1. Loss of focus on fun 2. Overly competitive structure of sport 3. Overemphasis on technical and tactical aspects of the game To address these problems: - The Moverment for Sport Playkit (MSPK) was designed for coaches and teachers to develop children’s movement competence. - This project was undertaken to measure the imact that the MSPK had on children when delivered in PE lessons. WHAT IS THE MOVEMENT FOR SPORT PLAYKIT? The MSPK is a collection of 14 innovative, dynamic and fun games that are non-sport specific. These are presented as three distinct phases, increasing in task complexity, perceptual-cognitive skill demand, decision making and interaction with others. The MSPK resource cards illustrate how to deliver and play the game and provide an assessment framework for the practitioner to score the child’s performance.

There is international concern that children are not achieving average levels of movement competence. Evidence also suggests that children are dropping out of organized sport at an unprecedented rate. To address this global decline in children’s movement competence and participation, movement-based resources (Movement Oriented Games Based Assessment (MOGBA) and Move to Sport (M2S)) have been created for practitioners to implement, that specifically target the transition between fundamental and complex movement stages and promote athleticism in childhood. This session will present longitudinal work creating two such movement-based resources for practitioners to better support physical literacy development across a range of settings. Firstly, MOGBA, which was designed for 6–12-year-olds as a child-centred, developmentally appropriate, range of games-based activities, with an integrated assessment framework for practitioners to develop and assess children’s movement skills within a dynamic and fluid game environment. Secondly, M2S was co-created with teachers as a progression of MOGBA to improve the movement competence and athleticism of 8–12-year-old children, to enable them to participate effectively in sports and lead healthy, active lives. M2S is an integration of MOGBA and RAMPAGE, which is a program designed to support children’s athleticism. We see athleticism as the ability to repeatedly perform a range of movements with precision and confidence in a variety of environments requiring competent levels of motor skill, strength, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination and endurance. This interactive session will explore the findings of this work and share practical implications for practitioners and researchers working in this space.

Purpose: This study evaluated the feasibility of the “Start to Move” (S2M) digital assessment of children’s fundamental movement skills being implemented by primary school teachers within PE lessons. Methods: Nine primary school teachers in the United Kingdom trialed S2M weekly over a 6-week period. Posttrial surveys and interviews were used to ascertain responses. Results: Feasibility was measured using seven dimensions of Bowen et al. framework; acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration, and expansion. Acceptance and demand of S2M was high with participants feeling that its contents aligned to the PE curriculum. Participants were able to implement S2M with PE lessons without assistance and stated that they would continue to use it within their teaching. They felt S2M would enhance their teaching and would recommend it to other teachers. Discussion/Conclusion: S2M is feasible for primary teachers to implement within PE lessons and has the potential to heighten the use of assessment for learning within PE in primary schools.

The dataset presents data for the MOGBA Randomised Control Trial involving 229 children (51% girls) from nine different primary schools in the north of England. The average age of participants was 9.1 years (SD = 0.21). Participants were randomized at the school level into either the MOGBA intervention group (n = 128 students) or a wait-list control group (n = 101). The MOGBA intervention was delivered over nine weeks during PE lessons by trained deliverers. Pre-Post test design was employed, with participants being assessed at baseline and within 7 days post intervention. The assessment included measures of movement competence (Dragon Challenge), in-class PA (accelerometer), muscular fitness (standing long jump and plank), and perceived game and self competence (Game Play Perception Profile and Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children).

To inform the development of a teacher-oriented movement assessment tool, this study aimed to explore primary school teachers’ perceptions of assessing fundamental movement skills (FMS) within Physical Education (PE) lessons. Thirty-nine primary school teachers of PE, located in the United Kingdom, participated in an individual or group in-depth interview. Findings signify that teachers perceive a need for a movement assessment tool that is simple for them to use, quick to administer and provides valuable feedback to guide future teaching and learning. This is vital as teachers indicated a lack of appropriate resources and a shortage of curriculum time restricts their use of assessment within PE. A movement assessment tool that was integrated on a digital technology platform could increase teachers’ understanding of assessing FMS and enhance children’s learning of FMS.

A global decline in levels of movement competence and physical activity in children presents the urgent need to look at how to reverse this trend. The Movement Oriented Games Based Assessment (MOGBA) is an intervention designed to improve children’s complex movement skills, based on principles of motor development and assessment theories. There is a positive relationship between children’s movement competence and physical activity (PA), with a further relationship established between PA and childhood obesity. This study aimed to assess how using MOGBA in PE lessons might impact primary children’s movement competence, PA, muscular fitness and self-perceptions of game and physical competence. A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted involving 229 children (51% girls) from nine different schools located in the north of England. The average age of participants was 9.1 years (SD = 0.21). Participants were randomized at the school level into either the MOGBA intervention group (n = 128 students) or a wait-list control group (n = 101). The MOGBA intervention was delivered over nine weeks during PE lessons by trained deliverers. The main components of the intervention included the implementation of 14 games-based activities, which were designed to support assessment within PE lessons and enhance children’s movement competence. The game-based cards also provided guidance on how to tailor activities to meet the children’s individual needs by manipulating space, effort and relationships. Pre-Post test design was employed, with participants being assessed at baseline and within 7 days post intervention. The assessment included measures of movement competence (Dragon Challenge), in-class PA (accelerometer), muscular fitness (standing long jump and plank), and perceived game and self competence (Game Play Perception Profile and Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children). Findings show that MOGBA had a positive effect on the primary outcome of movement competence (ES: 0.18; 95%CI: -0.02, 0.38; p = 0.071) and a significant positive outcome (ES: 0.30; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.56; p = 0.025) on the way that students perceived their ability in game play. An impact was not observed on in-class PA and muscular fitness. These findings are significant as we know that increased movement competence and game self-perceptions mean children are more likely to engage with future movement, sport and physical activity opportunities. This could positively influence lifelong PA levels and promote better health. Further work should involve teachers and coaches using MOGBA to support children’s movement competence in the hopes of supporting their involvement in sport and PA.

This study investigated the use of a movement assessment protocol for under-14 rugby league players by evaluating the relationships between chronological age, maturation, and anthropometry, and fitness and qualitative movement assessments (QMA) of 84 rugby league players within a talent development environment. A one-way ANOVA showed Quartile 1 players were more mature, taller (173.0±7.4 vs 165.0±8.0 cm) and heavier (72.5 vs 58.7 kg) than Quartile 4 players, with no difference evident for fitness or QMA measures. Earlier maturing players had significantly greater upper body power (5.39±0.46 vs 4.42±0.68 m), 20m speed (3.48±0.14 vs 3.65±0.19s) and power pass QMA (13.88±2.18 vs 12.00±1.98) than later maturing players. Body mass was positively related to power pass fitness (r=0.50) and QMA (r=0.22) scores, with negative relationships found for vertical jump performance (r=-0.24), sprint QMA (r=-.29) and turn off either foot QMA (r=-0.26). There is a need to educate coaches about the use of both fitness testing and qualitative movement assessments to identify talented U14 rugby league players, which potentially reduces relative age and maturational biases.

Coaches can provide an appropriate environment for children to develop a range of movement skills, but there is a dearth of research exploring the creation of appropriate resources to support the coach in developing and assessing children’s Complex Movement Skills. There is also a lack of research around coaches’ perceived feasibility of the limited resources in this area. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design and then assess the feasibility of a Movement-Oriented Games-Based Assessment (MOGBA) for children aged 8–12 years, to be used by coaches within “Made to Play” programs. Thirteen coaches from across the United States and the United Kingdom used pilot materials to assess the feasibility of MOGBA over a 9-week period. Individual, paired, and focus group interviews were structured and data were thematically analyzed using Bowen et al.’s feasibility framework. Findings suggested that MOGBA provided a welcomed and much needed enhancement to their programs, with effective use of technology-enhanced coaching. Coaching involved notions of pedagogy and assessment, with issues emerging around class size and complexity of assessment. Coaches often used MOGBA covertly and flavored the resource to the sport being delivered, and this revealed to coaches the capability of children not viewed before.

There are current global concerns surrounding the lifestyle behaviours and future health and well-being of youth. One concept that has gained traction to address these concerns is Physical Literacy (PL). Organised youth sport is one context that can promote PL, offering multiple benefits coupled with a range of challenges. This leading article aims to provide a balanced overview of the key challenges associated with supporting PL within youth sport and offers solutions to overcome these challenges. The first challenge focuses upon attracting youth (and parents) to sport through increasing recruitment against social constraints (e.g., socioeconomic), popular entertainment (e.g., streaming) and family issues (e.g., scheduling). The second centres on retaining children in sport to maximise participation through the appropriate design, organisation and delivery of training and competition opportunities. The final challenge relates to the talent pathway and how sports can structure (e.g., [de]selection) and deliver (e.g., training intensification) a pathway to ensure that all youth athletes flourish along their PL journey. Our solutions focus on organisations (e.g., national governing bodies, clubs) understanding and considering, 1) PL as an individual’s relationship with movement and physical activity throughout life, 2) children’s rights (e.g., interests, opportunities, expression of views), and 3) sport policies and practices when designing and delivering sport experiences. Whilst these challenges and solutions are wide ranging and complex, our belief is that the adoption of a PL approach by stakeholders when designing, delivering and enacting sport programs can enhance the experiences of youth involved in sport and ultimately support their lifelong PL journey.

In the UK, one consequence of neoliberalism has been the development of test cultures in schools and standardised assessment strategies used to judge all pupils against within and across curriculum subjects. Few studies to date have explored the influence of this on assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and none have centred physical education (PE). This study used the concept of ableism and semi-structured interviews to explore mainstream secondary school PE teachers’ views and experiences of assessing the learning of pupils with SEND. Based on the findings, we discuss the importance of schools disrupting hegemonic, ableist modes of thinking that cast pupils with SEND as being of inferior ability when compared with their peers and thus being disadvantaged by standardised, normative assessment practices. Specifically, we identify a need for senior leaders and teachers in schools to recognise the needs and capabilities of pupils with SEND, through more holistic assessment approaches that focus on social, affective, cognitive and physical learning and development. We end by discussing the significance of initial teacher education and teacher networks to support this endeavour and advocating for the amplification of the voices of pupils with SEND, given that they have expert knowledge about the perceived inclusivity of assessment in PE because they can draw upon their lived and embodied experiences.

As the development of movement skills are so crucial to a child's involvement in lifelong physical activity and sport, the purpose of this study was to assess the motor proficiency of children aged 4-7years (range=4.3-7.2years), whilst considering gender and socioeconomic status. 369 children (176 females, 193 males, aged=5.96±0.57years) were assessed for fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral co-ordination, balance, speed and agility, upper-limb co-ordination and strength. The average standard score for all participants was 44.4±8.9, classifying the participants towards the lower end of the average score. Multivariate analysis of covariance identified significant effects for gender (p<0.001) and socioeconomic status (p<0.001). Females outperformed males for fine motor skills and boys outperformed girls for catch and dribble gross motor skills. High socioeconomic status significantly outperformed middle and/or low socioeconomic status for total, fine and gross motor proficiency. Current motor proficiency of primary children aged 4-7years in the UK is just below average with differences evident between gender and socioeconomic status. Teachers and sport coaches working with primary aged children should concentrate on the development of movement skills, whilst considering differences between genders and socioeconomic status.

This article uses a purposive sample of 43 Secondary school (pupils aged 11-18) teachers to explore perceptions of including children with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities in mainstream secondary Physical Education. Findings suggest that teachers’ conceptions of inclusion are based primarily around the level of participation children with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities could achieve and that this could be affected by the activity area, level of support and training opportunities avail able to them. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of this research for teachers’ professional development and school organization and specific implications for the future practice of PE teachers and Teacher trainers are suggested.

Player profiling can reap many benefits; through reflective coach-athlete dialogue that produces a profile the athlete has a raised awareness of their own development, while the coach has an opportunity to understand the athlete's viewpoint. In this study, we explored how coaches and players perceived the development features of an elite academy footballer and the contexts in which these features are revealed, in order to develop a player profile to be used for mentoring players. Using a Delphi polling technique, coaches and players experienced a number of 'rounds' of expressing their opinions regarding player development contexts and features, ultimately reduced into a consensus. Players and coaches had differing priorities on the key contexts of player development. These contexts, when they reflect the consensus between players and coaches were heavily dominated by ability within the game and training. Personal, social, school, and lifestyle contexts featured less prominently. Although 'discipline' was frequently mentioned as an important player development feature, coaches and players disagreed on the importance of 'training'.

To advance our understanding of talent identification and development (TID), it is valuable to retrospectively trace athletes’ long-term career progression (Vaeyens et al., 2008, Journal of Sports Sciences, 38, 703–714). However, research monitoring athletes’ career progression through TID programmes into professional sport is limited, and no study has assessed career outcomes based on a retrospective longitudinally tracked sample. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the anthropometric and performance characteristics of junior rugby league players consecutively selected to a TID programme over 3 years (Under 13s, 14s and 15s) in relation to their longterm career progression. With local institutional ethics approval, former junior rugby league players were grouped according to their long-term career progression level (i.e., amateur, n = 12; academy, n = 24; professional, n = 15). All players undertook anthropometric (height, body mass, sum of four skinfolds), maturational (age at peak height velocity) and performance (vertical jump, medicine ball chest throw, 10–60 m sprint, agility 505 and estimated V?O2max via the multistage fitness test) assessments at the Under 13–15 age categories. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance identified overall significant effects for time (P < 0.001; ?2 = 1.00), career level (P = 0.005; ?2 = 0.48) and career level × time (P = 0.049; ?2 = 0.73). More specifically, univariate analysis identified differences at the junior age groups between career levels for chronological age (P = 0.002; ?2 = 0.24) and estimated V? O2max (P = 0.006; ?2 = 0.19), with professional players significantly younger than academy players and professional players having higher estimated V? O2max compared to amateur players. Significant interactions for career level × time were apparent for sitting height (P = 0.049; ?2 = 0.11), body mass (P = 0.05; ?2 = 0.09), 10-m sprint (P = 0.023; ?2 = 0.11) and 20-m sprint (P = 0.018; ?2 = 0.12). Greater increases in sitting height and body mass were observed for professional compared to amateur players. For sprint speed, greater improvements in performance were observed in amateur and professional compared to academy players. This study demonstrates, based on group responses, that future professional players selected to a TID programme were younger with a greater V? O2max and increased sitting height and body mass more than amateur players over a 2-year period (Under 13s-–15s). Such findings demonstrate that age and size advantages commonly observed in TID research within adolescent athletes may not be sensitive indicators to correctly identify future career progression. It is recommended that the evaluation of adolescent athletes within TID programmes should incorporate monitoring the development of anthropometric and performance characteristics over time instead of (de)selecting players using one-off assessments.

Our research used an innovative methodological approach by revisiting an original study conducted 15 years previously (Morley et al., 2005). A purposive sample of 31 secondary school teachers in the UK were interviewed to explore their perceptions of including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in mainstream secondary physical education (PE). All interviews were transcribed verbatim and texts analysed thematically. Findings suggest that, despite significant policy developments, little has changed in teachers’ perceptions of their ability to include pupils with SEND in PE and there remain significant challenges to them achieving this. Some exceptions were documented, most notably an increased and positively received focus on inclusion within PE initial teacher education. The article concludes with recommendations for future practice, particularly in terms of teacher education and professional development, as well as the need for effective dissemination of research findings to key stakeholders.

School-based placements are often used as a way of preparing prospective teachers for the demands of their future role. However, little is known about the impact of such situated learning experiences on prospective PE teachers’ confidence and competence. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first of its kind to explore prospective teachers’ views of, and experiences within, special schools in order to identify the experiential mechanisms that shape self-perceptions of competence and confidence when teaching pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in PE. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected on the basis that they: (1) were studying a Special Educational Needs and Disability in PE undergraduate module; (2) aspired to be a PE teacher; and (3) had attended six half-days of placement in a special school. All focus group transcripts were subjected to open, axial and selective coding in order to identify themes and sub-themes. The themes that were constructed from the analysis were: impact of placement role on confidence and competence; impact of knowing pupils’ needs and capabilities; conceptualising confidence and perceptions of its development; and conceptualising competence and perceptions of its development. We use these themes to discuss the usefulness of special school-based placements for preparing aspiring teachers for their role as inclusive educators.

The technical demands of games can be affected by changing the number of players, pitch size and rules. This controlled trial compared the frequency of technical skills between a 'traditional' and newly introduced systematically 'modified' game of primary rugby league. A total of 475 primary rugby league players (Under 7s - 9s) were filmed playing traditional (n=49) and modified (n= 249) formats. Notational analysis examined the frequency of technical skills (e.g., number of passes) within 'traditional' and 'modified' games. At each age category, multivariate analysis of variance indicated the clear superiority of the 'modified' game for the frequency of technical skills (e.g., Under 7s total skill opportunities - 'traditional' = 342.9±47.0; 'modified' = 449.4±93.3, d=1.44, p<0.001). Systematically modifying the competitive game is an effective way to increase skill opportunities for children within rugby league. Future research should examine the outcomes of modifying games in optimizing skill development in youth sport.

The current study retrospectively investigated the differences in anthropometric and fitness characteristics of junior rugby league players selected onto a talent identification and development (TID) programme between long-term career progression levels (i.e., amateur, academy, professional).

This study evaluated the influence of annual-age category, relative age, playing position, anthropometry and fitness on the career attainment outcomes of junior rugby league players originally selected to a talent identification and development (TID) programme. Junior rugby league players (N=580) were grouped retrospectively according to their career attainment level (i.e., amateur, academy and professional). Anthropometric (height, sitting height, body mass, sum of four skinfolds), maturational (age at peak height velocity) and fitness (power, speed, change of direction speed, estimated ) characteristics were assessed at the Under 13s, 14s and 15s annual-age categories. Relative age (Q2=8.5% vs. Q4=25.5%) and playing position (Pivots=19.5% vs. Props=5.8%) influenced the percentage of players attaining professional status. Anthropometry and fitness had a significant effect on career attainment at the Under 14 (p=0.002, η2=0.16) and 15 (p=0.01, η2=0.12) annual-age categories. Findings at the Under 14s showed future professional players were significantly later maturing compared to academy and amateur players. Findings suggest that relative age, playing position, anthropometry and fitness can influence the career attainment of junior rugby league players. TID programmes within rugby league, and other related team sports, should be aware and acknowledge the factors influencing long-term career attainment, and not delimit development opportunities during early adolescence.

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) lesson themes and contexts on the profile of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Fifteen, Year 9 PE lessons were assessed within the lesson themes of Outwitting Opponents (OO) (delivered through field hockey and netball) and Accurate Replication (AR) (delivered through gymnastics) using the System for Observing the Teaching of Games in Physical Education. Accelerometry identified MVPA within Physical Education Lessons (Actigraph-GTM1, 10-second epoch, MVPA ≥2296 counts/min). Among 112 females MVPA averaged 20.8% of available learning time. Significantly more MVPA was facilitated during OO than AR (22.7 vs. 15.9%, p<0.001, d=0.88). Within both lesson themes, warm-up was the most active lesson context while pre- and post-lesson general management were the least active. Contrary to expectations, neither small-sided nor modified games, vs. full sided games, increased MVPA within OO. During AR technical and applied skill practice resulted in low MVPA. Objective evidence has justified concerns about female adolescent MVPA within PE. At current levels an additional 17.5 minutes of MVPA per 60 minute PE lesson would be needed to meet the minimum 50% guideline.

Children’s participation in physical activity (PA) has important positive benefits for their health and academic outcomes. Within the school day, physical education (PE) is increasingly endorsed as a key time for children to accumulate PA. Despite this increasing emphasis, research papers and policy documents frequently identify PE lessons as ‘not active enough’. However, contemporary objectives for sufficient PA in PE may not be based on the highest quality evidence. Furthermore, while the objectives appear compatible, they contain profound differences. Continued pursuit of these objectives may be detrimental to achieving positive experiences of PA in PE. For instance, an exclusive focus on PA objectives may encourage teachers to prioritise fitness-based activities over others that young people enjoy. Pursuing short-term goals for PA also risks investing limited lesson time to develop important elements of physical literacy that only become developed after prolonged engagement and practice. Importantly, what is at stake is not only achieving sufficient PA in PE, but also encouraging lifelong participation in PA and the long-term health of today’s children.

© 2017 European Council for High Ability This study explored the extent of financial constraints experienced by athletes on the England Talent Pathway, as perceived by talent leads from various sports. Using a mixed-methods approach, 34 participants completed online surveys with 26 follow-up interviews. Findings showed the prevalence of financial constraints on individuals within the system, with three emerging themes: costs; demands on athletes; and potential funding support. “Pinch points”, causing the greatest severity of financial constraint, emerged further along the pathway and there were infrequent examples of mechanisms to identify talented athletes experiencing financial hardship. A means-tested system, premised on the demonstration of potential, is suggested by talent leads as a way of providing funding for athletes to ameliorate financial constraints in the future.

A global decline in levels of movement competency and athleticism in children presents the urgent need to look at how to reverse this trend. Long term athletic development modelling proposes the habitual development of athleticism as a way to address this decline. Movement-based interventions have also been created in an attempt to improve children’s movement competence. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of a co-produced movement and athleticism programme (Move to Sport [M2S]). M2S was used with seven participating PE teachers during secondary PE lessons over a 6-week period. Qualitative data were captured through mid-intervention interviews and a post-intervention focus group. Feasibility was measured using four dimensions of a feasibility framework; implementation, practicality, adaptation and integration. Findings suggest that M2S could be implemented within the structure of a typical PE lesson. Teachers reported that M2S supported the development of sport specific skills that linked well with other activities and sports in their curriculum and promoted inclusion. Teachers felt that M2S could be integrated as an assessment tool or targeted intervention for children of all abilities. The findings suggest that M2S could be a potential solution in addressing declining movement competence and athleticism in young people.

Low and declining movement competency and fitness in children presents a need to develop provision to reverse this trend. Physical Education (PE) curriculum has been recommended as an opportunity to achieve this, however this is often dominated by traditional games and presents challenges. This study aimed to conduct a preliminary exploration of the feasibility of a movement and fitness focussed intervention (Move to Sport; M2S), co-produced with nine PE teachers. Class-based and practical co-production sessions were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings highlighted teachers recognised the demand for M2S and felt it would be best delivered at the end of primary and start of secondary school. Challenges included; a) understanding how to combine movement-based and sport specific approaches to delivering PE, b) differentiation, and c) modes of assessment. Future recommendations include conducitng a feasibility trial of M2S in school and the assessment of the impact of M2S on children.

Objectives: To retrospectively compare the longitudinal physical development of junior rugby league players between the Under 13 and 15 age categories in relation to their adult career attainment outcome.Design: Retrospective longitudinal design.Methods: Fifty-one former junior rugby league players were retrospectively grouped according to their career attainment outcome as adults (i.e., amateur, academy or professional). As juniors, players under-took a physical testing battery on three consecutive annual occasions (Under 13s, 14s, 15s) including height, body mass, sum of four skinfolds, maturation, vertical jump, medicine ball chest throw, 10–60 msprint, agility 505 and estimated VO2max. Results: Future professional players were younger than academy players with a greater estimated˙VO2max compared to amateur players. Between Under 13s and 15s, professional players (5.8 ± 2.5 cm) increased sitting height more than amateur (4.4 ± 2.1 cm) and academy (4.1 ± 1.4 cm) players. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated improvements in sitting height, 60 m sprint, agility 505 and estimated˙VO2max between amateur and professional players with a high degree of accuracy (sensitivity = 86.7%, specificity = 91.7%). Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that the development of anthropometric, maturational and physical qualities in junior rugby league players aged between 13 and 15 years contributed to adulthood career attainment outcomes. Results suggest that age, maturity and size advantages, commonly observed in adolescent focused talent identification research and practice, may not be sensitive to changes in later stages of development in order to correctly identify career attainment. Practitioners should identify, monitor and develop physical qualities of adolescent rugby league players with long-term athlete development in mind.

Prediction of adult performance from early age talent identification in sport remains difficult. Talent identification research has generally been performed using univariate analysis, which ignores multivariate relationships. To address this issue, this study used a novel higher-dimensional model to orthogonalize multivariate anthropometric and fitness data from junior rugby league players, with the aim of differentiating future career attainment. Anthropometric and fitness data from 257 Under-15 rugby league players was collected. Players were grouped retrospectively according to their future career attainment (i.e., amateur, academy, professional). Players were blindly and randomly divided into an exploratory (n = 165) and validation dataset (n = 92). The exploratory dataset was used to develop and optimize a novel higher-dimensional model, which combined singular value decomposition (SVD) with receiver operating characteristic analysis. Once optimized, the model was tested using the validation dataset. SVD analysis revealed 60 m sprint and agility 505 performance were the most influential characteristics in distinguishing future professional players from amateur and academy players. The exploratory dataset model was able to distinguish between future amateur and professional players with a high degree of accuracy (sensitivity = 85.7%, specificity = 71.1%; p<0.001), although it could not distinguish between future professional and academy players. The validation dataset model was able to distinguish future professionals from the rest with reasonable accuracy (sensitivity = 83.3%, specificity = 63.8%; p = 0.003). Through the use of SVD analysis it was possible to objectively identify criteria to distinguish future career attainment with a sensitivity over 80% using anthropometric and fitness data alone. As such, this suggests that SVD analysis may be a useful analysis tool for research and practice within talent identification.