Houtsma, B.D. (2014) Talented speed skaters aged 16-19 years skating an important, stressful 1000m, how to act? thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction: The ability to cope with stressors is an essential requirement for success in elite level sports. Knowing what athletes think they are doing, might be very important to explain coping and performance level related findings and might shed these findings in a different light. Aim: To shed more light on how talented speed skaters think they act during different phases of multiple important, stressful 1000m races and which stress causing factors they perceive. Method: Seven talented speed skaters (M = 17.3 years, SD = 1.4 years) were interviewed about three 1000m races. Guidelines for phenomenological interviews were followed (Dale, 1996). Stressors were labelled and counted and actions categorized into the different action identification (action ID) levels. Categorization was based on a coding book with a Cohen’s Kappa of .854. Relations between satisfaction and action ID levels were investigated by calculating a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient and performing a Wilcoxon rank test between total action ID level of the least and most satisfying race. Variability between 1000m races and phases of 1000m races were investigated by performing Friedman tests. Results: Several stressors are experienced. A negative moderate correlation was found between race satisfaction and total action ID level of the race (r = -.528, p = .017). In addition, total action ID level of the least satisfying race was significantly higher than total action ID level of the most satisfying race (p = .038). Results were inconclusive with regard to variability in action ID level between phases of races. Conclusion: This interview study shed light on what talented speed skaters think they will do or are doing (act) whilst skating a 1000m that is very important and stressful. In addition, this study provided descriptions of the experience of stressors related to preparing for and participating in races over 1000m that were very important and stressful. Insight was given in the variability of experienced stressors and action ID level. Results in this study showed that there are other action ID levels in the least satisfying race compared to the most satisfying race. Talented speed skaters performed best when they thought they were skating fast instead of e.g. sitting deep.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Elferink-Gemser, M.T. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Apr 2022 12:38 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Apr 2022 12:38 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3022 |
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