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Improving determinants of Australian sports talent identification and development: a multi-disciplinary approach. Sport is important to many Australians. Our sport successes enhance our national identity, generate community pride and attract mega sport events. Currently our sport talent identification and development (TID) systems have been surpassed by our international rivals who borrowed from and improved our knowledge. This project will help regain Australia's international advantage and aga ....Improving determinants of Australian sports talent identification and development: a multi-disciplinary approach. Sport is important to many Australians. Our sport successes enhance our national identity, generate community pride and attract mega sport events. Currently our sport talent identification and development (TID) systems have been surpassed by our international rivals who borrowed from and improved our knowledge. This project will help regain Australia's international advantage and again make Australian TID the international benchmark. Results will highlight the role of TID practices in improving recreational participation and maximising, attracting, developing and retaining sport talent. This will result in improved use of sports limited TID funding by providing greater understanding of factors that influence elite selection and sport development.Read moreRead less
Protect, prepare and engage: Does extracurricular activity participation offer sustained benefits for youth? Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and music have the potential to promote healthy development and to reduce the levels of risk behaviours in teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight ....Protect, prepare and engage: Does extracurricular activity participation offer sustained benefits for youth? Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and music have the potential to promote healthy development and to reduce the levels of risk behaviours in teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight into the long-term benefits of making a diverse selection of organised activities available to Australian teenagers, and will improve our understanding of which aspects of participation are most likely to enhance their social and educational opportunities.Read moreRead less
Promoting physical activity and wellbeing of rural- and regional-living girls. This research will attempt to improve the physical activity levels and the physical and mental wellbeing of girls who live in disadvantaged and isolated rural and regional areas. This will be achieved by working with the girls to find ways to improve their involvement in sport and active recreation. This information will be used to develop, implement and evaluate a year-long sport and active recreation program that ....Promoting physical activity and wellbeing of rural- and regional-living girls. This research will attempt to improve the physical activity levels and the physical and mental wellbeing of girls who live in disadvantaged and isolated rural and regional areas. This will be achieved by working with the girls to find ways to improve their involvement in sport and active recreation. This information will be used to develop, implement and evaluate a year-long sport and active recreation program that is offered in both schools and the community. The research will occur in Victoria and will involve girls in years 7-9 of secondary school. It will involve the sports of tennis and football (soccer) as well as the active recreation opportunities offered by the YMCA.Read moreRead less
Struggling for Possession: The Control and Use of Online Media Sport. Policy debates about the private ownership of sport content by media companies and sports organisations, and citizens' rights of access to content in new media environments, are characterised by considerable regulatory and legal uncertainty. This Project will identify and analyse the sources of this uncertainty, and provide informed, evidence-based policy direction. There is a pressing need for such evidence, with regulatory a ....Struggling for Possession: The Control and Use of Online Media Sport. Policy debates about the private ownership of sport content by media companies and sports organisations, and citizens' rights of access to content in new media environments, are characterised by considerable regulatory and legal uncertainty. This Project will identify and analyse the sources of this uncertainty, and provide informed, evidence-based policy direction. There is a pressing need for such evidence, with regulatory authorities already expressing concern over the locking up of exclusive content rights by major media companies. This Project also contributes to the conceptual development of Communication and Media Studies in a key area of national popular culture - sport.Read moreRead less
Multiple Perspectives of Eating Disorders in Girls. This study explores the subjective experiences of anorexic adolescent girls and the perspectives of their parents and other professionals to identify the beliefs and constructs underpinning the identification, management and experience of anorexia. Using a multi-method heuristic approach, we will analyse congruence and dissonance in perspectives, the mechanisms individuals and groups use to assert and justify their views and actions, and the r ....Multiple Perspectives of Eating Disorders in Girls. This study explores the subjective experiences of anorexic adolescent girls and the perspectives of their parents and other professionals to identify the beliefs and constructs underpinning the identification, management and experience of anorexia. Using a multi-method heuristic approach, we will analyse congruence and dissonance in perspectives, the mechanisms individuals and groups use to assert and justify their views and actions, and the reflexive impact of these on others. The study will generate basic knowledge to improve support for girls and families, development better preventative education and inform the education of professional in the field.Read moreRead less
Mental Toughness: What Makes a Champion? "Mental toughness" is claimed to be what makes champion athletes; separates winners from losers and those who buckle under pressure. Despite widespread use in sport (business, military, etc.) there exist no well-validated mental toughness measures. In collaboration with Australian Institute of Sport and Westfields Sports High School, we will develop a multidimensional, hierarchical measure of mental toughness, test it across gender, age, and different spo ....Mental Toughness: What Makes a Champion? "Mental toughness" is claimed to be what makes champion athletes; separates winners from losers and those who buckle under pressure. Despite widespread use in sport (business, military, etc.) there exist no well-validated mental toughness measures. In collaboration with Australian Institute of Sport and Westfields Sports High School, we will develop a multidimensional, hierarchical measure of mental toughness, test it across gender, age, and different sports, validate it in relation to relevant outcomes, and evaluate its growth/development in athletes varying in age and sporting development. Potential benefits include improved talent identification, counselling, self-concept, coping strategies, coaching, benchmarking, tracking, and athletic performance.Read moreRead less
A study of the Australian thoroughbred and racing industry and the construction of 'nature'. The thoroughbred breeding and racing industry contributes significantly to national export income, regional development and national identity in Australia. Studying the physical and discursive construction and use of 'nature' (including, soil, grass, water, reproduction and the necessity of the unpredictability of nature) in different phases of breeding and racing improves understandings of technology ad ....A study of the Australian thoroughbred and racing industry and the construction of 'nature'. The thoroughbred breeding and racing industry contributes significantly to national export income, regional development and national identity in Australia. Studying the physical and discursive construction and use of 'nature' (including, soil, grass, water, reproduction and the necessity of the unpredictability of nature) in different phases of breeding and racing improves understandings of technology adoption, human-animal relations, sport and nature. Research outcomes will improve our understanding of this traditionally resilient but now vulnerable industry, thereby enhancing its capacity to adapt to change and remain internationally competitive.Read moreRead less
Development and application of wearable micro technologies for the assessment of swimming performance and activity. Australia's sporting performance at a national and international level are ingrained in the psyche of everyday Australians. It encourages sporting activity at every level of our society contributing to our well being and the development of tommorrow's athletes.
This research project will develop important tools for the assessment and servicing of our nations elite athletes, includ ....Development and application of wearable micro technologies for the assessment of swimming performance and activity. Australia's sporting performance at a national and international level are ingrained in the psyche of everyday Australians. It encourages sporting activity at every level of our society contributing to our well being and the development of tommorrow's athletes.
This research project will develop important tools for the assessment and servicing of our nations elite athletes, including those in regional areas. These tools will encompass the very latest in wearable technology and allow athletes to be measured under performance conditions rather than in the laboratory.
Assessment of human motion is also desirable as we seek to assess and aid a progressively aging population and a growing epidemic of obesity in our children.Read moreRead less
Application and Evaluation of New Phase Change Materials in Textiles for Minimization of Heat Stress in Elite Athletes. Elite athletes experience heat stress during endurance events as they reach natural barriers of heat dissipation and thermal regulation. These stresses limit performance and present severe psychological challenges. Research showing that cooling body temperatures prior to competition can increase performance led the Australian Institute of Sport to develop ice jackets during the ....Application and Evaluation of New Phase Change Materials in Textiles for Minimization of Heat Stress in Elite Athletes. Elite athletes experience heat stress during endurance events as they reach natural barriers of heat dissipation and thermal regulation. These stresses limit performance and present severe psychological challenges. Research showing that cooling body temperatures prior to competition can increase performance led the Australian Institute of Sport to develop ice jackets during the 1990s. Our project will develop a new generation of athlete garments embedded with phase change materials that provide efficient cooling during competition, without the disadvantages of ice chilling. These novel materials may provide a competitive edge under the extreme conditions expected at the Athens Olympics and beyond.Read moreRead less
Active Vibration Control of a Cricket Bat using Piezoelectric-based Smart Materials Technology. Improvement of sporting equipment performance of late has largely ignored the game of cricket. Using the combined disciplines of advanced materials and control technologies, it is anticipated that the traditional cricket bat can be vastly improved while keeping to bat modification guidelines as specified in the rules of the game. This project involves the dynamic study of the bat using established e ....Active Vibration Control of a Cricket Bat using Piezoelectric-based Smart Materials Technology. Improvement of sporting equipment performance of late has largely ignored the game of cricket. Using the combined disciplines of advanced materials and control technologies, it is anticipated that the traditional cricket bat can be vastly improved while keeping to bat modification guidelines as specified in the rules of the game. This project involves the dynamic study of the bat using established experimental techniques. Once the various regions of high strain rates are determined, smart materials technologies will be used to reduce the transient vibrations transmitted to the batsman. The effect of this monitoring and control is to increase the comfort level and hence, effectiveness of the batsman.Read moreRead less