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The focus of this study was understanding the reasons for starting and adhering to competitive activity among young female athletes. The current study involved 889 girls who practice regularly in a competitive setting. The subjects, ranged in age from 8 - 17 years participated in 10 different individual and team sport disciplines. The young athletes' reasons for participation in sports were measured by a questionnaire. Results of factor analysis for participation motives to start competitive sport revealed five different interpretable factors: IM (intrinsic motivation), EM (extrinsic motivation), TM (team motivation), WM (win motivation), and HM (health motivation). A two-way ANOVA with repeated measures (5 factors × 3 age groups) revealed significant differences between the 5 factors within the young and middle groups. Post-hoc test with Bonferroni adjustments indicated that IM and WM were significantly different then EM and TM. When comparing between individual and team sport disciplines a two-way ANOVA (5 factors × 2 team/individual) revealed that the intrinsic, winning and health motivations were stronger in team sport compared to individual sport. Results of the factor analysis for participation motives to continue competitive sport revealed three motivational factors similarly to the motives regarding starting activity (IM, EM, TM) and another two different factors, CM (competitive motivation) and HM (hobby motivation). Post-hoc test with Bonferroni adjustment indicated on similar profile of the three age groups with dominant effect of IM and TM while some differences can be seen when comparing team and individual sports. The results should be shared with the coaching staff and club administration to improve the motivation of young female athletes to continue in competitive sport and to decrease the dropout rate from sport.

Sport science and sport media give special attention to professional coaches from individual and team sport. However, there is not a lot of knowledge on those two approaches: Science and media. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to present sport science approach oriented on research, and sport media approach based on description of “coach life stories”. In this article we describe five cases of individual and team coaches. Similarities and difference in these two approaches are discussed.

The purpose of this manuscript is to establish and compare the basic professional activities that are important for successful performance of taekwondo coaches from Poland and several other European countries. Fifty-nine high level taekwondo coaches were divided into two groups: Group A included 31 European coaches from seven countries and Group B included 28 Polish coaches. Participants were asked to respond by e-mail to a questionnaire that included a list of 20 basic coaches’ professional activities. Results revealed that managing physical and technical preparation and planning the process of preparing competitiors are important for suceess in taekwondo for both groups. Moreover, differences in professional coach’s activities are discussed.

Successful football referees should have an excellent ability to cope with competitive stress. Therefore, psychological preparation is a necessary component for improving referees’ professionalism and optimal performance. This paper focuses on two main objectives: (1) Developing a Psychological Preparation Program specifically for football referees; (2) Evaluating referees’ behavior in precompetitive routine and during a football match before and after exposure to the Psychological Preparation Program. Thirty football referees participated in a newly developed Psychological Preparation Program which included three parts: Educational (i.e., lectures and self-evaluation), Acquisition (i.e., individual meetings and development of preperformance routine), and Evaluation (i.e., self-evaluation and assessing referee’s activities during a match). As a result of the program and based on referees’ self-evaluation, it can be concluded that our Psychological Preparation Program has a positive impact on the self-confidence of referees and their ability to cope with competitive stress. Future directions and suggested topics are discussed.