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Both intestinal schistosomiasis and giardiasis are co-endemic throughout many areas of sub-Saharan Africa, significantly impacting the health of millions of children in endemic areas. While giardiasis is not considered a neglected tropical disease (NTD), intestinal schistosomiasis is formally grouped under the NTD umbrella and receives significant advocacy and financial support for large-scale control. Although there are differences in the epidemiology between these two diseases, there are also key similarities that might be exploited within potential integrated control strategies permitting tandem interventions. In this review, we highlight these similarities and discuss opportunities for integrated control of giardiasis in low and middle-income countries where intestinal schistosomiasis is co-endemic. By applying new, advanced methods of disease surveillance, and by improving the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives, (co)infection with intestinal schistosomiasis and/or giardiasis could not only be more effectively controlled but also better understood. In this light, we appraise the suitability of a One Health approach targeting both intestinal schistosomiasis and giardiasis, for if adopted more broadly, transmission of both diseases could be reduced to gain improvements in health and wellbeing.

Within schistosomiasis control, assessing environmental risk of currently non-treated demographic groups e.g. pre-school-aged children (PSAC) and their mothers is important. We conducted a pilot micro-epidemiological assessment at the crater lake of Barombi Kotto, Cameroon with GPS tracking and infection data from 12 PSAC-mother pairs (n = 24) overlaid against environmental sampling inclusive of snail, parasite and water-use information. Several high-risk locations or ‘hotspots’ with elevated water contact, increased intermediate snail host densities and detectable schistosome environmental DNA (eDNA) were identified. Exposure between PSAC and mother pairs was temporally and spatially associated, suggesting interventions which can benefit both groups simultaneously might be feasible. When attempting to interrupt parasite transmission in future, overlaid maps of snail, parasite and water contact data can guide fine-scale spatial targeting of environmental interventions.

Professional football in England, especially the English Premier League (EPL), presently receives much media and academic attention into its inner working practices and functions. The early work of the journalist Hunter Davies at Tottenham Hotspur in 1971/72 was one of the very first inside accounts into the world of elite professional football, whilst Parker’s (1995) ethnographic account of the lived experiences of youth trainees provided a sociological case study account of masculine construction. The world of professional football has changed considerably in the last 15 years. The formation of the Premier League in 1992 and its association with Sky Television now means that English clubs are (perceived to be) equipped with the financial capabilities to attract some of the best talent in the world. These patterns of football labour migration have been heavily researched (see Maguire and Pearton, 2000; Littlewood, 2005; Elliott and Weedon, 2010; Littlewood, Mullen and Richardson, 2011; Weedon, 2011; Richardson, Littlewood, Nesti, Benstead, in Press) and questions relating to indigenous home-grown player progression are central to this body of work. Formal structures and processes were established in 1998 with the creation of Football Academies to identify, develop and select talented young football players. Similarly, attention has focused on Academies in terms of ensuring that they are equipping players with the appropriate skills, qualities and characteristics for successful progression and/or failure (see Richardson et al., 2004, 2005). Most recently, the FA have announced an initiative called The Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) as a way of improving the development of home-grown talent in England. The introduction of the EPPP in the 2012-2013 season The present paper aims to specifically outline the critical moments that permeate professional football players’ development and existence in elite level English Premiership football. It also recognises the role of the applied sport psychologist in working with top players to address issues that challenge, impact (and change) player identity and personal meaning as they travel through their career from youth to professional to retirement. We conclude the paper by introducing some alternative perspectives on theory and practice. The paper is a result of the combined interests and applied activity of the authors and draws from theoretical frameworks and concepts in social psychology, existential phenomenological psychology and sociology. In this regard the paper attempts to synthesise (and celebrate) complimentary disciplines in order to allow us to consider the individual player within their social context. critical moments, football, identity

Researchers in the field of sport psychology have begun to highlight the potential of phenomenological approaches in recognizing subjective experience and the essential structure of experience. Despite this, phenomenology has been used inconsistently in the sport psychology literature thus far. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide theoretically informed practical guidelines for researchers who wish to employ the descriptive phenomenological interview in their studies. The recommended guidelines will be supported by underpinning theory and brief personal accounts. An argument will also be presented for the potential that descriptive phenomenology holds in creating new knowledge through rich description. In doing so, it is hoped that this method will be utilized appropriately in future sport psychology research to not only strengthen and diversify the existing literature, but also the knowledge of practitioners working within the applied world of professional sport.