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This study explored goal-directed self-talk and its optimization through educational self-talk interventions, focusing on a novel sports-oriented board-game intervention. Examining a practitioner's experiences and diverse participant profiles, including an elite tennis player, a recreational athlete, a football referee, and a tennis coach, the research employed four in-depth case studies. A unique aspect of this study involved intentional control transfer from practitioner to client, documented through a practitioner diary and postintervention interviews. Participants generally expressed appreciation for the intervention; however, the coach's case necessitated bespoke adjustments, underscoring the importance of contextual sensitivity in applied practice. The educational self-talk intervention reportedly facilitated the analytical deconstruction of challenges, enhancing self-regulation through goal-directed self-talk. The study underscored the pedagogical merit of the board game and observed a substantive transfer of control from practitioner to participant over the intervention's longitudinal trajectory. Detailed recommendations have been crafted for practitioners to implement the educational self-talk intervention effectively in their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to understand how tennis coaches perceive and approach the development of grip positions, a foundational skill in tennis. Professionally accredited coaches, classed as less (n = 140) or more (n = 86) experienced, participated in an online survey where they provided their perspectives on the importance of developing grip positions and their opinions on using physically constraining tools for coaching. Irrespective of coach experience level, the findings revealed that technique development and grip position training were ranked as the two most important components in foundational tennis skill development. The Semi-western grip for forehand (less: 68%; more: 65%), a combination of Continental and Eastern grips for double-handed backhand (less: 59%; more: 48.8%), and the Continental grip for serves (both: 94%) were identified as the most commonly taught positions for different shots. Perceived barriers to developing grip positions were out of habit (less: 62%; more: 56%), discomfort (less: 58%; more: 50%), and lack of confidence (less: 44%; more: 21%). Notably, 65% of coaches expressed an openness to incorporating physically constraining tools to enhance grip-specific skill development. Overall, this study serves as a foundational resource, guiding coaches in optimising their strategies for foundational tennis development, prompting further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tennis coaches display significant influence, catalyzing changes in athlete performance, motivation, and overall well-being. Research on coaches' motivations and their impact on coaching style, work, and well-being is limited, especially in individual sports like tennis. Based on self-determination (SDT) and achievement goal (AGT) theories, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationships of coaches' self-determined motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation), basic psychological needs satisfaction (autonomy, relatedness, and competence), and achievement goals (self-improvement—SI, self-enhancement—SE, self-transcendence—ST) with their coach-created empowering-disempowering motivational climate, work engagement, and well-being (subjective vitality). Participants were 106 tennis coaches from Greece (66 males and 40 females), with an average age of 41.30 ± 12.54 years and coaching experience ranging from six months to 40 years. Data was collected through online questionnaires. Correlation analysis revealed that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs, and achievement goals were found to be positively related to an empowering climate, work engagement, and subjective vitality. Coaches' amotivation was positively related to a disempowering climate. Multiple regression analyses showed that autonomy and ST achievement goals significantly predicted tennis coaches' empowering motivational climate, while none of the independent variables were significant predictors of the disempowering motivational climate. Additionally, intrinsic motivation and ST goal significantly predicted tennis coaches' work engagement, while autonomy and ST goal significantly predicted their subjective vitality. It is advisable for forthcoming coach education initiatives to consider these findings as an additional justification for tennis coaches to incorporate multiple perspectives into their coaching methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to analyze the role of job involvement as a mediator in the relationship between tennis coaches' perceived organizational justice and their intention to leave, considering the unique professional context and demands of tennis coaching. Additionally, it sought to identify any generational differences in this model. The research categorizes perceived organizational justice into procedural and distributive justice, and job involvement into job attachment and job commitment. Methods: The study incorporated data from 201 coaches working at commercial tennis facilities nationwide. Perceived organizational justice and job involvement were measured using validated scales. The mediation model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM), and a multi-group analysis was conducted to identify generational differences. Results: Results indicated that job involvement partially mediated the relationship between perceived organizational justice and turnover intentions, with distributive justice having a stronger total effect. The multi-group analysis revealed generational variances: distributive justice influenced turnover intentions more among the MZ generation, while procedural justice had a greater impact on the older generation. Discussion: These findings offer valuable insights for commercial tennis facilities aiming to reduce turnover and manage generational conflicts. Understanding the differential impacts of procedural and distributive justice on various generations can help tailor strategies to enhance organizational operation and employee retention. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of perceived organizational justice and job involvement in influencing tennis coaches' turnover intentions. The generational differences observed suggest that targeted interventions based on generational characteristics can be effective in reducing turnover and improving organizational stability. Future research should explore other potential mediators and extend the model to different sports and organizational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to review and describe in detail the coaching practices of the tennis team at the Hikone campus of Shiga University over a period of approximately 20 years from the coaches' perspective, based on the following four aspects: 1) the circumstances surrounding the tennis team in the early 2000s, 2) coaching philosophy and specific goals, 3) coaching practices to improve competitive performance, especially that of the men's team from 2008 to 2011 toward promotion to the second division of the Kansai Intercollegiate Tennis League, and that of the women's team from 2013 to 2016 for competing in the All Japan Intercollegiate Tennis Championships, and 4) coaching practices to improve the human qualities of the team members. The tennis team at the Hikone campus of Shiga University does not offer sports scholarships, and yet the men's team was promoted to the second division of the Kansai Intercollegiate Tennis League and the women's team competed in the All Japan Intercollegiate Tennis Championships. The factors that contributed to the achievement of these extremely high goals are as follows: 1) The team members maintained a high motivation to grow and continued to make enthusiastic efforts to improve their competitive performance and acquire excellent human qualities. 2) By carefully observing and valuing communication with the team members, the coaches were able to provide various forms of support appropriate to the situation at any given time. 3) The successful functioning of coordination and cooperation between the team members and the coaches had a positive effect on competitive performance. In order for tennis players to achieve true competitive performance, it is necessary not only to develop the mind, techniques, strength and tactics required for playing tennis, but also to have the excellent human qualities that will serve as a foundation for this. As a coach, therefore, I hope to continue to provide coaching with a focus on improving both the competitive performance and the human qualities of tennis team members, while valuing their independence and self-initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of self-controlled video feedback on the learning of tactical motor skills in tennis, and additionally, whether this was affected by learners' self-efficacy and self-regulative skills. Method: Twenty-three intermediately skilled tennis players were assigned to either a self-controlled group that was provided video feedback on request or a yoked group that received an identical, externally controlled video feedback schedule. In three training sessions participants practiced serve and volley play. Video feedback with attentional cueing and transitional statements that focused solely on individual tactical gameplay was provided by a licensed tennis coach. Individual tactical performance was measured with a custom designed Tactical Tennis Tool (TTT) in a pretest, posttest and in a one-week retention test. Before each test self-efficacy was measured, and a questionnaire was administered to measure self-regulative skills. Results: Analyses revealed significantly larger improvements in tactical performance relative to the pretest for the self-controlled group than for the yoked group in both the posttest and the one-week retention test. No differences were found in self-efficacy. Finally, the improvements in tactical performance were not predicted by self-efficacy and/or self-regulative skills. Conclusion: The advantage of self-controlled video feedback extends to the learning of a complex tactical task in tennis. Future research should verify the observed benefits of a self-controlled learning environment in comparison to a coach-controlled learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor imagery training is a common mental strategy used by tennis players and coaches to improve learning and performance; however, the effect of motor imagery training on service performance in tennis players is questionable. This review aims to consolidate existing research regarding the effects of motor imagery training on the service performance of tennis players. A systematic search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, using PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and SPORTDiscus to identify articles published until December 2023. Eligible studies comprised controlled trials that investigated the impact of motor imagery on service performance outcomes in tennis players. The methodological quality of individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2 and ROBINS-I tools. GRADE was applied to assess the certainty of the evidence. Nine trials including 548 participants met the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that motor imagery training improved service accuracy and technique but did not affect service speed or return accuracy in tennis players. In conclusion, the certainty of the evidence that motor imagery training may be effective in improving service accuracy and technique in tennis players is low to very low. However, more experimental work is needed to obtain stronger conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Player development programmes in sports are considered crucial pillars for the development of young players and countries' international sporting success. As resources are limited, coaches preferably decide which players to select for these programmes at a young age. This is particularly true for early-starting sports such as table tennis. However, the selection criteria used by coaches and the decision-making processes in player selection contexts are widely unknown. To address this gap, we conducted 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with table tennis coaches with high expertise in the identification and development of talented young players. Here we show that the concept of 'talent' and the process of player selection in table tennis are highly complex phenomena with three main areas of interest identified: (a) general aspects regarding 'talent' (in table tennis), (b) specific selection criteria including individual as well as environmental aspects, and (c) the process of player selection. One main finding is that coaches see 'talent' as dependent on various factors including (relative) age, maturation as well as practice and previous experience. Furthermore, coaches appear to include both individual (e.g., technical skills) and environmental criteria (e.g., parents' support) in their decision-making process. Finally, the interviews revealed that player selection decisions are usually made by multiple coaches during group meetings, suggesting the relevance of group processes and dynamics. In summary, this study provides new findings regarding the understanding and discovery of 'talent' in table tennis that can help practitioners and open new avenues for further research on player selection in sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging with learning and development opportunities is the hall mark of a committed lifelong learner. In this study, we aimed to highlight the benefits of the learning and development achieved by participating coaches on the Olympic Solidarity (OS) Tennis programme. This coach development programme is a joint venture between OS, the International Tennis Federation, and its member nations to deliver certification courses for the coaches of advanced as well as high-performance players. This study is presented in two progressive parts: a web-based survey (Part 1) and semi-structured interviews (Part 2). In Part 2, we interviewed 12 participants from 12 different countries and four coach developers/tutors involved in programme delivery. The coaches in Part 1 were characterised by long-term engagement with tennis coaching and enhancing their own learning and development. Statistical analyses showed no significant difference between any of the variables examined. The interview analyses revealed three main themes: direction and strength of effort; perceived status and prestige of completion; and positivity and purpose. We conclude by discussing short-, medium-, and long-term advantages coaches identified from the programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of science and technology, sports activities have advanced at an unprecedented scale in recent years. The rising complexity of advanced technologies has substantial ramifications for the sports industry. Therefore, table tennis coaches can gain useful training and strategic insights by studying technical and tactical data. Thus, the major goal of this research work is to explore the autonomous use of data mining techniques in the evaluation of table tennis strategies and tactics. The primary goal of this study is to undertake in-depth research on a data-mining-based table tennis technical and tactical analysis system. The objective is to give coaches with exact insights into technical and tactical data related to table tennis by enabling them to make informed decisions and provide efficient background information. This paper first designs the overall architecture of the technical and tactical analysis system for table tennis by providing a thorough overview of its functional structure. This functional structure consists of three modules: data acquisition, statistical analysis, and technical and tactical information management. The database of the system is then explained, with a focus on the technical and action table types. Third, this study builds the suggested table tennis system utilizing MySQL database to mark each game in accordance with indications for technical and tactical analysis. The constructed system stores each point's information and template information according to each game's information. To enhance the security of data storage, the constructed system improves the efficiency of the overall data collection and query system by realizing targeted query and statistical data according to different technical and tactical indicators. In addition, this paper uses multi-condition screening and multi-condition sorting to process the technical and tactical information. Finally, this paper analyzes the table tennis approaches and tactics using a data mining technique. This is accomplished by combining sequential and inverse correlation analysis modes to produce an analysis system for table tennis tactics. The experimental findings show that the system performs commendably overall, with excellent data mining accuracy and efficiency. The efficiency of the suggested system is verified by the fact that it successfully improves training levels and competitive quality of athletes in table tennis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We address the optimal allocation of stochastically dependent resource bundles to a set of simultaneous contests. For this purpose, we study a modification of the Colonel Blotto Game called the Tennis Coach Problem. We devise a thoroughly probabilistic method of payoff representation and fully characterize equilibria in this class of games. We further formalize the idea of strategic team training in a comparative static setting. The problem applies to several distinct economic interactions but seems most prevalent in team sports with individual matches, for instance, in Tennis and Sumo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study purpose. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the coach's leadership style model on increasing the level of sports commitment and tennis skills. Materials and methods. A mixed method was applied in this study. The participants (n=30) were student athletes at Surabaya State University. This study used the quantitative instrument which used the sports commitment grade scale to assess the level of sports commitment, the forehand and backhand tests were used to measure playing skills. While the qualitative instrument used in-depth interviews. The independent sample t-test was used to present differences in sports commitment scores and playing skills before and after the experiment in the experimental and control groups. The paired sample t-test was used to evaluate the effect of the coach's leadership style model on the experimental and control groups. Qualitative statistical analysis used qualitative thematic analysis. Results. The quantitative study results showed that there was no difference in the level of sports commitment and playing skills between the experimental and control groups before the experiment (p>0.05), but there was a difference after the experiment (p<0.05). The paired sample t-test proved that the effect on increasing sports commitment and playing skills in the experimental group was better than in the control group (p<0.05). In qualitative research, student athletes stated that the coach's leadership style had advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions. Finally, student athletes emphasized that this program had a real and positive impact on the development of their sports commitment and playing skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem in this study is that athletes always experience fatigue when competing in national events, it is due to their poor physical condition. The purpose in this study was to evaluate the physical exercise program of table tennis club coaching. This research was conducted at a table tennis club in the city of Bengkulu. This type of research is qualitative research with the CIPP method through a qualitative approach. CIPP consists of four stages, namely: Context, Input, Process, Product. Data were obtained through observation, questionnaires, interviews and documentation studies. This study uses non-statistical qualitative analysis methods, where the components of data reduction, and data presentation are carried out simultaneously with the data collection process after being collected, the three components analyzed (data reduction, data presentation, conclusions) interact. The results of this study show that (1) The process of eligibility mechanism and qualification of table tennis club coaches and athletes in Bengkulu City includes PTM. Rook, PTM. Post, PTM. Tebeng is already classified as decent. (2) The implementation of the physical training program has not gone well, in the sector of coaches and athletes. (3) The facilities and infrastructure owned by table tennis clubs in Bengkulu City are still categorized as not good because they are only PTM. Posts that have adjusted facilities and infrastructure according to PTMSI standards while PTM. Fortress and PTM. Tebeng still needs to be fixed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research recognises the existence of a dominant performance narrative in elite sport that values a 'win at all costs' attitude, prioritising sport over all other facets of life. This narrative commonly privileges dominant groups of men at the expense of marginalised men and many women. To interrogate this aspect of sporting culture further, this study offers a unique insight into the influence of the dominant performance narrative within the coaching context. Specifically, a narrative analysis approach was employed to explore eight female tennis coaches' career experiences. Findings suggest that career success was judged on adherence to the dominant performance narrative which required a single-minded dedication to coaching. Whilst some of the coaches aligned closely with this narrative, adherence to the exclusive nature of the performance narrative caused tension and conflict for others. The coaches who did not adhere to the dominant performance narrative resisted cultural norms and aligned themselves with other, less dominant narratives. This highlights that career success in coaching can be a multidimensional concept and importantly that organisational culture needs to change in order that alternative narratives become more available and validated. This could lead to coach identity being less tied to adherence to the dominant performance narrative and focused more on personal development and well-being. Ultimately, this may result in higher levels of female coach attraction, retention, and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to knowing the level of job satisfaction for the coaches of the sports teams working in the Baghdad Education Directorate, Karkh I, from the point of view of the coaches themselves in the first Baghdad Karkh Education Directorate, they are satisfied with working as a coach and at any level in particular, and does this level help them achieve their goals and are there suitable conditions for their work in this sports institution?, the researcher used the descriptive method in the survey method, due to its suitability with the nature of the research problem the study population consisted of (26) coaches in the sports teams working for the first Baghdad Karkh Directorate of Education, while the research sample was (26) coaches. A scale was prepared (job satisfaction for coaches of sports teams working in the first Baghdad Karkh Education Directorate), and the scale was applied to the sample to extract the scientific basis for the scale. To extract the results of the research, which include reaching a measure of job satisfaction for tennis coaches in Iraq and setting standard levels to know the level of their job satisfaction and it was found that they are in the level of job satisfaction they have a good level because of what they need from some things such as material and moral support and the existence of rewards in the case of achieving local achievements Increasing the facilities for sports games, providing more transportation requirements, good housing when there are external tournaments, and working on the availability of modern equipment that is compatible with the development of the games compared to the rest of the developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Movimento (0104754X) is the property of Movimento, da Escola de Educacao, Fisica, Fisioterapia e Danca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Professional tennis players have their own habits of tactics and play. However, players' shortcomings can be corrected by constantly practicing professional techniques and by tactical analysis. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a two-stage, expert decision-making system for tennis matches. The first stage consisted in dividing the court area and defining the technical classification of the net. Tennis coaches were invited to assess tennis players' skills on the competition court, dividing it into 48 areas on both sides of the court centerline and identifying the skills used by the players. In the second stage, a classification model was developed, and the score, hitting habits, and tennis skills of the players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, over 10 matches, played from 2007 to 2019, were analyzed and classified using notational analysis and the C5.0 decision tree algorithm. The results show that the two players' highest scored techniques were the forehand stroke in the backcourt and the backhand stroke in the half court. Thus, using this expert decision-making system, our data can provide other players with imaginary training objects from two of the top players in the world to be used during training and can allow the accumulation of experience for players through continuous simulation and training analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to present the use of a previously validated wearable sensor device, Armbeep, in a real-life application, to enhance a tennis player's training by monitoring and analysis of the time, physiological, movement, and tennis-specific workload and recovery indicators, based on fused sensor data acquired by the wearable sensor—a miniature wearable sensor device, designed to be worn on a wrist, that can detect and record movement and biometric information, where the basic signal processing is performed directly on the device, while the more complex signal analysis is performed in the cloud. The inertial measurements and pulse-rate detection of the wearable device were validated previously, showing acceptability for monitoring workload and recovery during tennis practice and matches. This study is one of the first attempts to monitor the daily workload and recovery of tennis players under real conditions. Based on these data, we can instruct the coach and the player to adjust the daily workload. This optimizes the level of an athlete's training load, increases the effectiveness of training, enables an individual approach, and reduces the possibility of overuse or injuries. This study is a practical example of the use of modern technology in the return of injured athletes to normal training and competition. This information will help tennis coaches and players to objectify their workloads during training and competitions, as this is usually only an intuitive assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the effect of certain theoretical basis for tennis coaches to correct technical movements and teaching training, a method oriented towards discrete gradient methods that can be used for computational solid mechanics is presented. The biggest feature of this method is that it can directly perform numerical simulation analysis on any point cloud model, without relying on any structured or unstructured grid model. Experimental results show that about 80% of the shots in the game are within 2.5 m of the athlete's moving distance, and the athlete needs to have 300 to 500 high-intensity exercises; the total running distance of the competition is 1 100–3 600 m. The average VO2 of athletes during the competition is 20–30 mL/min/kg (45%–55% V.O2max), the average heart rate is 135–155 beats/min (70%–85% HRmax), the mean blood lactate was <4 mmol/L, the subjective fatigue was 12–14 (moderate intensity), and the mean metabolic equivalent was 5–7 METs. It is proved that the discrete gradient method can effectively solve the biomechanical analysis problem of tennis forehand hitting the ball. Make up for the lack of action details in the differentiation stage. Improve the effect of certain theoretical basis for tennis coaches to correct technical movements and teaching training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Karbala Magazine of Physical Edu. Seiences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the status and drawbacks of current table tennis curricula in higher vocational college. Literature review, questionnaire survey, and logic analysis were used to discover the discrepancy between school education and position requirements of enterprises. The results indicated that new course reformation should focus on the change of teaching concept and update of course content and evaluation methods through the guidelines characterized by professionalization, modularization, and miniaturization. This new teaching mode of course-certificate integration can favor the cooperation of faculty training in curriculum content for table tennis coach between school and enterprise, achieving a complete match among various courses and jobs. We wish this knowledge might lead to a clue toward the cultivation of applied talents for table tennis. The development of this research can not only promote the healthy development of the sports training market but also help to standardize the compensation system of the private sports training market in the field of teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On a national level, the methods of teaching tennis represent a subject that is not sufficiently addressed, compared to the size of Romanian tennis in financial, material and, last but not least, performance terms. At present, we can say that there are still too few scientific papers dealing with tennis teaching, especially at the children's level. This fact is not beneficial for the practical activity, considering the importance of the methodology of learning technical-tactical actions, from the beginning of the training. In our opinion, addressing this subject, so important but at the same time so little discussed in the national literature, can lead to results that can be used later on the court, in children's training. The objective of the research is to highlight the perception of tennis coaches on the main technical-tactical aspects of the methodology of teaching the serve in tennis singles at the children's level. At the moment there is a relatively scarce literature in Romania addressing the issue of service learning in children. A poor technique cannot give great results in the long run. We hope that through this paper we will be able to arouse the interest of Romanian tennis coaches in the elaboration of papers and books on the methodology of serve teaching at children's level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of impact of cognitive coaching on tennis player's performance and also to figure out how cognitive coaching impacts the performance of tennis players. In this study, eighty male national tennis players were randomly selected from Punjab lawn tennis coaching center. Three instruments consciousness scale efficacy scale and performance scale were used to collect data. The reliability analysis of the three scales were greater than 0.5, indicating good reliability. Regression model was developed to examine the impact of consciousness and efficacy on a tennis player's performance. Consciousness and efficacy had positive and significant (p<0.05) while experience had positive and insignificant (p>0.05) impact on tennis players' performance. The result of the regression analysis shows that variable of experience is insignificant i.e., it did not cause any variation in dependent variable. The variable of consciousness scale and efficacy scale are significant as their values are greater than 2, and their p-value is less than 0.05 which is evidence of their significance. It was recommended that the players should be encouraged by their coaches to increase their confidence; furthermore, their participation in cognitive coaching will enable them to perform confidently. It will also help them to take control of their skills; thereby resulting in improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research demonstrates the benefits of a more contemporary, ecological-dynamics led approach in sport coaching; however, traditional methods of practice design persist. Few studies have explored the intentions of performance tennis coaches as they design practice. This study explored performance tennis coach philosophies and approaches to practice design. Interviews took place with ten high performance coaches who worked within a national tennis performance network. A thematic analysis revealed that coach approaches to practice design were informed by 1) their experiential knowledge and 2) their beliefs regarding player development. Coaches emerged as learners, who developed their knowledge through unmediated, informal learning opportunities, for example reflective practice and 'on the job' experience. Six coaches had played tennis professionally, valuing this as a learning experience that informed their own practice. Three common beliefs regarding player development emerged between participants: repeatable players, performing under pressure, and individualised practice. These beliefs formed practice design principles, which translated into a uniform implementation of drills (serial, blocked, repeated patterns of play) and the intuitive inclusion of representative practice designs and constraints manipulation. The findings from this study suggest that, although performance tennis coaches are aware of contemporary approaches to practice design, a traditional, information-processing approach to skill development dominates their design of practice tasks. This study documents approaches to practice design in elite tennis and contributes to a growing body of pedagogical research in performance sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the gaze behavior of tennis players with different skill levels when receiving serves through eye movement information. Methods: The skill level was divided into group A (experts, with more than 10 years of playing experience) and group B (novices, with less than 2 years of playing experience). We compared the differences in gaze behavior between groups A and B at the head-shoulder, trunk-hips, arm-hand, leg-foot, racket, ball, and racket-ball contact area seven positions using the Eye-gaze Response Interface Computer Aid (ERICA) device. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Results: Compared with the novices, the experts have more gaze time in the head–shoulders, rack, and ball when serving forehand (p < 0.01). The experts also have more gaze time on the head–shoulders, trunk–hips, racket, ball, and racket–ball contact area when serving backhand (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Expert athletes have a longer stare time for a specific position, which mainly determines the direction of the ball. Tennis coaches can increase the gaze time for these four positions and improve tennis players' ability to predict the direction of the ball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among tennis coaches and players, the standard volley and drop volley are considered basically similar, but muscles need to be relaxed (deactivation) just at the moment of impact when hitting the drop volley. However, this is not evidence-based. The aim of this study was to clarify racket head trajectory and muscle activity during the drop volley and to compare them with those of the standard volley. We hypothesized that 1) the racket head would move less forward for the drop volley than for the standard volley and 2) the wrist and elbow muscles be relaxed for the drop volley at the time of ball impact. Eleven male college students with sufficient tennis experience volunteered to participate in this study. Wireless EMG sensors recorded activation of the four arm muscles. Each subject performed the standard volley or the drop volley with both a forehand and a backhand from a position near the net. Four high speed video cameras (300 Hz) were set up on the court to measure ball speed and racket head trajectory. Returned ball speed of the drop volley was significantly lower than that of the standard volley (p < 0.05). The racket head moved less forward than in the standard volley, supporting the first hypothesis. Muscle activity of the drop volley, just before and after ball impact for both the forehand and backhand, was lower than that of the standard volley. However, the activity was in the form of a gradual increase as impact time approached, rather than a sudden deactivation (relaxation), which did not support the second hypothesis. For the drop volley, lower muscle activity in the forearm enabled a softer grip and thus allowed a "flip" movement of the racket to diminish the speed of the returned ball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethnographic case study examines the long-term impact of youth sport coaching within tennis, using observations, field notes, and interviews as data sources. We highlight the complexities that youth sport coaches face in their role in developing young players within, in this example, tennis, but suggest that these issues are transferable across the youth sport context. There are some key messages for youth sport coaches and sporting organisations arising from this study, particularly around the role of a youth sport coach. We advocate an expertise approach to developing youth sport coaches due to the many roles, within their sport and from a biopsychosocial perspective, that they have to navigate. Additionally, we suggest that simplistic narratives in youth sport coaching are misplaced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed and compared the physical and technical demands of professional wheelchair tennis (WT) on different surfaces (clay [C], hard [H] and grass [G] courts). A total of 6,720 shots from thirteen matches played by the best ten professional WT players was analysed. Physical demands (e.g., working time, resting time, shots per point ...) and technical and tactical parameters (e.g., serve, effectivity, winner stroke, shots with two bounces ...) were recorded and analysed. Most physical parameters (points, shots, duration) differed according to the surface (H > C > G). Point length and shot per point were longer on H, and lower on C and G surfaces (p < 0.001). Differences in technical performance were found mainly between C and G courts, with a high use of volleys on G but fewer winners (p < 0.01). The main finding indicates that the physical and technical demands facing professional WT players differed by surface, showing that the H surface involves a higher external load than the other surfaces. Coaches can use this information to adapt their players' style depending on the playing surface as well as to design specific training drills according to the surface of play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research is aimed at comparing the kinematics (the movement pattern in the most important joints and accelerations of the playing hand) between female table tennis players coached in Poland (POL) and China (CHIN) during the performance of a topspin backhand stroke (so-called quick topspin). The study involved six female table tennis players at a high sports skill level, playing in Poland's highest league. Three were national team members of Poland (age: 20.3 ± 1.9), while the other three were players from China (age: 20.0 ± 0.0). Kinematics was measured using MR3 myoMuscle Master Edition system—inertial measurement unit (IMU) system. The participants performed one task of topspin backhand as a response to a topspin ball, repeated 15 times. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was calculated using SPM1D in a Python package that offered a high-level interface to SPM1D. The SPM method allowed for the determination of differences between the Chinese and Polish female athletes. The differences found are probably mainly due to differences in the training methodologies caused by different coaching systems. The observed differences include, among others, greater use of the so-called small steps in order to adapt and be ready during the back to ready position and backswing phases, which gives the CHIN players slightly better conditions for preparation for the next plays. The CHIN players' position compared to that of the POL players favours a quicker transition from the backhand to the forehand play. This difference is probably related to the difference in the dominant playing styles of the groups studied. Despite the differences in movement patterns in both groups, the exact value of playing hand was achieved. This may be a manifestation of the phenomenon of equifinality and compensation. All the differences found are probably mainly due to differences in the training methodologies caused by different coaching systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tennis has been identified as an ideal context for examining the dynamics of parenting and coaching relationships (Gould et al., 2008) but coaching dual-role relationships remain unexplored in this sport and related investigations only included volunteer coaches (Jowett, 2008; Harwood & Knight, 2012). An open-ended interview approach was used to examine how female tennis players previously coached by their fathers (professional coaches) before competing in college tennis perceived their experiences with the dual-role relationship and the coaching transition. A holistic narrative approach was used to reconstruct retrospectively the stories of the participants' experiences and understand their development. Despite some beneficial aspects, a majority of participants emphasized their challenging experiences with regards to their needs to manage blurred boundaries, receive paternal approval, and endure their fathers' controlling and abusive behaviors. Coaching transitions helped normalize father-daughter relationships and provided insight into the respective needs that were fulfilled through the dual-role relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of coaches' knowledge plays a critical role in coach development. This study aimed to examine the internal models of expert and novice tennis coaches and to identify the key distinguishing characteristics between levels. Data was captured by in-depth interviews and analysed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The results revealed that the internal model consisted of seven components including the "functionality" component that has not been reported previously. A significant difference was detected only in three components of the internal model: "reasoning chains", "concepts" and "key flexion points". The findings led to the conclusion that the main attribute of tennis coaching expertise is not pure technical knowledge but rather the perception of technique as a whole movement and the ability to understand the connection between technical elements. The findings provide a valuable contribution to tennis coach development as it can be applied in coach education to facilitate novice coach development processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classifications of tennis players have been an ongoing and interesting topic. To understand the types of players and then develop appropriate sports measurements for them has long been a research topic for sports lovers. Inspired by the phenomenological method of Edmund Husserl (1859-1938), this study attempts to analyze the essence of match players and practice players by taking the phenomenological path forged by scholars, such as Prof. I-Min Liu and Prof. Wei-Lun Lee, as the research method. Through a phenomenological description, the study shows different types of tennis players and reveals the essence of the two types of players by phenomenological suspension (epoché) and reduction. The participants in this research are domestic top-notch tennis players and coaches from New Taipei City, National Taiwan Normal University, and Chinese Taipei Tennis Association. The study attempts to take the context formed by the player's holistic experiences and horizon melting in their lives as the analysis and the materials, and then restores the subject to clear its original style of experience. The researchers found that the practice player was deeply disturbed by the three dimensions of technique, thinking, and system, and has the characteristics of mixture and uncertainty. In contrast, the match player has the basic characteristics of order, spontaneity, and subject, especially continuity and integrity. Finally, through the second reduction, the paper discovers, by the suspension of player classifications in the sports world, that players construct their own being in the sports world through the interactions between themselves and the outside world. They take winning or losing as the judgment and logic systems in the sports world. Meanwhile, through the conflict between the body and the inner world, the particular sense of space and time and body sense are formed. Also, a variety of sports experiences are formed in the dependence of vision and touch. Finally, athletes activate their feelings from the flow between themselves and their bodies, make their meanings in the back and forth between the inner and outer worlds, and form their richer and deeper sports worlds through their continuous interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Topspin is one of the most attacking stroke in table tennis sport. The aim of this research was to investigate the kinematic characteristics of the lower limb (driving leg) during topspin forehand loop in different playing level table tennis athletes. Methods: Ten male table tennis athletes performed topspin forehand loop shots with maximal force to hit the ball that was played by a professional table tennis coach. The three-dimensional Vicon motion analysis system was used to capture the kinematic information. Results: The key findings from this research indicate that there were no significant differences in motion time between elite athletes (EA) and medium athletes (MA) during the entire phase (P = 0.784). EA showed significantly less knee (P < 0.001) as well as hip (P < 0.001) flexion in the BS stage when contrasted to MA, with a significant larger ankle varus (P = 0.003) as well as eversion (P < 0.001) than MA in the BS and FS phase, respectively. EA displayed a significant larger angular changing rate of ankle dorsiflexion (P < 0.001) and varus (P < 0.001) in the BS stage with ankle plantar flexion as well as eversion during the FS stage, with a significant larger ankle internal rotation (P = 0.003) and external rotation (P < 0.001) than MA in the BS and FS phase, respectively. Furthermore, EA showed significantly larger ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.001) as well as plantarflexion (P < 0.001) ROM in the BS and FS phase respectively compared with MA. Conclusion: Ankle activities in the all plane displayed significant differences in kinematic characteristics between EA and MA. MA should pay attention to the function that ankle played in the kinetic chain, such as training the lower limb muscle rapid reaction ability to improve the energy transfer efficiency and capability of the kinetic chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]