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The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of outdoor playtime, screen time, and sleep duration with ball bouncing skills in a sample of 3- to 5-year-old children. Participants were young children (N = 11,121; 48.8% female) whose parent/guardian completed the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health. The dependent variable was one item that asked about the child’s ability to bounce a ball repeatedly. The primary independent variables were the National Survey of Children’s Health items asking about hours of weekday and weekend outdoor play, screen time, and sleep duration. The primary analysis consisted of robust Poisson regression models to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios by regressing competent (high) ball bouncing skills with reported hours of weekday and weekend outdoor play, screen time, and sleep. After covariate adjustment, two or more hours spent in weekday outdoor play was associated with a 15%–41% higher prevalence of competent ball bouncing skills (p < .01), and three or more hours of weekend outdoor play was associated with a 14%–28% higher prevalence of competent ball bouncing skills (p < .05). More hours of outdoor play were associated with competency in ball bouncing skills in young children. Mechanisms for this association are unclear and warrant further investigation.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of playing different pick-and-roll (PnR) defensive tactical options during small-sided games (SSGs) on external and internal loads in female basketball players. Methods: Twelve female basketball players (age 28 [2] y; stature 175 [6] cm; body mass 65 [7] kg; playing experience 18 [4] y) belonging to a team competing in the Lithuanian second division were recruited for this study. Across 3 experimental sessions and in a randomized order, players performed 3 SSGs sharing the same features but using 3 defensive strategies on the middle PnR action: Switch, Trap, and Drop. External load was measured using PlayerLoad (PL); the number of accelerations, decelerations, and changes of direction, classified based on their intensities as low (<2.5 m·s⁻²), medium (2.5–3.5 m·s⁻²), and high (>3.5 m·s⁻²); and jumps categorized as low (<40 cm) and high (≥40 cm). Internal load was measured via rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Results: Higher PL values in SSGs including Trap defense were found compared with Drop (P < .001, ES = 0.69, moderate) and Switch (P = .001, ES = 0.60, moderate). Additionally, a higher number of accelerations was registered in Trap defense compared with Drop defense (P = .027, ES = 0.99, moderate). Trap defense also led to higher RPE compared with Switch (P = .003, ES = 1.49, large) and Drop (P = .004, ES = 1.42, large) defense. Conclusions: Different defensive strategies on the middle PnR can influence the external and internal loads during SSGs, and female basketball coaches should consider the high demand of the Trap defense when designing SSGs.

Physical education (PE) has a unique opportunity in not only supporting children with disabilities but also their parents’ physical-activity knowledge and support behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic literature review was to synthesize published studies regarding parent perspectives toward physical education (PE) for their children with disabilities. A total of 19 articles met inclusion criteria. Three themes emerged: (a) parents’ understanding of adapted PE (A/PE), (b) parents’ expectations of A/PE teachers, and (c) parents’ undeveloped relationships with A/PE teachers. There exists a disconnection between parent expectations and PE teachers’ abilities to accommodate their children and develop lines of communication. Additionally, parental value toward PE was often lower compared with other areas of need for their children. Future research suggests exploring teacher perspectives in understanding the relationships with parents. Furthermore, exploring the origins of parental values for PE and its impact on their perspectives warrants further investigation.

Purpose: To investigate (1) whether physical activity is associated with lung function in children and adolescents, (2) whether this association is modified by the subjects’ weight status, and (3) whether this association is mediated by the body mass index. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including 460 participants aged 7–17 years, randomly selected from 13 public schools in southern Brazil. Collected data included anthropometric measures, physical activity, screen time, and spirometric measures expressed as percent predicted values. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and 2-way analysis of variance. Results: There were positive associations between physical activity and forced vital capacity (β = 3.897, P = .001) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (β = 2.931, P = .021). The effect modification by weight status was not statistically significant (forced vital capacity: P _interaction = .296 and forced expiratory volume in the first second: P _interaction = .057). Body mass index did not mediate the association between physical activity and spirometric outcomes (P > .05). Conclusion: Regular physical activity was associated with higher forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in the first second in children and adolescents. The observed associations were not modified by weight status nor mediated by body mass index. Our results reinforce the importance of regular physical activity for the development of lung function during childhood and adolescence.

Which opponent player to sequentially serve to in beach volleyball is crucial given the advantage of the attacking team. The sequential choice theory was tested in three studies by analyzing allocation strategies based on the hot hand belief. Study 1 showed strong belief in the hot hand of national coaches. In Study 2, we analyzed Tokyo Olympics data to explore how base rates and sequential selection rates varied in an elite sample. When base rates of players differed by 0.25, low-performing players were frequently selected. In an experiment with elite athletes, Study 3A demonstrated accurate base-rate-difference recognition but low base-rate-change recognition. Study 3B found that the hot hand is believed to be important but is not often detected. We conclude that players and coaches follow predictions of the sequential choice theory and believe in the hot hand, but do not have a shared understanding of how to use it.

Adopting both a self-determination theory perspective and a proactive, asset-oriented approach to coping with stressors, we propose a hypothesized model to explain physical education students’ year-long development of course-specific grit-perseverance (Study 1) and mental toughness (Study 2). In both studies, we used a randomized controlled trial research design with longitudinally assessed dependent measures (four waves) to test a hypothesized model in which teacher participation in an autonomy-supportive teaching workshop (experimental condition) would increase students’ T2 perceived autonomy-supportive teaching and T2 perceived autonomy-supportive classmates, both of which would increase T3 need satisfaction, which would then explain longitudinal gains in students’ T4 grit-perseverance (Study 1) and mental toughness (Study 2). In both Study 1 (57 teachers, 3,147 students) and Study 2 (38 teachers, 2,057 students), a multilevel structural equation modeling analysis showed that the hypothesized model fit the data very well. We conclude that the developmental roots of grit-perseverance and mental toughness can emerge proactively out of the asset-oriented experiences of interpersonal support and psychological need satisfaction that are central to self-determination theory.

Purpose: Study on the effect of psychological skills training on self-esteem (SE) in young athletes. Method: 10 swimmers and 35 volleyball players, split into an intervention group (25) and a control group (18). The intervention entailed a 3-week psychological skills training program covering arousal management, breathing, relaxation, mental imagery, and self-talk. Multilevel growth curve analyses evaluated SE changes. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in multiple SE dimensions—physical self-worth, fitness, athletic competence, strength, and body attractiveness but not general SE. Conclusions: This study provides initial evidence of a multimodal psychological skills training’s effectiveness in enhancing young athletes’ domain-specific SE. It highlights the role of domain-specific SE in young athletes’ well-being. Future research should examine psychological and physiological correlations and assess the long-term SE development in adolescent athletes.

Purpose: The current study aimed to determine the effect of a synthetic-grass sport surface on core body temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, thermal sensation, thermal comfort, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during intermittent exercise in hot conditions. Methods: Using a randomized crossover design, 13 trained/developmental team-sport athletes completed two 50-minute standardized intermittent running protocols on a synthetic and a natural-grass surface, on separate days (control-condition air temperature 32.6 °C [1.3 °C], relative humidity 43.2% [5.3%]). Results: Final skin temperature was significantly higher on synthetic compared with natural grass at the calf (40.1 °C [2.5 °C] vs 33.4 °C [0.6 °C]; P < .001), shoulder (36.6 °C [1.7 °C] vs 33.7 °C [0.7 °C]; P < .001), and chest (33.2 °C [1.1 °C] vs 31.8 °C [1.2 °C]; P = .02). Thermal sensation (median: 2.3; interquartile range [0.5] vs 2.2 [0.5], P = .03) and sweat rate (1.5 [0.4] L·h⁻¹ vs 1.2 [0.3] L·h⁻¹; P = .02) were also significantly higher on synthetic grass. While final core body temperature was significantly higher on the natural than synthetic grass (38.4 °C [0.3 °C] vs 38.2 °C [0.4 °C]), there were no significant differences in delta core temperature, as well as heart rate, thermal comfort, or RPE. Conclusions: Higher skin temperatures, thermal sensation, and sweat rates suggest that exercising on synthetic grass in hot conditions may increase some markers of heat strain during exercise. However, delta core body temperature, heart rate, thermal comfort, and RPE remained unaffected.