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Exercise is the single most effective strategy to reduce the risk of falls. Online classes have grown in popularity, but the benefits of online classes remain unknown. Zoomers on the Go is a peer-led 12-week exercise program offered twice weekly to adults 50+ years old. The main outcome was lower body strength measured by the 30-s chair stand test. Other outcomes included dropout, attendance, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness, and perceived health. A total of 74 participants (age 66.3 ± 7.1 years) in the online group and 84 participants in the in-person group (age 67.3 ± 7.2 years) completed the program, with attendance for the online group. Both groups significantly improved their 30-s chair stand, cardiorespiratory fitness, and balance (p < .001) with no difference in functional benefits between groups. The in-person group improved their perceived health and significantly reduced levels of stress and depression, while no such changes were observed in the online group.

Over the past decade, enrollment in the exercise science graduate program at Texas State University has shown consistent growth. However, the program’s level of diversity has been low, as indicated by the college’s equity audit report. In response to the imperative of social justice and equity in the field of kinesiology, this article presents one recruitment strategy and two retention strategies aimed at fostering inclusivity in the graduate program. The recruitment strategy describes the steps to establish a partnership with Huston-Tillotson University (a historically Black university). This partnership serves as a means to create a pathway for underrepresented students to pursue graduate studies in exercise science. The two retention strategies explain how a peer-mentoring program and alumni connect can be used to foster an inclusive experience for current students and recent graduates and to promote student success and retention. The benefits of each strategy and suggestions to implement the strategies are also described.

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the UMOVE Mobility Screen in older adults living with dementia using a Rasch analysis and hypothesis testing. The UMOVE Mobility Screen (UMOVE) focuses on nine activities: following commands, muscle strength, and basic functional mobility tasks. Trained evaluators completed assessments on 244 patients, the majority of whom were female (62%), and White (71%). Based on Rasch Analysis, there was evidence of good item and person reliability (indexes > 0.80), good INFIT statistics, and only one item fitting the model based on OUTFIT statistics. Validity was supported based on hypothesis testing. There was no evidence of Differential Item Functioning between races and genders. Item mapping raised concerns about the spread of the items across the full spectrum of mobility assessed in the UMOVE Mobility Screen. Future testing should consider adding some easier and some more difficult items.

Kinesiology programs seeking to prepare an inclusive workforce are committed to recruiting and retaining graduate students who represent the demographic diversity of our country, communities, and undergraduate universities. Plans for enhancing diversity, including partnerships between historically Black undergraduate institutions and graduate programs located on predominantly White campuses, must incorporate equity-focused strategies. In this article, four Black women with various experiences as students and faculty at predominantly White institutions and historically Black colleges and universities offer their advice on equity-focused approaches to graduate student recruitment and retention. This article is meant to provide nuanced understandings of the benefits and challenges of such approaches for students and faculty of color.

Purpose: To determine the minimum number of events (training or matches) for producing valid acceleration–speed (AS) profiles from global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data. Methods: Nine elite female soccer players participated in a 4-week training camp consisting of 19 events. AS profile metrics calculated from different combinations of athlete events were compared to force–velocity (FV) profile metrics from 2 × 40-m stand-alone sprint effort trials, using the same GNSS 10-Hz technology. Force–velocity profiles were calculated, from which AS profiles were obtained. AS profiles from training and matches were generated by plotting acceleration and speed points and performing a regression through the maximal points to obtain the AS metrics (theoretical maximal speed, x-intercept [in meters per second], theoretical maximal acceleration, y-intercept [in meters per second squared], and the slope per second). A linear mixed model was performed with the AS metrics as the outcome variables, the number of events as a fixed effect, and the participant identifier as a mixed effect. Dunnett post hoc multiple comparisons were used to compare the means of each number of event grouping (1–19 events) to those estimated from the dedicated sprint test. Results: Theoretical maximal speed and theoretical maximal acceleration means were no longer significantly different from the isolated sprint reference with 9 to 19 (small to trivial differences = −0.31 to −0.04 m·s⁻¹, P = .12–.99) and 6 to 19 (small differences = −0.4 to −0.28 m·s⁻², P = .06–.79) events, and the slopes were no longer different with 1 to 19 events (trivial differences = 0.06–0.03 s⁻¹, P = .35–.99). Conclusions: AS profiles can be estimated from a minimum of 9 days of tracking data. Future research should investigate methodology resulting in AS profiles estimated from fewer events.

Purpose: Ice hockey is a team invasion sport characterized by repeated high-intensity skating efforts, technical and tactical skill, physical contact, and collisions requiring considerable levels of muscular strength. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between lower-body vertical force–time metrics and skating qualities in subelite female ice hockey players. Methods: A cross-sectional cohort design was employed utilizing 14 athletes (body mass = 66.7 [1.8] kg; height = 171.6 [6.2] cm; age = 21.1 [1.7] y). The relationships between metrics of lower-body strength collected from a drop jump, squat jump, countermovement jump, loaded countermovement jump, and an isometric squat and 4 skating qualities collected from a linear sprint, repeated sprint test, and a multistage aerobic test were evaluated. Results: The regression models revealed a positive relationship between relative peak force in the isometric squat and skating multistage aerobic test performance (r ² = .388; P = .017) and a positive relationship between repeated-sprint ability and eccentric mean force during the loaded countermovement jump (r ² = .595; P = .001). No significant relationships were observed between strength metrics and skating acceleration or maximal velocity. Conclusions: These data suggest that skating ability is most affected by relative isometric strength in female ice hockey players. It is recommended that practitioners focus training on tasks that improve relative force output. It is also recommended that isometric relative peak force be used as a monitoring metric for this cohort.