Traditional narratives of sport posit winning as the defining goal in ways that can feel and be exclusionary to young people and result in a lack of enjoyment and subsequent decision to avoid or discontinue involvement in sport. This is particularly true for girls and young women who participate in sport at lower rates and quit at higher rates…

Multiple tensions exist as part of the coaching process. How a coach responds to these tensions is a fundamental determinant of an athlete or team's fate. In today's highly competitive, socially demanding, and ever-changing sports environment, and as the expectations on coaches become more complex, the paradox becomes a critical lens to…

Psychological resilience is important in sport because athletes must constantly withstand a wide range of pressures to attain and sustain high performance. To advance psychologists' understanding of this area, there exists an urgent need to develop a sport-specific measure of resilience. The purpose of this article is to review psychometric…

Every week there is a national news story involving a collegiate student-athlete, and oftentimes the tale relates to a social work education issue. There are 731 social work programs, yet none offers coursework in student-athlete behavior and their environment. Student-athletes experience the same developmental challenges as nonathletes, and…

This article analyzes the meaning of ritual and reviews the literature on the relationship between sport and ritual. It suggests the sport-as-ritual model, which tends to denigrate the significance of sport as a distinctive cultural behavior, is of limited use in understanding this relationship. (IAH)

A sports event with a large crowd in attendance contains the dynamics to turn from a wholesome event to a mob scene. Fan violence has escalated in recent years and is most likely to occur in segments of the population that feel disenfranchised. Theories of what causes crowd violence and ways to avoid it are discussed. (JL)

Several concerns should be addressed before the field of sport pschology can have its greatest impact: (1) careful study and evaluation in this new field; (2) broadening of field and its application to various physical settings and participants; and (3) roles of responsibility defined for coaches and sport psychologists in psychological…

The article attempts to identify and define some of the most important criteria underpinning ecologically valid research in sport psychology. Vision and sport performance is used as an exemplary area for examination of issues. It is concluded that more debate must be stimulated concerning this important methodological principle. (Author/CB)

Burnout is a condition of withdrawal from participation in sports as a result of stress. The most significant advance in the study of burnout has been a cognitive-affective model that contains situational, cognitive appraisal, physiological, and behavioral components. Suggestions for preventing and treating burnout are presented. (BC)

Although reports on the positive effects of fitness and exercise predominate in the exercise literature, some researchers describe frequent exercise as compulsive or addictive behavior. This paper addresses these "negative addictions" of exercise. As early as 1970, researchers recognized the addictive qualities of exercise. Short-term…

This book provides a comprehensive review of the branch of sport and exercise science that focuses on the psychological aspects of human behavior. Part I presents a general orientation to the field, including an introduction and description of sport psychology and a discussion of the history and current status of the field. Individual differences…

This article introduces the physical education, recreation, and health practitioner to the relevant practical and theoretical information pertaining to sportsmanship in youth sports. It discusses four key areas related to sportsmanship: (1) constructs, (2) underlying theories, (3) empirical evidence, and (4) application and education. It also…

The form and content of preservice programs for physical education teachers are in the hands of those individuals who develop curricula. Courses in sports studies--such as the sociology of sports and sport psychology--need to be an integral part of such programs. Preservice preparation programs can be reorganized to contain this important element.…

Introduces psychological perspectives on stress, noting conceptual models that guide sport and exercise psychology. After presenting key aspects of Lazarus' stress model, the paper reviews major lines of research related to stress within sport and exercise psychology. Lazarus suggests more information can be gained by considering emotion along…

Analyzes 220 documents on orienteering published 1984-94. Discusses publication numbers and types and content characteristics in the areas of psychological aspects, physiological demands, sports medicine and health aspects, psychological-physiological interactions, training and coaching, school programs for children and teaching manuals,…