High-performance judo: identification of the organisational factors influencing international sporting success

Youth Judokas Competing in Higher Age Groups Leads to a Short-Term Success

Coaches of youth judo athletes might be under the influence of some extraordinary elite judo athletes that have won elite competitions at a relatively young age and might put youth athletes under pressure to gain as much fighting experience as fast as possible. The present study aims to present a 5-year competition structure, volume and age competition categories (ACC) range in which youth judokas competed with 10-year dropout status. Data from 46 judokas were collected (M = 24; F = 22) for four categorisation classes (National-NC; Perspective-PC; International-IC; World class-WC). Competitive structure, volume, performance and number of ACC were collected from 2009 to 2013 for all age groups from scores and standings records of the National Federation. Youth judokas competed in 8 (±2) competitions per year and also competed in 3 (±1) ACC. Abroad competitions affect the fighting experience and competitive success (CS). CS showed positive correlations with the number of ACC in the year 2009 (p = 0.01), 2010 (p = 0.01) and 2011 (p = 0.04). The final observed years’ CS 2012 (p = 0.009) and 2013 (p = 0.002) showed a negative association with the number of ACC. CS in the final observed year 2013 showed a positive association (p = 0.012) with the dropout status in 2018 and a negative one with the number of abroad competitions in 2013 (p = 0.029). In total, 52% dropout was noted in 10 years. This ‘’playing-up’’ approach was shown to be successful in creating youth medalists. However, just in the short term, if implemented for too long, it starts to affect competition success negatively and increases youth athletes’ dropout. Therefore, coaches should include more competitions abroad in competitors’ primary age group, while training sessions could be done with higher age groups which would allow for gathering additional experience in a more controlled environment in their yearly periodisation.

Vocal ergonomics with sports coaches: Co-devised approaches to occupational voice

BACKGROUND: Work-system participation and factors are associated with occupational vocal health for vocally reliant workers, such as sports coaches. However, there is limited use of systems approaches and worker collaboration to address occupational voice. OBJECTIVE: The current research aimed to cooperatively consider coaches’ vocally reliant systems participation, including addressing vocal ergonomic factors that can create barriers for occupational vocal health and voice use. METHODS: Collaborative action inquiries explored vocal ergonomics with coaches (n = 24) from nine professional basketball teams. Across three basketball seasons, coaches and a subject matter expert identified what influenced coaches’ voices and trialed approaches to optimize vocally reliant coaching participation. Nine action inquiry methods were used, including search conferences, ergonomic approaches to enhance systems participation, and focus groups. Multi-level analyses were also undertaken. RESULTS: Participants cooperatively generated, implemented, and evaluated different strategies. A cumulative total of 57 strategies were explored within teams (team mean = 6.33, SD = 3, range = 4–14). Cross-case analysis identified 25 different strategy types. Overall, participants appraised 31.58% (18/57) strategies as supportive (i.e., enhanced facilitators for voice), 61.40% (35/57) strategies as somewhat supportive (i.e., some enhanced facilitators and some ongoing barriers), and 7.02% (4/57) strategies as unsupportive (i.e., pervasive ongoing barriers not mitigated by strategies). Further, factors across coaches’ work-systems continued to influence coaches’ voices in dynamic and complex ways. CONCLUSIONS: Collaboration with coaches enriched vocal ergonomic approaches by providing novel, context-anchored insights. Collaboration should form ‘part’ of broader mechanisms to support coaches’ voice use and vocal health at work.

Systems Approaches to Occupational Vocal Health: Considerations for Community Faith Leaders

Systems thinking approaches can benefit the occupational vocal health of vocally reliant workers. This paper explores community faith leaders as an example of a highly vocally reliant occupation, who may benefit from systems thinking being used to support their vocal occupational health and safety. A scoping review of the current literature regarding faith leaders' occupational voice use and vocal health is detailed, including recognised occupational hazards. This article then discusses the unique and potential use of systems thinking for facilitating faith leaders' vocal occupational health and safety. Rather than using a solely clinical perspective, the sociotechnical systems approach and the biopsychosocial-spiritual approach are noted as particularly pertinent for this occupational group.