Nicole M. LaVoi

Interventions to promote physical activity among young and adolescent girls: a systematic review

A narrative systematic review was conducted to describe the available evidence from physical activity (PA) interventions that targeted girls aged 5-18 years and to determine their effectiveness and key characteristics of success. Systematic literature searches were conducted using four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, PsychInfo and SPORTDiscus and by examining the reference lists of included articles and published relevant reviews, to identify studies published in English from 2000 to July 2010. Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs with pre-test and post-test behavioral outcome data (objective or self-report measure) were included. Methodological quality was assessed using a checklist and conclusions were made concerning effectiveness. A total of 29 articles were reviewed, describing the evaluation of 21 interventions. Ten studies reported a favorable intervention effect upon PA outcomes, seven of which were rated as having a high methodological quality. Multi-component school-based interventions that also offer a physical education that address the unique needs of girls seemed to be the most effective. Although family support is revealed as ineffective, peer strategies showed promising evidence. The review finishes highlighting possible intervention strategies and reporting areas where further investigation is required.

Do youth sports prevent pediatric obesity? A systematic review and commentary

Sport is a promising setting for obesity prevention among youth, but little is known about whether it prevents obesity. We reviewed research comparing sport participants with nonparticipants on weight status, physical activity, and diet. Among 19 studies, we found no clear pattern of association between body weight and sport participation. Among 17 studies, we found that sport participants are more physically active than those who do not participate. We found seven studies that compared the diet of sport participants with non-participants. These studies reported that youth involved in sport were more likely to consume fruits, vegetables, and milk, and also more likely to eat fast food and drink sugar-sweetened beverages and consume more calories overall. It is unclear from these results whether sports programs, as currently offered, protect youth from becoming overweight or obese. Additional research may foster understanding about how sport, and youth sport settings, can help promote energy balance and healthy body weight.

Exploring Elite Female Athletes’ Interpretations of Sport Media Images: A Window Into the Construction of Social Identity and ‘‘Selling Sex’’ in Women’s Sports

Scholars have produced a body of evidence demonstrating media portrayals of sportswomen emphasize femininity/heterosexuality versus athletic competence and argue that such coverage trivializes women’s sports. Little research attention has been given to how these portrayals are interpreted by various audiences, including female athletes. This study explores how elite female athletes respond to the ways they are represented within sport media. We employed reception research where viewers deconstruct the meaning of texts and how that meaning impacts their feelings toward a subject. We examined the subject of sportswomen’s dual identities to determine how they wished to be portrayed. Thirty-six team and individual sport athletes were shown images ranging from on-court competence to off-court soft pornography and asked to choose which image best represented themselves and their sport, as well as increased interest/respect for their sport. Results indicated that competence was the overwhelming choice for best “represents self/sport” and “increases respect.” Forty-seven percent of respondents picked soft porn to best “increase interest.” This latter finding reflected participants’ belief that “sex sells” women’s sports, particularly for male audiences. Results were analyzed using critical feminist theory to unpack sport media and its relationship to gender, privilege, and power.

Expanding the Interpersonal Dimension: Closeness in the Coach-Athlete Relationship

The close-relationship literature informed content analysis of open-ended responses of collegiate athletes (n = 431). Nineteen dimensions of closeness emerged, including the most frequently cited dimensions of communication, trust and mutuality. Dimensions were examined across sport type, gender, and level of competition. This study complements existing research on interpersonal dimensions, and specifically closeness, of the coach-athlete relationship and forwards a multi-dimensional, sport-specific, grounded understanding of closeness in the coach-athlete relationship. Results are discussed in terms of practical applications for sports practitioners and future directions for research are suggested.

Barriers and supports for female coaches: an ecological model

A vast amount of literature exists pertaining to female coaches at all levels of competition from around the globe. Within this article, using Brofenbrenners ecological systems theory, the complex and multidimensional barriers that affect, impede or prevent females from seeking or remaining in coaching positions, in addition to factors that support and facilitate career advancement and retention, are summarized. Barriers and supports represented in the literature are organized from most proximal (individual) to most distal (socio-cultural) to the coach. We conclude by identifying gaps in the research. The model can be used as a reflective heuristic to educate about the numerous dynamic organizational and societal barriers and supports engaged with by female coaches. In doing so, productive coping strategies can be learned and solutions and policy changes generated in order to increase opportunities for female coaches and make the environment within which they work increasingly inclusive, positive and supportive.

Emotional Experiences of Youth Sport Parents I: Anger

Although there is general agreement that some sideline behavior at youth sport events is problematic (Goldstein & Iso-Ahola, 2008), the reasons why parent spectators sometimes act inappropriately are not well understood. Given that the most problematic behaviors appear to be motivated by anger (Omli & LaVoi, 2009), the purpose of this study is to identify sources of anger from the perspective of parents. Participants (n = 773, 59% female) described specific instances in which they got angry during a youth sport event. A grounded theory analysis yielded three types of perceived offenses—uncaring, unjust, and incompetent—and four categories of perceived offenders—referees, coaches, participants, and other parent spectators.

Playing but Losing Women’s Sports after Title IX

Girls and women have more opportunities since Title IX, but the playing field is still far from level. Cheryl Cooky and Nicole M. Lavoi explore how major inequities remain, especially in terms of media attention, distribution of institutional resources and opportunities to coach and lead in the world of sport.

Pathways to Fostering Civic Engagement in Collegiate Female Athletes: An Exploratory Study

Can ones experience in organized sport help create good citizens? Little empirical evidence exists to explain or predict athletic pathways to engaged citizenship. The purpose of this exploratory, cross-sectional study of eleven teams of NCAA D-III female collegiate athletes (n = 160, M age = 19.5, SD = 1.2) was to examine how civic attitudes and behaviors (Keeter, Zukin, Andolina, Jenkins, 2002) related to individual athlete and team climate variables

Challenging the gender binary? Male basketball practice players’ views of female athletes and women’s sports

Abstract Kane’s ‘sport as a continuum’ theory posits many women can outperform many men in a variety of athletic endeavors. However, because sports are typically sex-segregated, this athletic continuum is rarely seen but provides a potentially powerful mechanism of transformation relative to views of female athletes and women’s sport. In women’s intercollegiate basketball, it is common for teams to practice against a male scout team. We used Kane’s continuum theory to examine the effects of integrated playing experiences on male practice players’ attitudes towards female athletes and women’s sports. Data from interviews revealed divergent first-order themes (‘Acknowledgement of the Sport Continuum’ and ‘Maintenance of Traditional Gender Stereotypes’) and several related second-order themes. The divergent themes reflect the complexity of gender relations in sport as the men simultaneously experienced and articulated a gender continuum while reinforcing a gender binary, which kept their own power and privilege in sport intact.

Gender and Sport Media

Thirty years of sport media and gender research will be summarized in this chapter. In what some scholars call mediasport, a site where sport is not experienced in the space where it happens but represented through media, differences such as gender, class, race, sexuality, identity, disability and nationalism are naturalized and reproduced (Bruce, 2013, p. 126).