Sarah J. Young

Resume Preferences Is It Really “Business as Usual”?

This study examines the resume preferences of 523 recreation and leisure service professionals who interview and hire entry-level recreation professionals. Findings from this study support the fact that different occupations and disciplines require different approaches on how resume content information is presented. In the recreation and leisure services field, the job objective, grades, length, inclusion of references, and general resume design and format are different than other fields. A model resume for a business position, for example, may be of little value for individuals seeking employment in recreation and leisure service agencies. These applicants should not attempt to follow the resume requirements of other occupations. Resume content should be tailored to the preferences of the administrators reviewing the resumes and making the hiring decisions, regardless of the setting.

Generational differences and job satisfaction in leisure services

Generational differences in the workplace have been studied in a wide variety of settings, yet not in recreation settings. Currently, there are three generations ensconced in the workplace (i.e. Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y), with the leading edge of Boomers on the cusp of retirement and a second wave of Generation Yers attempting to find jobs. This study investigated attitudes toward job satisfaction of different generational cohorts in campus recreational sports settings. The results showed attitude differences toward job satisfaction in three areas: (1) working conditions; (2) work and environment; and (3) resources and employee benefits. Overall, Baby Boomer subjects were more satisfied with their jobs than the two younger generations, and there were no statistically significant differences in overall job satisfaction between Generations X and Y. Management implications of the study results are discussed.

The role of municipal park and recreation agencies in enacting coach and parent training in a loosely coupled youth sport system

Over a decade ago, Vail and Carmichael [More than just facilities: the role of municipal recreation in community sport development, Recreation Canada, 51(1), 24–44, 1993] challenged municipal recreation providers to clarify and recognize the role they play in youth sport delivery. Similarly, more recent calls for youth sport reform have identified the municipal park and recreation agency as perhaps the key player in the youth sports delivery system in the USA [National Alliance for Youth Sports and National Recreation and Parks Association, Recommendations for Communities: National Summit on Raising Community Standards in Childrens Sports, West Palm Beach, FL, National Alliance for Youth Sports, 2001]. The research suggests that volunteer coaches and youth sport parents often lack training and are unprepared for the roles that they play in the lives of youth sport participants. Because municipal park and recreation organizations often provide resources and leadership, such as facilities and programmatic support, to voluntary youth sport organizations (VSOs), park and recreation departments are in a unique position to lead on the issue of coach and parent training. This study demonstrated a ‘loose coupling’ relationship between municipal park and recreation agencies in the USA and VSOs involved in youth sport delivery. The research reveals that while the level of influence of municipal agencies over VSOs is positively related to the prevalence of mandatory coach training, no such relationship exists with the prevalence of mandatory parent training. It recommends that municipal agencies could leverage their influence with affiliated VSOs in order to achieve more consistent training of coaches and parents.

Mail versus web questionnaires in municipal recreation settings: a comparative study of survey methodology.

Abstract The World Wide Web (Web) provides a tremendous resource for gathering information. Recreation and leisure service providers as well as researchers in recreation can take advantage of the Web by implementing web‐based questionnaires to gather data. A comparative study between the traditional postal‐mail and the web‐based methods was conducted using a sample of municipal recreation administrators. While there were no significant differences in response rates of the two groups, there were comparable differences in terms of response time, cost, preparation time, and subjects’ perceived comfort level. Implications of the findings as well as recommendations for future research are discussed.

Contact Sports Exception and Nonparticipants

5 JOPERD • Volume 83 No. 5 • May/June 2012 The Chicago Steel amateur hockey team contracted plaintiff, Michael Weisberg, an employee of Chicago Acceleration, to be its athletic trainer. One of Weisberg’s job responsibilities was to replenish the water bottles on the team bench during practice. The players would notify Weisberg that the water bottles needed to be replenished by banging their hockey sticks on the locker room door during practice. On October 24, 2004, Weisberg was completing paperwork in the locker room during practice at the Edge Ice Arena when a player banged a stick on the locker room door. As Weisberg entered the bench area to replenish the bottles, he was hit in the right eye by a puck shot by a player, Lampl, and suffered retinal tearing and a fracture under his eye, which led to permanent vision loss.

Is School Recess a Recreational Activity

Auman v. School District of Stanley-Boyd Supreme Court of Wisconsin 248 Wis. 2d 548

Investigating the effects of behavioral change, social support, and self-efficacy in physical activity in a collectivistic culture: Application of Stages of Motivational Readiness for Change in Korean young adults

The study investigated the roles of social support, self-efficacy, and behavioral change in physical activity (PA) in the Korean culture. The subjects were 164 Korean college students. In November 2016, the study participants completed an online survey asking about PA behavior, PA Self-Efficacy, PA Stages of Change (stages of behavioral change in PA), and Social Support for PA. The collected data were statistically analyzed through structural equation modeling. In the results, PA Stages of Change had a direct effect (β = 0.57, p < .01) on PA with an explanatory power of r2 = 0.46. Moreover, PA Self-Efficacy had an indirect (βindirect = 0.29) effect on PA through PA Stages of Change as PA Self-Efficacy had a direct effect (β = 0.50, p < .001) on PA Stages of Change. However, Social Support for PA did not show an effect on other factors. Additionally, Social Support for PA had a correlation of r = 0.45 (p < .001) with PA Self-Efficacy. The study concluded PA Stages of Change is a significant PA predictor. Moreover, high PA Self-Efficacy indirectly helps Korean young adults to be more physically active by fostering advancement on the stages of behavioral change in PA. In contrast, Social Support for PA does not have a significant association with PA or PA Stages of Change. This non-significance of Social Support for PA can be explained with Koreas collectivistic culture. Furthermore, there is a possibility that Social Support for PA can positively affect PA by interacting with PA Self-Efficacy.

Recreation Managers Beware! Parking Lots Are a Part of Your Responsibility

The bottom line of this case is that parking lots for public recreation facilities can leave the service provider exposed to legal liability for injuries resulting from dangerous conditions.

Physical Activity Among Community College Students

This exploratory study provides insight into the perceived physical activity levels of students attending a Midwestern 2-year community college. Over 60% of respondents were classified as overweight or obese based on a BMI measurement. The majority of respondents were not participating regularly in physical activity to gain any health benefits, even though 65% indicated they were currently physically active. Although 50% of the respondents indicated they were regularly physically active, only one fifth were meeting the minimum guidelines for physical activity. However, respondents indicated a willingness to make changes to increase physical activity. Future planning of recreational sports programs and facilities is important for engaging and enhancing students in greater levels of physical activity.

Are You Protected by the Recreational Use Statute

Andrea Vidrine filed a negligence claim against Woodlands Waterway and Mitchell Pavilion after she fell down the steps while attending a concert at the Pavilion. The outcome of the case has implications for recreational facility owners.