Select a specific movement pattern in a sport.
For example… A volleyball spike, Basketball jump shot, Slap Shot, Soccer Dribble, Breast Stroke, High Jump, etc
Provide information on how to perform the movement correctly.
This is to be determined by researching how to do it properly, not using your personal experience. Correct movements must be described using proper industry and biomechanical terms. This correct movement should be showcased in the movement of your first subject – the Expert/Professional
Peer reviewed journal research will be conducted on how to perform the movement and are your primary sources for this project. Videos are supplementary sources and are usually the result of the research articles.
How to do the movement properly will come from industry leaders.
For example, there are videos on how to dive correctly produced by Stanford Diving, MLB will produce videos on how to hit a baseball, WNBA will produce instructional videos on a jump shot. USA Volleyball or the IFVB will produce lectures on spiking form. YouTube videos or other videos from the Internet can be used to assist you with this portion of the project as long as they are from an industry leader in the sport.
*** If you have trouble accessing research articles through our library – not a simple Internet search – let me know, I will contact the library for assistance with journals we currently do not have access to. *** If you cannot find 3-5 articles on your movement, it may be to specific and you may want to look for another movement in a different sport or within the same sport.
After gathering your movement information you will observe and record two people performing the movement , an Expert/Pro and a Novice/Beginner. If you do not have the ability to personally record an Expert/Pro or a Novice/Beginner then a video recorded by an outside party will be accepted. Describe the movement you observed in biomechanical terms.
Your Novice/Beginner subject can be an athlete from another sport who wants to learn this movement, or an amateur in the sport you are observing.
I recommend video taping the movement. A great App to do this is called Coach’s Eye. It allows you to break down a performance frame by frame. Also, it allows you to place lines and draw angles directly onto the video.
30 seconds of video is all that is necessary. This time frame of video is easily transferred from device to device. Consecutive still shots are also acceptable but must showcase movement clearly and must be able to be analyzed frame by frame.
(If you are deployed or have limited access to technology, contact me as to the best way to perform this task).
After observing the Novice/Beginner compare and contrast their performance, in biomechanical terms, with that of the industry standard of performance and that of your Expert/Pro (see ESPN’s Sports Science guy videos for examples of a breakdown analysis).
You will not make recommendations for your subject to improve their performance.
Recommendations for sport specific improvements are not within the area of expertise of this course. These types of recommendations are only applicable if they come from industry trained professionals. For example, in USA volleyball there are three levels of coaching certification. Only coaches with an IMPACT training CAP I certification are approved as “knowing the basic instructional methods” as recommended by USA volleyball. You can direct your subject to the industry standards but refrain from offering coaching. You are the research gatherer only not the coach. The subject can take your analysis and do with it what they want. You may desire to write down their reaction to your biomechanical analysis and how the analysis will cause them to adjust their approach to the skill.
Formatting
Your paper should have at least 3-5 peer reviewed journal references and 3-5 outside sources, to assist with your arguments (must be reputable sources for your sport). Please see description in class for rubric.
Plagiarism in any form is not acceptable. Plagiarism is subject to current APUS policies.
Gather the data and place it in your own words… cite the ideas that come from others (Johnson, 2013). If it is a “direct quotation, and I suggest you use these sparingly” (para.3), be sure to place a page or paragraph number directly after the quotation (Johnson, 2013). “If the direct quote is your whole sentence, then apply the page or paragraph number, for a web page, at the end of the in text citation after the year” (Johnson, 2013, p.5). Periods go after the in text citation.
Your required course paper should be between 8-10 pages in length. The title page or reference pages are not included in this number. The paper should be presented in APA format and double spaced.
