The recovery-stress states of netball players over congested university-level tournaments played in Covid-19 bubbles

Date
2023-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to the global pandemic, the acute recovery-stress states of athletes in Covid-19 bubbles are becoming a well-researched topic. The aim of this study was therefore to monitor the acute recovery-stress states of university-level netball players in two tournaments (10-days and five-days) played in a Covid-19 bubble using the Acute Recovery and Stress Scale (ARSS) and the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ-76 Sport). All participants were university-level netball players between the ages of 18 and 25, who are in command of English, Afrikaans or IsiXhosa. The Varsity Netball Tournament (T1) and University Sport of South Africa (USSA) Netball tournament (T2) were held over 10 days and five days, respectively. Throughout both tournaments both the ARSS and RESTQ-76 Sport questionnaires were completed. The ARSS was completed twice daily before and after each match played in the tournament. The RESTQ-76 Sport was completed twice throughout the duration of the tournament with the first being completed one day before the tournament and the second being completed within three hours of the last match played on the final match day. The number of athletes who completed the ARSS in T1 was 18 participants. Overall, 58% of the athletes were included in the study with complete datasets. The results for the ARSS for all of the Recovery subscales, including Physical Performance Capability (PPC), Mental Performance Capability (MPC, Emotional Balance (EB) and overall Recovery (OR) showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) between the beginning and the end of the tournament with recovery being higher at the start of the tournament compared to after the tournament. Additionally, the stress subscales including Muscular Stress (MS), Lack of Activation (LA), Negative Emotional State (NES) and Overall Stress (OS) indicated statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) with higher values being seen after the tournament than before the tournament. The number of athletes included in the study for T1 with regards to the RESTQ-76 Sport and once the inclusion criteria was considered was 18 participants between the ages 19 and 24 years old. The performance level within this tournament was distributed across university (17.9%), provincial (60.7%) and international (21.4%) levels. Overall, 36 out of 66 (55%) were eligible to be included in the study. The only statistically significant difference for the duration of T1 was Social Recovery (p < 0.01) whereby scores increased pre to post tournament. The number of athletes who completed the ARSS in T2 was 23 participants. Overall, 23 out of 35 (66%) of the athletes presented complete datasets to be included in the study. All values for the recovery and stress dimensions showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) with the recovery scores decreasing over the duration of the tournament and the stress scores increasing pre to post tournament. The number of athletes included in the study for T2 regarding the RESTQ-76 Sport and once the inclusion criteria was considered was 41 participants between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. This tournament consisted of players who were distributed across university (29.8%), provincial (27.7%) and national (31.9%) levels. Overall, 87% of the players who responded and completed the required number of datasets to be included in the study. The subscales showing statistically significant differences over the duration of the T1 were General Well- Being (p < 0.01), Success (p < 0.01), Conflict/ Pressure (p < 0.01) and General Stress (p < 0.04) with General Well-Being and Success showing an increase in recovery over the duration of the tournament and Conflict/ Pressure and General Stress showing a decline in score over the duration of the tournament. Future studies could explore the differences in the recovery-stress states of full-time and substitute netball players under congested tournament or environmental conditions. More should pertain to the differences in recovery-stress states of the varying experience levels of athletes. Furthermore, future studies can include the addition of a stress assessment to the recovery-stress assessments used for this study for the duration of the tournament. Lastly, research can focus on the validation of recovery-stress assessments within a South African context.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As gevolg van die wêreldwye pandemie het navorsing op die uitwerking van 'n Covid-19- bioborrel op die herstel-strestoestande van atlete toegeneem. Daar is egter 'n gebrek aan navorsing in die herstel-stres-toestande van vroulike netbalspelers op universiteitsvlak. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om die akute herstel-stres-toestande van netbalspelers op universiteitsvlak te monitor in twee toernooie (10 dae en vyf dae) wat in 'n Covid-19-borrel gespeel is deur die Akute Herstel- en Stresskaal (ARSS) en die Herstel-stres-vraelys vir atlete (RESTQ-76 Sport) te gebruik. Alle deelnemers was netbalspelers op universiteitsvlak tussen die ouderdomme van 18 en 25, wat Engels, Afrikaans of IsiXhosa kon praat. Die Varsity Netbaltoernooi (T1) en USSA Netbaltoernooi (T2) is onderskeidelik oor 10 dae en vyf dae gehou. Gedurende beide toernooie is beide die ARSS- en RESTQ-76 Sport-vraelyste voltooi. Die ARSS is twee keer per dag voltooi, voor en na elke wedstryd wat in die toernooi gespeel is. Die RESTQ-76 Sport is twee keer gedurende die toernooi voltooi, met die eerste wat een dag voor die toernooi voltooi is en die tweede wat binne drie uur na die laaste wedstryd wat op wedstryddag gespeel is, voltooi is. T1 Agtien deelnemers het die ARSS voltooi en 58% van die atlete met volledige datastelle is by hierdie studie ingesluit. Die resultate vir die ARSS vir al die Herstel-subskale, insluitend Fisieke Prestasievermoë (PPC), Geestelike Prestasievermoë (MPC, Emosionele Balans (EB) en Algehele Herstel (OF) het statisties beduidende verskille (p < 0,01) tussen die begin en die einde van die toernooi getoon, met herstel wat hoër was voor die toernooi in vergelyking met na die toernooi. Daarbenewens het die stres-subskale Spierstres (MS), Gebrek aan Aktivering (LA), Negatiewe Emosionele Toestand (NES) en Algehele Stres (OS) statisties beduidende verskille (p < 0.01) aangedui met hoër waardes wat na die toernooi gesien word in vergelyking met voor die toernooi. Die data van 18 deelnemers tussen die ouderdom van 19 en 24 jaar is ingesluit vir die RESTQ- 76 Sport. Die prestasievlak binne hierdie toernooi is oor universiteits- (17,9%), provinsiale (60,7%) en internasionale (21,4%) vlakke versprei. Oor die algemeen het 55% van die spelers wat gereageer het en vir geskiktheid beoordeel was, die vereiste aantal datastelle voltooi om by die studie ingesluit te word. Die enigste statisties beduidende skaal vir die duur van T1 was sosiale herstelling (p < 0.01) waardeur tellings voor tot na toernooi toegeneem het. T2 Die aantal atlete wat die ARSS voltooi het, was 23 deelnemers. Oor die algemeen het 66% van die atlete volledige datastelle aangebied om by die studie ingesluit te word. Alle waardes vir die herstel- en stresdimensies het statisties beduidende verskille getoon (p < 0.01) met die hersteltellings wat afgeneem het oor die duur van die toernooi en die strestellings wat voor tot na toernooi toegeneem het. Die aantal atlete wat by die studie ingesluit is met betrekking tot die RESTQ-76 Sport, en sodra die insluitingskriteria oorweeg is, was 41 deelnemers tussen die ouderdomme van 18 en 25 jaar oud. Die prestasievlakke van die spelers het gewissel tussen universiteits- (29,8%), provinsiale (27,7%) en nasionale (31,9%) vlakke.. Oor die algemeen, het 87% van die spelers gereageer en die vereiste aantal datastelle voltooi, en was dus by die studie ingesluit. Die subskale wat statisties betekenisvolle verskille oor die duur van die T1 getoon het, was Algemene Welstand (p < 0,01), Sukses (p < 0,01), Konflik/ Druk (p < 0,01) en Algemene Stres (p < 0,04). Algemene Welstand en Sukses het 'n toename oor die duur van die toernooi getoon en Konflik/ Druk en Algemene Stres het 'n afname oor die duur van die toernooi getoon. Toekomstige studies kan die verskille in die herstel-stres-toestande van beginspelers en plaasvervangers onder kompakte toernooi- of omgewingstoestande ondersoek. Verder kan toekomstige studies die uitwerking van die Covid-19-borrel op die herstel-strestoestande van netbalspelers onder kompakte toernooitoestande bepaal.
Description
Thesis (M Sport Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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