2016, Article / Letter to editor (Perceptual and Motor Skills, vol. 122, iss. 3, (2016), pp. 871-885)Relatively little is known about how practice relates to children's improvement in gross motor skill performance. The aim of this study is to determine to what extent 6- and 7-year-old children improve their gross motor skill performance in a four-week period, in which goal-directed learning is stimulated and to determine whether differences between boys and girls occur. Groups of 6 year olds (nn=n167) and 7 year olds (nn=n140) practiced their gross motor skill for four weeks. Physical education teachers stimulated goal-directed learning by their instruction, skill-specific exercises, and individual practice. The week before and after, gross motor skill performance was assessed, using the Körper Koordinations Test für Kinder, and compared with a control group (nn=n131). Both 6 and 7 year olds in the intervention group improved their gross motor skill performance significantly more than the control group. The results show the relevance of goal-directed learning for the improvement of gross motor skill performance.
2012, Article / Letter to editor (Annals of Research in Sport and Physical Activity, vol. 2012, iss. 3, (2012), pp. 64-79)This study gained more insight into the relation between improvements on sprinting with and without the ball in a group of national youth soccer players. The sprinting and dribbling performances, measured by time scoring, (n=14) were tested before and after a twelve week intensive training period. Performance changes were analyzed by means of t-tests for paired data. A correlation matrix described the relation between the changes from T1 to T2 on sprinting and dribbling. Sprinting and dribbling improvements are not directly related to each other, future training programs should contain more specificity and should also be individualized to increase performance improvements.
2012, Article / Letter to editor (International Journal of Sport Psychology, vol. 2012, iss. 43, (2012), pp. 312-325)In learning and development, self-regulation can be described as the extent to which individuals are metacognitively, motivationally, and behaviourally proactive participants in their learning process (Zimmerman, 1989, 2006). We examined the relationship between self-regulation and performance level in elite (n = 159) and non-elite (n = 285) youth soccer players aged 11-17 years (mean 14.5 years, s = 1.4). The players completed a questionnaire that assessed planning, self-monitoring, evaluation, reflection, effort, and self-efficacy. A logistic regression analysis was performed (controlling for age) to determine which self-regulatory aspects were associated with players performance level (elite vs. non-elite). High scores on reflection and effort were associated with a higher level of performance. Findings suggest that elite players may be more aware of their strong and weak points as well as better able to translate this awareness into action. In addition, elite players appear to be more willing to invest effort into practice and competition. It is suggested that these better developed self-regulatory skills may translate into a more effective learning environment and ultimately result in an increased capacity for performance in elite players relative to their non-elite peers.
2012, Article / Letter to editor (Annals of Research in Sport and Physical Activity, vol. 2012, iss. 3, (2012))The aim of this review was to create an all-round profile of the elite artistic gymnast. Therefore, an extended literature search was performed in PubMed and PsycINFO databases. The main inclusion criteria were that the content of the article was about artistic gymnastics and that the gymnasts were of elite level and senior age. The extended literature search resulted in a total number of 22 articles, which were split up into 2 domains: the physical domain included 13 articles and the psychological domain included 9 articles. Results of the physical domain showed that the elite gymnast is small and has a low body mass, an athletic posture, a good postural control and balance and a high explosive muscular performance. Results of the psychological domain showed that the elite gymnast has a high intrinsic and achievement motivation, good concentration and confidence, strives for perfection and excellence and uses psychological strategies. These characteristics seem to be important for an elite gymnast although it is not clear yet which characteristics are most important, neither is the relation of the several characteristics to each other.
2010, Article in monograph or in proceedings (11th Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology symposium, Melbourne)The paper discusses the derivation of test data for three tractor-semitrailer combinations, to be used for strength and durability analysis of semi-trailers with the ultimate goal to reduce the semitrailer mass. Mathematical relationships have been used to transfer these data to representative loading data for the semi-trailer, in terms of forces and moments in all directions at the axles and king-pin, being used to optimize weight without compromising the vehicle resistance to fatigue. These activities have been the starting point of a follow-up project FORWARD (Fuel Optimised trailer Referring to Well Assessed Realistic Design loads) including now eleven different trailer manufacturers, and the Dutch Chassis and Body work association FOCWA. FORWARD will extend the previous approach with the objective to lower the trailer weight in order to improve the ratio of payload to fuel consumption. FORWARD consists of the following steps (1) a testing program, the larger part of which corresponds to normal use for a representative period, (2) to apply these data to validate a vehicle model allowing the derivation of representative loading data, and exploration of the effect of design changes on these loading data, (3) to apply these loading data for further FEM analysis of the global chassis and of local critical points.
2010, Article in monograph or in proceedings (Theoretical and Practical Issues in Transport, pp. 106-112)One way to reduce the fuel consumption to payload ratio of heavy vehicle combinations is to reduce the empty trailer weight. This requires an understanding of the vehicle structure, assembly techniques and production process, and of special materials (e.g. high strength steel) with emphasis on strength and fatigue. But in all cases, one needs to have realistic design loads available. This paper describes an approach to determine these loads as a first step in the process. For this purpose, tractor-semitrailer combinations have been tested under normal operational conditions, for a longer period, under monitoring of a large number of measurement data. These data have been transferred into dynamic loading data in terms of forces at each separate wheel and at the king-pin in vertical, lateral and longitudinal direction. The experience with several trailers has resulted in a cost-effective testing procedure, which also allows the assessment of representative loading cycles.
2010, Article / Letter to editor (De Lichamelijke Opvoeding, iss. 5, (2010), pp. 6-9)Door kennis van sport en bewegen en kennis van het kind en zijn ontwikkeling is de docent Sport en Bewegingsonderwijs (SBO) een zeer geschikte professional om sporttalent te herkennen en
een rol te spelen in de ontwikkeling van talent.
Opmerkelijk is dat de rol van de docent SBO tot op heden meestal niet verder reikt dan het ‘opmerken van kinderen die goed kunnen bewegen’. Het SBO heeft in Nederland geen formele rol in het herkennen en ontwikkelen van sporttalent.
Terwijl het vak hier uitstekende kansen toe biedt. In dit artikel zal worden beschreven welke mogelijkheden er zijn en welke onderzoeksinitiatieven worden ondernomen om de docent SBO een sterkere rol te geven in het herkennen en ontwikkelen van sporttalent in Nederland.