Context: Walking football (soccer) has recently emerged as a physical activity option targeted at older males to enhance health and wellbeing. Design: This pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining males aged 50 years and over to an 8-week walking football programme in a professional football club. Intervention: Participants were recruited via social media and assigned to an intervention group or a wait-list control group. The intervention group engaged in 1 hour of walking football a week led by a community coach from the professional football club, followed by an optional social session in the club facility. Physiological and psychological outcome measures were obtained onsite at the football club facility (aiding compliance and retention) at baseline and following 8-weeks, from both groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after the 8-week programme and 1 year later, to explore motivations for engagement and the social impact. Results: The opportunity to engage in football and the link to a professional football club were key attractions. All participants recruited were overweight, sedentary, exhibited blood pressures outside normal ranges, and all but two were hypertensive. Adherence to the programme was 90% over 8 weeks, and of the participants who were contacted after one year, all (n = 6) had maintained engagement in walking football. Walking football is therefore a feasible, cost-effective method of recruiting and retaining males aged 50 years and over to a physical activity programme, though attrition is to be expected.

This study (1) compared the physiological responses and performance during a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session incorporating externally regulated (ER) and self-selected (SS) recovery periods and (2) examined the psychophysiological cues underpinning SS recovery durations. Following an incremental maximal exercise test to determine maximal aerobic speed (MAS), 14 recreationally active males completed 2 HIIT sessions on a non-motorised treadmill. Participants performed 12 × 30 s running intervals at a target intensity of 105% MAS interspersed with 30 s (ER) or SS recovery periods. During SS, participants were instructed to provide themselves with sufficient recovery to complete all 12 efforts at the required intensity. A semi-structured interview was undertaken following the completion of SS. Mean recovery duration was longer during SS (51 ± 15 s) compared to ER (30 ± 0 s; p < .001; d = 1.46 ± 0.46). Between-interval heart rate recovery was higher (SS: 19 ± 9 b min; ER: 8 ± 5 b min; p < .001; d = 1.43 ± 0.43) and absolute time ≥90% maximal heart rate (HR) was lower (SS: 335 ± 193 s; ER: 433 ± 147 s; p = .075; d = 0.52 ± 0.39) during SS compared to ER. Relative time ≥105% MAS was greater during SS (90 ± 6%) compared to ER (74 ± 20%; p < .01; d = 0.87 ± 0.40). Different sources of afferent information underpinned decision-making during SS. The extended durations of recovery during SS resulted in a reduced time ≥90% HR but enhanced time ≥105% MAS, compared with ER exercise. Differences in the afferent cue utilisation of participants likely explain the large levels of inter-individual variability observed.

This article reports data concerning the body centre of mass acceleration, muscle activity, and forces exerted during a suspended lunge under different stability conditions. Ten high-standard track and field athletes were recruited to perform one set of 5 repetitions of the following exercises: suspended lunge, suspended lunge-Foam (front leg on a foam balance-pad and the rear leg on the suspension cradles), a suspended lunge-BOSU up (dome side up), and a suspended lunge-BOSU down (dome side down). For each exercise trial, the acceleration of the body centre of mass (tri-axial accelerometer BIOPAC), the muscle activity of the front leg (surface electromyography BIOPAC) and the force exerted on the suspension strap (load cell Phidgets) were measured. The data revealed that the intra-reliability of the data range from good (ICC: 0.821) to excellent (ICC: 0.970) in all dependent variables and exercise conditions. Besides, the Pearson correlation between muscle activity and the body centre of mass acceleration showed a significant positive correlation for all the exercises and analysed muscles (range from r = 0.393 to r = 0.826; p < 0.05) with moderate to very large effect, except for the rectus and biceps femoris. Moreover, the force exerted on the suspension strap significantly correlated with the body centre of mass acceleration in all the exercises (range from r = −0.595 to r = −0.797, p < 0.05) with a very large effect, except for the suspension lunge that registered a large effect.

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To develop and assess the validity of the Referee Training Activity Questionnaire (RTAQ), a systematic process was employed: 1) item generation; 2) assessments of content and face validity; and 3) assessments of criterion validity. In stage 1, items were generated following semi-structured interviews with an expert panel (n=8). Following content analyses, the RTAQ was developed and comprised 3 primary sections (12 sub-sections) assessing: 1) attributes perceived to underpin soccer officiating performance; 2) general training information; and 3) specific training practices. In stage 2, the preliminary RTAQ was assessed for content and face validity by a sample of experts (n=6). Based upon the content validity index (CVI), content validity was confirmed for 8 sub-sections (CVI ≥ 0.78) with 5 sub-sections being deemed invalid (CVI < 0.78). Various amendments were carried out in accordance with participant feedback. In stage 3, the RTAQ was completed by a cohort of officials (n=25) who subsequently recorded a detailed training diary. Negligible mean biases, wide 95% LOA, and significant Pearson correlations were observed between the RTAQ and training diaries for most training activities, suggesting the RTAQ holds promise as a useful and effective alternative of acquiring insight into the training practices of soccer officials.

This study sought to: (1) document the multifaceted training practices of soccer officials in relation to their role and officiating category; and (2) explore the association between the officials’ training practices and perceptions of the attributes pertinent to optimal performance. Field referees and assistant referees at officiating categories 1–3 ( n = 173) with the Scottish Football Association were invited to participate in this national cross-sectional study. Using the Referee Training Activity Questionnaire (RTAQ), officials reported the volume and type of training engaged in during a 2-week in-season period. Respondents’ perceptions of the skills pertinent to performance were also explored using a 7-point Likert scale ( 1  =  not at all important; 7  =  extremely important), with the frequency in which they trained these skills assessed using a 5-point Likert Scale ( 1  =  less than once a month; 5  =  more than once a week). Ninety-one responses were received, representing a 52.6% response rate. Irrespective of their role or level of professional attainment, the officials’ training was focused mostly on physical conditioning, with significantly less time apportioned to decision-making ( P < 0.001; ES = 1.28), psychological ( P < 0.001; ES = 1.47), and technical ( P < 0.001; ES = 1.23) skills training. Meanwhile, although decision-making and psychological skills were rated as “ very important” to “ extremely important” amongst both field referees and assistant referees, officials purposefully trained these skills “ less than once a month.” The present study provides important new insights into the training practices engaged in by soccer officials. As accurate decision-making is at the forefront of soccer officiating, enhancing the exposure of match officials to match-related decision-making during training should be considered a priority for future research.

This article briefly reviews my role in delivering entrepreneurship training and support in north-east Scotland. I run an organisation dedicated to the support of new and existing entrepreneurs throughout the northeast of Scotland. This support sees the establishment of 1800 new businesses every year. The work is exciting and hugely rewarding as we recycle knowledge, understanding and experiences amongst those we work with. We have ‘seen it all’, as the saying goes. Our task is to assist fledging entrepreneurs around common mistakes and help them achieve success. We have formed opinions along the way as to what is needed to maximise the economic upside of firstly creating more entrepreneurs, and secondly supporting the growth of ones with ambition and potential. Key learning principles are identified that we have applied in our organisation to achieve three objectives: how to stimulate more entrepreneurial activity; how to minimise early stage entrepreneurial mortality; and how to identify the key barriers that prevent business growth.

Purpose This study explored the validity and reliability of the physiological and perceptual responses elicited during a novel treadmill-based Soccer Referee Simulation (SRS). Methods Following the collection of baseline measures and habituation procedures, eight sub-elite soccer referees completed a single trial of the SRS whereby measures of heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (V̇O2), blood lactate concentrations ([La−]b), and differential ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were obtained. Referees’ HR responses were also monitored during a series of competitive matches (5 match observations per referee). For the reliability aspect of the investigation, eight well-trained males with soccer playing experience and a comparable physiological profile were initially habituated, and thereafter completed three separate trials of the SRS during which the reliability of the selected outcome variables were ascertained. Trials were separated by 3–7 days and performed under standardised conditions. Results No differences were evidenced between the SRS and match play in relation to measures of mean HR (P = 0.444; ES = 0.29), peak HR (P = 0.074; ES = 0.74), or HR-based training impulse (P = 0.498; ES = 0.25). Additionally, no systematic differences were detected between reliability trials for any of the measured outcome variables (P ≥ 0.293), whilst good levels of reliability were observed for measures of mean HR (ICC = 0.94; CV = 3.1%), peak HR (ICC = 0.93; CV = 2.2%), HR-based training impulse (ICC = 0.95; CV = 10.0%), mean V̇O2 (ICC = 0.95; CV = 2.6%); [La−]b (ICC ≥ 0.89; CV ≤ 11.5%), and differential RPE (ICC ≥ 0.94; CV ≤ 15.1%). Conclusion The SRS represents a valid and reliable protocol that closely replicates the physiological and decision-making demands of soccer refereeing.