In this review paper we examine the pertinent literature on the historical trends in disability sport to provide discussion on the following: a) the negative ramifications (e.g., over-training, failing to taper) athletes often experience when they perform without a coach, b) the perceived challenges (e.g., not understanding an athlete's disability) of disability sport coaching of high-level coaches, c) the positive outcomes athletes experience (e.g., increased motivation and autonomy) when they have good quality coaching, and d) the necessary competencies (e.g., understanding the psychology of coaching) to be an effective disability sport coach. We also provide theory based suggestions for future research.

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Background/Purpose: Obesity and secondary conditions continue to disproportionally affect the health of children living in urban areas. Studies show that a lack of resources and physical activity-unfriendly communities discourage 60 minutes of daily activity, including strengthening exercises, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Using Social Ecological theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the multi-level influences of a yoga-based intervention on urban, inner city youth. Method: Using a mixed-methods design, ninety-three 3 -5 th grade students at five urban elementary schools participated in a ten-week yoga intervention. Analysis/Results: RM-ANOVA results revealed a significant reduction in stress and bullying behaviors among participants, and multiple regression analyses revealed that program attendance, change in stress, and change in yoga enjoyment significantly predicted change in yoga participation outside PE, when controlling for gender and age F(5, 87) = 5.36, p < 0.01, adj. R 2 = 0.19, but did not have a significant impact on physical activity participation outside of school. Student interviews and non-participant observations revealed strong enjoyment of yoga which led students to report substantial increases in yoga-related activities outside of school. Students also revealed that experience in yoga improved focus, attention, and reduced stress. Conclusions: Through convergence of qualitative and quantitative methods, this study showed a positive relationship between the number of yoga sessions attended (dose), enjoyment of yoga, and participation in yoga outside PE with friends and family. Findings suggest that urban PE should include more individual, non-competitive activities such as yoga, which students find to be stress-relieving, fun, inexpensive and easy to perform at home.

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Objective: The population of young people most vulnerable to low levels of physical activity (e.g. urban/ minority/low socio-economic status/female/non-athletes) often has the least access to physical activity opportunities and resources. It has been suggested that a comprehensive, school-based approach, including prudent use of time before, during and after the school day may be an effective way to increase overall physical activity, but little is known about why urban students voluntarily participate in these extracurricular programmes. Using social cognitive theory as a framework, this study examines urban high-school students' rationale for attending after-school physical activity clubs designed to provide fun, safe, supportive places to do physical activities with friends. Design and setting: Qualitative study in an urban school district. Method: Over a 2-year period, adult leaders within 14 inner-city schools in a large urban district in the Midwest USA held 938 physical activity club sessions targeting traditionally inactive youth to promote noncompetitive physical activity. Interviews with student participants (n = 278) and researcher field observations (n = 115) were used as primary data sources. Results: Three primary themes emerged to explain the voluntary participation of high-school students in after-school physical activity clubs: (a) social affiliation, especially group identification and establishing relationships with adult leaders and likeminded peers; (b) health and performance, including improving physical health and performance in other athletic endeavours; and (c) the 'right' types of activities and focus, including those that were student-centred, non-competitive and culturally relevant. Conclusion: Creation and sustainability of successful inner-city physical activity clubs will largely hinge upon the capitalisation on an understanding of the motivations of an urban student population.

Addiction continues to be a major public health concern, and rates of relapse following currently-available treatments remain high. There is increasing interest in the adjunctive use of mindfulness-based interventions, such as yoga, to improve treatment outcomes. The current study was a preliminary naturalistic investigation of a novel trauma-informed yoga intervention in an inpatient treatment program for women with substance use disorder (SUD). Changes and differences in somatic symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, and psychological mechanisms were evaluated in women receiving treatment-as-usual (n = 36) and treatment-as-usual plus the yoga intervention (n = 42). For both groups, statistically significant within-subjects changes were present for somatic and psychiatric symptoms, cravings, self-efficacy, and multiple facets of impulsivity and mindfulness. Compared to standard treatment alone, participants in the treatment plus yoga condition significantly improved in range of motion and the Lack of Premeditation facet of impulsivity. Although most domains were not selectively affected, these initial within-treatment findings in this naturalistic evaluation suggest some promise for adjunctive yoga and a need for further evaluation, especially using larger samples and longer term follow-up.

When COVID-19 shuttered Michigan schools, 52 elementary and middle schools statewide were in various stages of implementation of comprehensive health programs, including the integration of physical activity, physical education, and nutrition education. To support the transition to a virtual learning environment, #HealthyKidsQuarantined was launched, providing virtual physical activity, physical education, and nutrition education curriculum and resources. Content was distributed weekly via e-mail to teachers and families alongside a daily social media campaign that disseminated resources to a national audience. Results identified significant content usage by schools (21,300 views/downloads) and engagement through social media (9,800 views/downloads). Teachers, students, and families expressed value in the health content provided, stating it was a support needed in a time of chaos. This study suggests that providing virtual health content may be a feasible way to sustain school and family investment in comprehensive youth health. Furthermore, by utilizing multiple dissemination strategies, virtual programming may be an effective mechanism to expand reach.

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