The ability to produce performances at highest level under physically and emotionally demanding conditions underline the worth of a sportsperson. These stressful conditions places demands on the cognitive resources of the sportsperson; especially in anticipatory actions that require the allocation of cognitive resources. This study investigated the effects of cognitive stress on the temporal anticipation of a timing motor task. A repeated measures design was applied with two independent variables; cognitive stress and levels of difficulty, which included easy, intermediate and difficult. Study participants were 18 male and 18 female undergraduates of the Physical Education programme of Universiti Putra Malaysia. The experimental task involved performing a timing motor task across the three levels of difficulty, under two conditions as follows: (i) without cognitive stress, and (ii) under cognitive stress. Cognitive stress was induced via the continuous subtraction of two from a two-digit number. Participants performed the task individually and the sequence of the experimental task was counter-balanced. A two-way within subject ANOVA was
performed to ascertain the effects of cognitive stress on the temporal anticipation of the timing motor task. Data yielded significant difference in means for the stress main effect [Λ = .64, F (1.35) = 19.89, p < 0.05]; and the task main effect [Λ = .84, F (2, 34) = 3.35, p < 0.05]. Post hoc comparisons produced a significant difference in the means of the performance of the timing motor task at all three levels of difficulty. Data showed that cognitive stress had an effect on the temporal anticipation of the timing motor task. These results are explained from attentional and the neuromotor noise perspectives. It was concluded that the significant difference in the performance of the experimental task was due to the competition for intentional resources and the decrease of the signal to noise ratio due to cognitive stress.
Two major types of services in sepak takraw are kuda and sila services. Even though both services are delivered at high speed, each is composed of different kinematic features. The purpose of the study was to determine the fundamental differences in perceptual strategies in
anticipating the kuda and sila services. The receiver of the game in sepak takraw makes decisions under severe time constraint in both spatial and temporal uncertainty. The study examined two groups of 12 players each; the experts and the novices. Perceptual displays in anticipation of the
kuda and sila services were prompted using video stimulations consisting of seven temporal occlusions t1 (240 milliseconds at pre-contact), t2 (160 milliseconds at pre-contact), t3 (80 milliseconds at pre-contact, t4 (0 millisecond at contact), t5 (80 milliseconds at post-contact), t6 (160
milliseconds at post-contact), and t7 (no occlusion). Significant differences amongst expert players in anticipating kuda and sila services were at t1 F (14, 180) = 2.37; p < 0.05], t2 F (14, 180) = 5.60; p < 0.05], t3 F (14, 180) = 3.81; p < 0.05] and t4 F (14, 180) = 2.00; p < 0.05]. Similar comparisons at t5, t6, and t7 did not yield any significant differences. In addition, there were significant differences amongst novice players in anticipating kuda and sila services at t2 F (14,
180) = 2.27; p < 0.05], t3 F (14, 180) = 1.94; p < 0.05], t4 F (14, 180) = 2.61; p < 0.05], and t5 F (14, 180) = 9.38; p < 0.05]. Overall findings revealed that expert players found it more difficult to anticipate kuda service compared to sila service at t1. Hence, the kuda service is more
difficult to anticipate than sila service. Participants of this study demonstrated a more effective visual perceptual strategy to counter attack a sila service than they would with a kuda service.
Cardiovascular endurance is considered the most vital aspect of fitness due to its direct impact on
human performance. For any uniform arm units to discharge their duties effectively, they need to
meet up to the requirement of highest physical fitness level in respective of their body characteristics.
This study aims to predict the relationship of physical characteristics and fitness variables on
cardiovascular endurance performance among armed uniform package unit of Universiti Sultan
Zainal Abidin. A total of 26 participants mean age and standard deviation of (±20.45 and 2.0)
randomly selected from the three co-arm units of the university took part in this study. Standard
physical characteristics measurement and fitness tests were conducted, and multiple linear regression
was applied to predict their cardiovascular endurance performance as the dependent variables on their
body characteristics and performance of physical fitness as the independent variable. A significant
regression equation was obtained F (9, 16) = 4.97, p < 0.05, R2
= 0.74 indicating that the model
accounted for approximately 74% variability of the whole data set. Sensitivity prediction analysis of
the contributions of each variable revealed that height, speed, agility, upper body strength and core
body strength are factors to cardiovascular endurance p < 0.05 while, weight, waist circumference,
neck circumference and flexibility were not predictors to cardiovascular endurance p > 0.05. To
improve the cardiovascular performance of uniform arm units, certain physical and fitness variables
have to be considered for an effective discharge of their duties.
This study aims to examine the decision making by rugby sevens referees, and its relationship with the referees' performance. The instruments used in this study are the Rugby Referee Decision Making Test (α=.74) and the Referee Sevens Field Performance Evaluation (α=.94). It was administered to 132 rugby sevens referees (mean age 33.4 + 1.5 years; 132 males) from the Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU), which have been refereeing in 10 rugby sevens tournaments in Malaysia. Descriptive and Inferential statistics (one way ANOVA and Pearson's Correlation) were employed to analyse the data. Decision Making ( ̅= 24.13, SD=5.24) and performance ( ̅= 136.45, SD = 4.47) were identified at a moderate level. The findings indicated no significant differences [F= (3, 128) =.246, p>0.05] in the decision making across age level, but there were significant differences [F= (3, 128) =63.159, p
The purpose of the current study is to explore the effectiveness of the
traditional games intervention programme in the enhancement of form one
school-age children’s motor skills. The quasi-experiment method is applied.
A total number of 40 Malaysian children with ages ranging from 12 – 14 were
randomly selected for the study, [boys (n=20) and girls (n=20)]. The children
went through the traditional games intervention which consisted of
performing selected traditional games for 60 minutes, three times weekly for
a period of eight weeks. Motor fitness performance tests were conducted three
times (pre, mid, and post-test) which included 30-meter sprint test, 505 agility
test, modified Bass test for dynamic balance and Nelson reaction times test.
The data were collected and analysed using MANOVA repeated
measurement. The results show that traditional games intervention was
effective in the improvement of motor performance [F (8, 29) = 1704.16, p <
.05]. Follow-up tests also show that the traditional games intervention is a
factor [F (12,105) =1.99, p < .05] to agility [F (3,36) = .50, p >.05], reaction
time [F (3,36) = .51, p >.05], speed [F (3,36) = 3.64, p .05]. The result from this initial study demonstrated that
Malaysian based traditional games could be efficient in improving the motor
skills of school-age children.
The purpose of this study is to determine spatial pattern recognition of school performance based on
children’s anthropometric and motor skills component. This study involved 94 primary schools with a
total 2237 male students aged 7.30±0.28 years in Pahang, Malaysia. The parameters of anthropometric
(weight and height) and motor component included lower muscular power (standing broad jump),
flexibility (sit and reach), coordination (hand wall toss) and speed (20 meter run) were selected. Cluster
Analysis (CA) and Discriminant Analysis (DA) under Multivariate Method and technique of Kriging
Interpolation in Geographic Interpolation Software (GIS) were used. CA revealed two clusters of school
performance. There are a total 34 high performance schools (HPS) and 60 low performance schools
(LPS). Then, the assigned groups were treated as independent variable (IV) while anthropometric and
motor parameters were treated as dependent variable (DV) in DA. Standard mode of DA obtained
95.74% correctness of classification matrix with three discriminated variables (height, standing broad
jump and 20 meter run) out of six variables. Meanwhile, forward and backward stepwise mode of DA
discriminated only one (standing broad jump) out of six variables with 96.81% of classification
correctness. The map output of Kriging interpolation has shown graphically the pattern of discriminated
variables that greatly influence school performance. It exposed the ability of children motor skills
development in particular region is higher than another region.
The study attempts to use multivariate analysis to evaluate the profile of male player for developments of Long-Term Talent in Sports (LT-TiS) model based on anthropometric and motor fitness components. Data of anthropometric and motor fitness included power, flexibility, coordination and speed were obtained from 2019 respondents aged 7.32±0.52 year. Data interpretations were carried out using multivariate analysis of Principle Components Analysis (PCA) and Discriminant analysis (DA). The adequacy of sampling has been measured using Bartletts tests on sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) has been used, with this conformance of running the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Then, Discriminant Analysis (DA) were used to validate the correctness of group classification by LT-TiS model. Then, Discriminant Analysis (DA) were used to validate the correctness of group classification by LT-TiS. As a result, two factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 were extracted which accounted for 55.00% of the variations present in the original variables was found. The two factors were used to obtain the factor score coefficients explained by 27.86% and 27.21% of the variations in player performance respectively. Factor 1 revealed high factor loading on motor fitness compared to factor 2 as it was significantly related to anthropometrics. A model was obtained using standardized coefficient of factor 1. Three clusters of performance were shaped in view by categorizing; LT−TiS≥65%, 40%≤LT−TiS
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of Tablet based application
(TBA) as a medium for feedback in real time at a half-time interval of a
competitive match in improving the performance of soccer players.
StatWatch application was installed on a tablet phone and used as a device
for data collection. Eleven performance analysts were recruited to assist in
the data collection such that each performance analysts covered a particular
player during the game. Players Performances were assessed based on
clearing, crossing, dribbling, heading, pursuing the loose ball, shooting, foul,
and through pass. Data were collected as the game progressed, and
information was transmitted to the controller of the analysis before being
relayed to the chief coach at the half time interval of every match. Matches
of the club for eight weeks were analysed. One-way repeated measure
ANOVA was used to assess the progress of the team in between the first and
second halves of the matches played. The result shows improvement on the
performances of the club at the second halves of the eight matches played (F
(1, 14.10) = 8.94, p < .05). A follow-up test demonstrates a significant
progress on the overall team performance from week1 to week 8, p > 0.001.
TBA appeared to be a useful medium for providing feedback at a first half
interval of a competitive match to improving the performance of soccer
players during the subsequent period.