NEWS RELEASE – June 29, 2007

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2007 SIRC Africa Research Award - Winners Announced

The SIRC Africa Research Award recognizes outstanding sport research in Africa. Acknowledging how sport research benefits the African sporting community is the primary purpose of this award. Congratulations to all who participated.

“We are pleased to recognize the outstanding sport research being done in Africa. Sport plays an important role in developing both social and academic goals. Our international panel of judges was pleased to review the diversity and quality of the research papers submitted.”

Debra Gassewitz,

President and CEO SIRC

And the award goes to…

The Impact of Applied Research on Athletic Excellence – High Performance Category: “Exhibition of Transformational Leadership Behaviour by Nigerian College Coaches: Effects on Athletes’ Satisfaction on Individual Performance” – Olanrewaju Adeola Ipinmoroti, Ph. D.– Tai Solarin University of Education

Abstract: The goal was to investigate the exhibition of transformational leadership behaviour of Nigeria College Coaches and its impact on athletes’ satisfaction on individual performance. The sample included 196 athletes at the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games (NICEGA) June 2005. The results show: 1) that the athletes’ perception about transformational leadership behaviour of their coaches was not significantly affected by both gender and age; 2) that exhibition of transformational leadership behaviours by Nigeria College Coaches was statistically significant; and 3) that transformational leadership behaviour of coaches had a significant impact on athletes’ satisfaction with their performance. The implication is that athletes who evaluate their coaches as highly transformational were more likely to be satisfied with their task performance than their colleagues who evaluated their coaches as low in transformational leadership behaviours.

Bio: Dr. Ipinmoroti has a doctorial degree in Psychology of Sport from the University of Ibadan. He is a senior lecturer in the Human Kinetic and Health Education department at Tai Solarin University of Education in Nigeria. Dr. Ipinmoroti’s areas of interest include motivation, anxiety and stress management and psyching and attention control. Dr. Ipinmoroti is a member of the Nigerian (Football) Referees Association and the Oyo State, Amateur Athletics Association.

The Impact of Sport on the Community – Community Category: “The Sport Development Impact Assessment Tool (S•DIAT) for Monitoring and Evaluation of Sport-in-Development Projects in Africa” – Cora Burnett, Ph.D. & W.J. Hollander, Ph.D. - Rand Afrikaans University

Abstract: Funding agencies and governments are investing millions of currency in sport development programmes in a myriad of African countries annually. Many are doubtful about the benefits or returns of their investments. In early 2005, the Sport-in-Development Impact Assessment Tool (S•DIAT) was in a preliminary phase and focused on the assessment of impact of sport-related programmes in impoverished communities in South Africa. The tool measures impact according to two main indicator bands relating to ‘the management and delivery of a programme’ and the impact on ‘human and social development’. Each band consists of several indicator fields and 50 potential indicators which can be adapted to assess impact at different levels (from macro to micro). It can be implemented during different phases of programme development as it is premised on a pre-post research design which allows for a cyclic process of monitoring and assessment.

Bios: Dr. Burnett has a Ph.D. in Human Movement Studies from the University of Stellenbosch and a D.Litt. et. Phil. in Anthropology from Rand Afrikaans University. She is a professor in the Department of Sport and Movement Studies at Rand Afrikaans University in Johannesburg. Dr. Burnett’s areas of interest include women in sport, Sociology of Sport, Perceptual Motor Development and Research Methodology. Dr. Burnett is an elite-level tennis player and an amateur-level netball player.

Dr. Hollander has a D.Ed and a D.Com from Rand Afrikaans University. He is the head of the department of Sport and Movement Studies at the University of Johannesburg. Dr. Hollander’s areas of interest include sport management and marketing and facility and event management. Dr. Hollander has been involved with rugby at various levels as a player, coach and manager.

To read the winning research papers click on the titles above.

Invitation to submit papers for the 2008 SIRC Africa Research Award will be announced in September 2007.

 

Contact :

Kim Cook SIRC Tel : +1 (613) 231-7472, Ext 243 Toll Free: +1 (800) 665-6413 North America Fax: +1 (613) 231-3739

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