Walsh, Caldwell and Jureidini offer an expansive linguistic perspective on the evaluative language prevalent in the world of professional sports. This book presents a close linguistic analysis of evaluative language in sport. Drawing on appraisal theory and data from three distinct sporting contexts – songs and chants in football stadiums, television commentary and coach discourse – it examines the critical role played by affectual, judgemental and appreciative language. In the spirit of sociolinguistics, this book also considers the history and culture of the respective sporting contexts. Connections are made between the evaluative language expressed by supporters, commentators and coaches and the invocation of power and solidarity. Evaluative Language in Sports gives insight into some of the key language practices that contribute to professional sports culture: a communal and combative world of winners and losers, ‘us and ‘them’. An innovative and valuable book that will appeal to students, researchers and sports enthusiasts interested in sports communication and language, sociolinguistics and media studies.

This text discusses the concept of theme and its application as an analytical tool to a number of spoken and written registers of English. To date, studies of text organization have paid less attention to what is called the method of development of a text, that is thematic organization. The book shows that the study of this organization can reveal many different strategies employed by speakers and writers when texts are created.

This collection brings together innovative research from socially-oriented applied linguists working in sports. Drawing on contemporary approaches to applied linguistics, this book provides readers with in-depth analyses of examples of language-in-use in the context of sport, and interprets them through the lens of larger issues within sport culture and practice. With contributions from an international group of scholars, this an essential reference for scholars and researchers in applied linguistics, discourse analysis, sport communication, sport management, journalism and media studies.

CONTENTS IN BRIEF PREFACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii PART - I: INTRODUCTION 19-77 Chapter-1: Philosophy of Testing 21 Chapter-2: Need for Sports Science to Develop Sports Excellence 36 Chapter-3: Measuring Physical Education Component is Lifeline of All Education 52 Chapter-4: History of Test and Measurement 68 PART - II: TEST CONSTRUCTION 78-143 Chapter-5: Test Classification 80 Chapter-6: Criteria of Good Test 88 Chapter-7: Construction of Psychomotor Tests 104 Chapter-8: Construction of Knowledge Tests 116 Chapter-9: Construction of Affective Tests 126 Chapter-10:Test Administration 131 PART - III: PHYSICAL TESTS 144-185 Chapter-11: Anthropometric Tests 145 Chapter-12: Testing Health Markers 164 PART - IV: PSYCHOMOTOR TESTS 186-373 Chapter-13: Introduction to Psychomotor Testing 188 Chapter-14: Muscular Strength & Endurance Testing 198 Chapter-15: Cardio-Pulmonary Endurance 212 Chapter-16: Flexibility Tests 231 Chapter-17: Muscular Power Tests 244 Chapter-18: Agility Tests 252 Chapter-19: Balance and Its Tests 260 Chapter-20: Tests of Speed Reaction Time and Coordination 272 Chapter-21: Physical Activity: Cognition and Testing 284 Chapter-22: Physical and Motor Fitness Testing 298 Chapter-23: General Motor Ability Testing 307 Chapter-24: Team Games Skill Testing 317 Chapter-25: Individual Games Skill Testing 348 PART - V: MEASUREMENTS 374-418 Chapter-26: Measurements of Champions 375 Chapter-27: Measurement of Behaviour Change and Sport for All 385 Chapter-28: Measurement and Sports Talent Selection 397 Chapter-29: Measurement and Sports Excellence 411 PART-VI: STATISTICS, EVALUATION, ACCREDITATION & STANDARDS 419-536 Chapter-30: Introduction to Statistical Tests 421 Chapter-31: Data Distribution and Central Tendency 429 Chapter-32: Variability Testing 446 Chapter-33: Normal Probability Curve 454 Chapter-34: Diagrammatic Representations of Data 458 Chapter-35: Evaluation Fundamentals 478 Chapter-36: Accreditation and Standards 494 Chapter-37: Grading : ASummative Evaluation 514 PART - VII : REFERENCE SECTION 537-608 BIBLIOGRAPHY : 538-552 APPENDIXES : 553 - 584 GLOSSARY : 585-595 INDEX : 596-601 EPILOGUE : 602 EPILOGUE A: Standards for Sports Universities’ Departments (illustrated) : 603 EPILOGUE B: Standards for Sports Universities’ Courses (illustrated) : 604 ABOUT THE AUTHOR : 606 Readers Opinions & Suggestions Form for Improvements in the Next Edition : 607

Research on coaching education and development highlights, repeatedly, the difficulties of traditional coaching education to impact coaching practice. Practice seems to be disconnected from scientific theory with few coaches accessing the scientific literature as it too often is presented in dry, academic tones. This volume sets out to provide an integration of theory and everyday practice that to date has not yet been published in the field of coaching science in a text easily used by sports coaches. In order to bridge this theory to practice gap, Becoming a Better Sports Coach: Development through Theory Application presents theory and science connected to practice in a way that makes it possible for coaches to test, evaluate and improve upon their existing coaching practice. This hands-on approach sets out to improve coaches’ cognition and raising self-awareness as well as improve coaches' learning using specific tools for behavioural feedback and reflection. Improving on self-reflective skills and eliciting feedback on the coach’s own behaviour is how coaching practice is improved. What coaching practice includes and what is laid out for coaches in this new text is motivational climate, coaching behaviours, pedagogy, feedback, coach–athlete relationship, each in one chapter. Reflection and behavioural feedback are applied to each of these areas.

The Second Edition of Communication and Sport: Surveying the Field offers the most comprehensive and diverse approach to the study of communication and sport available at the undergraduate level. Newly expanded to incorporate the latest topics and perspectives in the field, the New Edition examines a wide array of topics to help readers understand important issues such as sports media, rhetoric, culture, and organizations from both micro- and macro- perspectives. Everything from youth to amateur to professional sports is addressed in terms of mythology, community, and identity; issues such as fan cultures, racial identity and gender in sports media, politics and nationality in sports, and sports and religion are explored in depth, and provide useful, applied insight for readers. Practical and relevant, epistemologically diverse, and theoretically grounded, the Second Edition of Billings, Butterworth, and Turman’s text keeps readers on the cutting-edge.