This article highlights the role of personal epistemology in decision-making and proposes the construct of an epistemological chain (EC) to support this process in the domain of sports coaching. First, the EC is outlined using examples from education and other parallel disciplines. What it looks like to sports coaches is then described, and its operation in a sporting context is explored. The article then discusses EC's further sporting applications. For coach development, it offers practicing sports coaches a useful framework by which to assess their own and others’ actions and behavior. EC also enables coaches to optimally apply new ideas to their own practice and can be used to direct the search for new coaching knowledge. Finally, implications are discussed with reference to how EC could/should be implemented to select, educate, and develop coaches, leaders, and players.

This paper considers the personal epistemology of adventure sports coaches, the existence of the epistemological chain and its impact on professional judgment and decision-making. The epistemological chain’s role and operationalization in other fields is considered, offering clues to how it may manifest itself in the adventure sports coach context. High-level adventure sports coaches were interviewed and an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was adopted for the interview transcripts. Based on these data, we suggest that the epistemological chain provides the criteria by which adventure sports coaches measure the success of their coaching practice in the field and, further, that this epistemological chain also underpins the professional judgment and decision-making process.

Despite its importance, physical literacy has received scant scholarly attention, notwithstanding the obvious link between physical activity and health promotion (including but not limited to mental health). The purpose of this study was threefold: first, to explore the self-perceived physical literacy, the self-reported physical activity, and the mental health status of adolescents who study in secondary education schools in Cyprus and the potential association of those variables; second, to explore any potential statistically significant gender differences across the variables under examination; and third, to explore whether there is a mediating role of physical activity in the relationship between adolescent Cypriots’ physical literacy and their mental health in the post-quarantine period. A total of 285 students, aged 13–18, from regular middle and high schools in Cyprus participated in this study. Physical literacy was measured using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI). The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was utilized to measure mental health status. Physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). Independent sample t-tests were computed to analyze gender differences. The Pearson correlation test was used to compute bidirectional associations between research variables. Structural equation modeling was used to assess structural associations between research variables. The findings revealed statistically significant differences among boys and girls on depression (p = 0.0032), anxiety (p = 0.008), and stress levels (p = 0.003). Statistically significant and negative correlations had been found among PL and depression, anxiety, and stress levels (all p < 0.001), while PL was significantly and positively associated with physical activity (p < 0.001). Despite having only indirect effects on mental health (b = 0.51, T = −10.11, p < 0.001), physical literacy was found to have substantial direct effects on physical activity levels (b = 0.46, T = 8.66, p < 0.001). In addition, physical activity has significant indirect effects on mental health (b = 0.19, T = 5.48, p < 0.001). In summary, physical activity has significantly mediated the associations between physical literacy and mental health. Given these findings, it is important to put strategies in place to build up physical literacy and increase physical activity among Cypriot adolescents.

The breasts are reported as the fourth largest barrier to participation in physical activity (PA). This scoping review provides a comprehensive understanding of experiences, knowledge and challenges relating to bra fit and sports participation. The search strategy was adopted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and multiple databases were searched. All research was in English and within the last 20 years. Exclusion criteria excluded reviews, male participants and the inability to locate or access full-text articles. The JBI critical appraisal tool assessed methodological quality. Twenty-three studies were included. Key themes from the studies are breast motion during PA, sports bra design, perceived barriers to participation in PA and education/knowledge of breast support and bra fit. Increasing breast support reduces breast movement during PA yet breast motion and bra fit are still the most common breast concerns for females. This is likely influenced by poor breast knowledge, leading to poor breast support choices. Future research should explore to what extent breast motion, knowledge and bra fit influences sport participation, and this research should include a more diverse range of adult ages, cup sizes, ethnicities and PA levels to provide a wider understanding.

Cricket coaches are presented with challenges unlike many other sports. Coaches are tasked with developing players’skills to play two distinct and increasingly specialist formats of the game, namely red ball and white ball cricket. Observations (n = 18), semi- structured interviews (n = 23) and focus groups (n = 2) were conducted with coaches who coached both formats to the same groups of players. Two storybook themes developed; (i) get your head down, listen to me and you’ll be right; in RBC as contrasted with (ii) players getting stuck in to learning in WBC. Findings represented a substantial and original contribution to the literature and suggested coaches held different epistemological beliefs and actioned different epistemological chains. Fundamentally, coaches’approaches were considerably different across RBC and WBC. We conclude by considering the significant implications of the findings. Firstly, an extension of the epistemology literature and secondly, the ongoing opportunity for cricket coach development.

This paper addresses the rapid growth, popularity, and structure of US Golf Academies. Specifically, we highlight a phenomenon from a non-US golfing community’s perspective; namely, that of the “talent tourist” (i.e., youth golfer) seeking to develop their playing skills and academic ability within a foreign talent pathway. With so much of these golfers’ futures at stake (e.g., large financial costs and time dedicated), there is a surprising lack of research attention paid to these academies’ talent development environments; for instance, their structure, position in the overall talent pathway, the quality of the approaches used, or reasons why golfers strive to enroll onto them. By addressing these issues, this paper will present the case for greater research interest and the development of more effective talent development pathways.