Table of Content

Malaysian Journal of Sport Science and Recreation (MJSSR) was grown from the early Dean of Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation (FSR) UiTM, Professor Dr Muhd Kamil Ibrahim and it is a continuous affort and conjoined vision of all other FSR deans since 2001. The first journal’s editor-in-chief was Associate Professor Dr Kwame Ampofo-Boateng, who moved from FSR for career advancement. However, MJSSR is apparently considered as the one’s issue of Malaysian’s setting of Sports Science and Recreation (broadly-defined) journal. It is hoped that this journal would be an avenue for high quality academic research papers aimed in sharing ideas, findings and reflections of academic world in Malaysia or abroad.

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in the effects of psychological interventions on multidimensional state anxiety prior to competition in Malaysian volleyball players. The Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory – Revised (CSAI-2R) was employed to examine the pre-competition multidimensional state anxiety one day before competition at the competition venue. Subjects were youth state volleyball players (N=96; boys = 48; girls = 48; Age: M= 16.35 yr., SD = .89yr) competing in the under 18 National School Sport Council of Malaysia Volleyball Tournament. The group with the highest group mean scores in cognitive state anxiety was assigned to a cognitive intervention group (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls) where subjects underwent breathing techniques and autogenic relaxation with music lasting 30 minutes per session; the group with the highest group mean scores in somatic anxiety component (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls) completed the somatic intervention with progressive muscular relaxation lasting 30 minutes; the self-confidence group (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls) which rated the lowest mean group scores in selfconfidence component carried out the intervention with positive self-talk and goal setting exercises lasting 30 minutes; and a control group (n=24; 12 boys & 12 girls). The MANOVA indicated that the interaction effect for gender and type of intervention on CSAI-2R components was significant (Wilks’s Lambda = .69, F (7, 88) = 3.73, p <.001). The results indicated significant main effect for gender (Wilks’s Lambda = .79,F (7, 88) = 7.57, p < .001) and type of intervention (Wilks’s Lambda = .13, F (7, 88)3= 30.85, p < .001). The male athletes in the present study displayed lower somatic state anxiety, lower cognitive state anxiety and higher self-confidence intensities than female athletes one day prior to competition, gender did influence anxiety responses and findings of this study partially supported the hypothesis.

In tune with the multiple achievement goal framework assumptions (Elliot, 1999; Elliot & McGregor, 2001), the present study examined the relationships among achievement goals, fear of failure and perceived coaching climate in male sepak takraw players. Participants (N = 96) completed questionnaires assessing their achievement goals (AGQ-S; Conroy et al., 2003), fear of failure (PFAI; Conroy, 2001) and a modified version of the AGQ-S for assessing perceived coaching climate. Results revealed that the different achievement goal oriented coaching climates found to be significantly correlated to corresponding achievement goals adopted by athletes with the exception of Performance-avoidance goals. None of the achievement goals were significantly correlated to fear of failure. Age was positively correlated to Performanceavoidance goals while Performance-approach goals were negatively correlated to years of competitive sport participation.

Sport at the beginning of the 21st century, is very different from the turn of the 20th century, one of the major differences being the great increase in the level of professional sport due to the dramatic increase in television revenue, particularly from pay television. In Australia, this rise in professional sport has seen a number of taxation cases involving sportspersons reach the High Court. The outcome of these cases is that the revenue attained by Olympic athletes in the form of grant money, prizemoney and sponsorships is now considered to be taxable income, while payments to managers to obtain playing contracts and other income are deductible expenses. It is also suggested that these cases have highlighted the fact that sports law is, in effect, all areas of law applied to the sporting context, and that this context can be a significant aspect of the case.

This study examined the effect of 4-week plyometric training programme on the jumping performance of undergraduate male basketball players. A total of 20 basketball players from the inter-faculty game at a public university were selected to participate in this study. The subjects were aged 20-23 years (mean = 21.3 + 1.12). Convenience sampling was used to select the students and subsequently randomly assigned to the control (n=10) and experimental (n=10) groups. Both groups were trained according to the compulsory training programme three times a week for four weeks. Additional plyometric training was provided to the experimental group, twice a week on non training days. The Vertec equipment (VERVertec Jump Trainer) was used to measure the vertical jumping ability of the subjects. Control and experimental groups showed significant improvement in the mean vertical jump scores during the post-test as compared with the pre-test (t= -2.45; p < 0.05; and t=-21.00; p<0.05 respectively). Experimental group exhibited greater improvement (11.17%) as compared to the control group (2.12%). In short, plyometric training improved the jumping performance of basketball players and it is recommended to be used as a training strategy in improving jumping performance not only in basketball but in other sport as well.

Perubahan yang ketara di dalam pendidikan jasmani telah berlaku dalam masa 40 tahun dengan transisi daripada orentasi tradisional kemahiran sukan kepada penekanan yang lebih luas ke atas kecergasan berasaskan kesihatan dan aktiviti fizikal sepanjang hayat. (Bocarro et al., 2008; Jago etal., 2009; McKenzie & Kahan, 2008). Namun, di merata dunia, program-program pendidikan jasmani sedang dikurangkan, dihadkan dan/atau sewenang-wenangnya dihapuskan daripada kurikulum sekolah rendah dan menengah (Hardman & Marshall, 2009; Puhse & Gerber, 2005).