Magister Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science - MSRES
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Item Accessibility of recreational sports for students with disablilities at the University of the Western Cape(University of the Western Cape, 2007) Wright, Shernel A.; Jones, D.E.M.; Struthers, P.; Dept. of Sports, Recreation and Exercise Science; Faculty of ScienceParticipation in recreational sports can play a vital role in enhancing a student's life. Recreational sports are esepecially beneficial for students with disabilities as it aids in the facilitation of integration into mainstream society. The University of the Western Cape offers a range of recreational sports to their students but the question posed is, are these recreational sports accessible to students who are physically, auditory and/or visually disabled? The aim of this research project was therefore to explore the extent to which the University of the Western Cape's recreational sport was accessible to male and female studnets with disabilities.Item An assessment of the physical fitness demands of one day cricket using global positioning system tracking software(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Webster, Zane; Travill, ACricket is a highly technically skilled-based game, which consists of four distinct disciplines (batting, bowling, fielding, and wicket keeping) with varying physiological and biomechanical demands. There are three standardized professional versions of the game, namely, test match or multi-day cricket, limited overs or one-day cricket and Twenty-20 or T20 cricket. One-day games consist of two innings with each team getting a chance to bat and bowl. One innings encompasses fifty overs and the game generally lasts for approximately 6 hours. Although research has been conducted on the physical demands of cricket, not many studies compare the differences of these demands between different playing positions. Furthermore, there is a lack of research around the differences between professional and amateur level cricket players.Item Analysing Best High-Performance Sports Management Practices to Develop Guidelines for Historically Disadvantaged Institutions(University of the Western Cape, 2021) Cloete, Elmien; Young, MariéHigh-performance sport is characterised by the effective amalgamation and synergy of elements, including financial and managerial support, coaching, sport sciences and sports medicine support, talent identification and athlete pathways, training facilities and equipment, and competitions. Universities have increasingly become hubs for high-performance sports services, used by students and non-students alike. According to Dr Ralph Richards, a senior research consultant for Sport Australia, most university students are in their late teens to early 20s, which is also a critical demographic for elite sports performance. Universities can and do have a substantial impact on the sports sector, particularly in supporting and developing elite student-athletes through quality facilities and infrastructure, supportive programming, competitive opportunities, and sports bursaries or scholarships. In recent years, the high-performance sport has firmly established itself as a modern industry at some top- performing South African Universities. Since the Varsity Cup and Varsity Sport’s inception, South African Institutions have invested more in developing the sport to win competitions. However, many institutions, especially Historically Disadvantaged Institutions, do not establish athletic performance pathways. The study aimed to create guidelines for the best high-performance sport management practices and analysed successful international and local systems. The Spliss Model (a theoretical model of 9 pillars of sport policy factors influencing international success) provided the theoretical framework for this study. This study used a purely qualitative approach informed by an extensive literature review. This was followed by face-to-face semi-structured interviews with the high-performance sports directors and directors of sport at Universities and sports organisations in South Africa who currently have high-performance sports units. The data were transcribed verbatim and analysed through the lens of the SPLSS model. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify the best practices for high-performance sport at Historically Disadvantaged Institutions. The key findings showed that the best practices for high-performance sports systems included proper governance, appropriate funding, training facilities, quality coaching, sport science support services, academic support services and opportunities to compete. Ethics considerations were observed where the anonymity of the participants was upheld by way of using pseudonyms after permission from them were obtained. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the University of the Western Cape Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.Item An assessment of quality management practices in high performance sport at two selected South African universities(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Groenewald, Ilhaam; De Coning, Christo; Keim, MarionThis study is motivated by the growing need for South African sport competitions (such as the Olympic Games and various other sport-specific world championships) to be transformed into quality and profitable events, noting that they need to be managed professionally, with well organised and sophisticated athlete preparation with excellent management systems. New pressures have emerged from within South Africa from key stakeholders that require sport organisations to become more performance orientated, and to build their capacity in order to improve or better manage their organisational performance. The primary focus of the research, therefore, is on quality management practices in high performance sport at a programme management level while the research also reviews substantial literature concerning the study in order to explain the dynamics surrounding the high performance management practices of Swimming Centres of Excellence at the two selected universities in South Africa. The study is qualitative and unpacks two theoretical frameworks namely, Total Quality Management practices and a conceptual framework of high performance management structures and processes. The overarching findings and recommendations are that the implementation of the Quality Management Practices (QMPs) require that the principles and philosophy of excellence are shared and understood by all stakeholders. To implement QMPs successfully, there is a need to radically transform conventional practices to achieve radical and pervasive change. The research shows evidence that QMPs involve the redesign of organisational structures, the re-design of work and the re-definition of management style. The swimming high performance environment must be willing to take this into consideration for successful implementation of QMPs at the Centres of Excellence to ensure its future performanceItem A Balancing Act: First team rugby Players' Perceptions about Academic and Athletic Commitments(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Mlakalaka, Bulelani; Titus, SimoneSport is regarded as an essential component of Higher Education Institution governance, development, and the lives of student-athletes and the academic community. Student-athletes in Higher Education Institutions around the world are increasingly needed to manage their academic and athletic commitments. The purpose of this research is to examine factors that influence student-athletes' ability to balance academic and athletic commitments. The conceptual framework basis for this study adopted Comeaux and Harrison's model of academic achievement for student-athletes. An exploratory-qualitative design methodological approach was adopted to collect data, using two focus group discussions. Using a purposive sampling method, fifteen Higher Education Institution first team rugby players consented to participate in this study. A deductive theme analysis technique was used to analyse the data.Item A comparative study for the removal of humic acids from power plants make-up waters(University of the Western Cape, 2002-06) Linkov, VWater treatment forms an integral part of thermal electric power generation (coal fired as well as nuclear power stations). There are generally two main water cycles associated with thermal power generation, namely the steam/water cycle that uses demin water for the production of steam and the cooling water circuit, which is used for condensing the steam back to water. The two cycles are isolated from each other and exchange heat via a condenser. Power station make up water treatment plants have traclltionally been designed to produce water of a very high quality (free from inorganic salts) by synthetic ion exchange resins. Raw water quality (mainly TDS, OA and silica) is the key factor in the design of the plant. Any deterioration of raw water quality during the life cycle of the plant, which is currently a South African and worldwide phenomenon, will inevitably have a negative impact on treatment plant performance and plant integrity. ln order to meet the specifications of the water quality required for proper plant operation, an extra burden, as well as associated treatment costs, will therefore have to be placed on existing treatment processes to compensate for change in feed water quality.Item Comparative study of the effects of sprint and plyometric training on the speed, agility and power output in intermediate rugby players(University of the Western Cape, 2020) Louw, Wynona; Travill, AndreRugby games are characterised by intense bursts of speed mainly executed by backline players at either maximum or sub-maximum velocities over distances of up to 70 meters. Other key features of the game include rapid directional changes, displays of power and other dynamic activities such as lifting and jumping in the lineouts, tackling, pushing in scrums and contesting for the ball. These bouts of intense physical activity constitute a major part of the game, which take place over a period of 80 minutes and in some instances even longer. These powerful spells of play are interspersed by brief periods of rest mainly due to stoppages called by the referees when rules are infringed, when the ball is out of play, or when players incur injuries. These breaks can also be due to play being reviewed by match officials. It is quite evident from the aforementioned that speed, agility and power are essential performance components for any rugby player and, with an increased focus on mobility and speed in the modern game, the importance of these components has increased in significance. Coaches are consequently continuously searching for training and coaching techniques that will maximally develop these qualities to give their teams an advantage over their opponents. Both line sprinting and plyometric training have proven to have beneficial effects on speed and power output. However, there is a dearth of research information on which one of the two approaches is the most beneficial. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine which training regime, line sprinting or plyometric training, brings about the biggest improvement in the speed, lower body power output, agility and speed of intermediate rugby players. This study employed a quasi-experimental research design, as it did not include a control group. Participants included 22 rugby players participating at club level, aged 18-25 years, with training sessions on at least three days of the week and a league or friendly match once a week. The players were randomly placed in either the line sprinting group or the plyometric training group (11 players per group). Participants were informed of the possible experimental risks of the study. All participants were required to complete a health questionnaire to ensure no chronic illnesses or major signs and symptoms suggestive of coronary artery or pulmonary disease were present in anyone taking part in the study. Participants took part in either sprint or plyometric training twice a day, with at least one day of rest in between training days. Participants were assessed on their speed, speed endurance, agility and power components pre -and post the eight-week intervention period. For the speed tests done before and after the intervention programme, participants performed maximal sprints over 40- and 80-metre distances. For agility, the T-test was used, and for power, the standing long jump. The research received ethics clearance from the University of the Western Cape’s Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (Ethics Reference Number: BM17/1/17). After the eight-week intervention programme, the line sprinting group improved significantly in their performances for three of the four performance measures. The only measure that did not improve significantly was the 80m sprint. The plyometric group on the other hand showed improvements in two categories only - agility and the standing long jump – while no significant improvements were found in any of the sprint distances. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that both line sprinting and plyometric training regimes are effective in improving agility and leg power and that line sprinting performed over 10, 20, 40 and 100 metres is an effective training protocol to improve 40m sprint time. Neither the line sprinting nor the plyometric training resulted in significant improvements over the 80-m distance. A comparison of the effect sizes of the two training methods revealed that except for the improvement in agility of the plyometric training group, the speed, power and sprint endurance training benefits of these two training methods do not differ.Item A comparative study on high-risk sexual behaviour of male student elite athletes, male student non-athletes, and male student recreational sports participants at the University of Botswana(University of the Western Cape, 2009) Sebele, Molly Kenaope; Avis, Paul; Mwaba, Kavin; Dept. of Sports, Recreation and Exercise Science; Faculty of ArtsThis study aims to compare the sexual behaviour patterns of male elite student athletes, male student recreational sports (RSP) and male student non-athletes at the University of Botswana in relation to high-risk sexual behaviours. High-risk behaviors in the domain of sexual behaviour were investigated in relation to the determinants of risk behaviour such as multiple partnerships, condom use, and history of sexually transmitted infections, the partners past sex life, current sexual life, casual sexual partners and age of first exual experience. The purpose was to establish which group of the male students is more at risk of HIV infection due to its engagement in high-risk sexual behaviour. Data was collected by means of an anonymous self-report questionnaire. Participants included 235 male students (94 non-athletes, 92 athletes and 50 elite athletes) at the University of Botswana. Selfreport questionnaires were administered, which included items from the 2005 Youth Risk Surveillance System (YRBSS), Student Life Style questionnaire, as well as items from a questionnaire assessing knowledge and practice of safe sex amongst Rhodes University students (Simpson, 1996).Item Coronary artery disease risk factors among fire-fighters in the Western Cape Province(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Achmat, Ghaleelullah; Leach, LloydThe work demands involved in fire-fighting place significant stress on the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of on-duty death among fire fighters and is a major cause of morbidity. This study investigated the prevalence of coronary artery disease risk factors among career fire fighters in the Western Cape.Item Effect of a 12-week aerobic exercise programme on percentage body fat, fasting blood glucose and dyspnoea in insulin resistant, obese female university employees in the Western Cape(University of the Western Cape, 2021) Malema, Maphoko Phindile; Bassett, S.H.Obesity is recognised as a risk factor for non-communicable diseases which has reached epidemic proportions globally. South Africa is one of the developing countries with significant statistical representation reported for these conditions. Obesity is associated with other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia which are all part of what is called metabolic syndrome. As a strategy to reduce the levels of obesity, physical activity has been introduced to compliment clients who are on medication for diabetes.Item The effect of a motor skills exercise programme on quality of life and motor skills development in hard of hearing children in Grade R to Grade 2(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Johnson, Deidre; Bassett, Susan H.; Andrews, BarryBackground: Hearing loss in children can contribute to a loss or delay in motor skills development and has been shown to negatively affect their participation in physical activity. Lack of physical activity may then further delay motor and balance skill development and therefore impact on their health-related quality of life. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-week exercise intervention on motor control abilities in hard of hearing children in Grade R to Grade 3 in Cape Town, and on the parent’s perceptions of their child’s health-related quality of life.Item The effect of accumulative physical activity on the fitness and health status of rural school children(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Wildschutt, Phillip Jacobus; Travill, Andre; Jordaan, G.; Faculty of Community and Health SciencesNumerous studies focusing on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, elevated serum lipids, inactivity and lack of physical fitness prevalent in children highlight the importance of the early diagnosis and prevention of conditions that are associated in adulthood with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of accumulative physical activity on the fitness profile, blood pressure and body composition in 14-16 year old school children in the Western Cape of South Africa.Item Effect of an exercise training programme on muscular strength, ankle mobility, balance and gait patterns in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the lower legs(University of the Western Cape, 2021) du Plessis, Ronél; Bassett, S.H.Background: Patients who suffer from diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the leg experience a greater risk of developing gait deviations due to a decrease in strength of the lower extremities, especially the tibialis anterior and triceps surea muscle groups. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of an exercise training programme on blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, muscle strength, range of motion, balance and gait pattern deviations in patients with diabetic neuropathies. Methods: A total of fourteen participants, who had been diagnosed with diabetic peripheral neuropathy or nocturnal allodynia in either one or both extremities, were asked to participate in this study. Participants were purposively selected from two private Podiatry practices based on their signs and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, age, gender and doctor’s clearance to participate in any form of physical activity. Dependent variables included isometric strength of the muscles surrounding the hip, knee and ankle, the range of motion of the ankle in plantarflexion and dorsiflexion using goniometry, an assessment of balance using the stork stand test, and a gait pattern analysis, using the modified Tinetti Gait pattern Assessment Scale. Study design: The study was a single-blinded, pre-test and post-test experimental study design using a quantitative approach. Intervention: The researcher (a registered biokineticist) developed a scientifically-based exercise intervention programme to specifically target the entire kinetic chain, and to reduce fall risks, improve quality of life and to assist in developing a standard protocol for patients with DPN. The intervention programme consisted of a combination of ankle, hip and knee rehabilitation, including gait pattern specific rehabilitation. The intervention took place 2-3 times a week for 45 minutes per session and was divided in four categories: Range of motion exercises, strengthening exercises, balance and proprioception and gait pattern training exercises. Results: The Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon Sign Rank Tests were used to evaluate the differences in dependent variables from pre- to post-intervention. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. An increase in range of motion only in the left ankle dorsiflexion were observed and an increase in balance time for the left leg were observed in the intervention group after a 10-week follow up assessment. Clinical significance was observed in the intervention group, post-intervention, with a decrease in systolic (-9.09%) and diastolic blood pressure (-13.89%) and a decrease in blood glucose levels (-17.89%), however, an increase in these variables was observed in the control group post-intervention. An increase in plantarflexion, 8% (left) and 8% (right) and dorsiflexion 5.26% (left) and an 11.11% (right) increase in range of motion for both left and right ankles, and balance time for both legs, 200% (left) and 159% (right) was observed in the intervention group post-intervention. Although the muscular strength variables showed a mix of an increase and decrease in strength post-intervention in the intervention group, however a clinically significant decreased amount was observed in the control group post-intervention for the majority of muscular strength variables. Conclusions: Although not many findings of this study are statistically significant, clinical significance were observed with most of the variables of this study. The findings of this study can assist future researchers in the development of exercise interventions for patients who suffers from DPN.Item The effect of Indian dance on gait and balance of children : comparing Grade R and Grade 7 children(University of the Western Cape, 2016) Cara, Nikita; Andrews, B.S.; Bassett, SueThrough the process of motor learning and control, new skills are then developed. There are various physical activities that enable the development of new motor skills, one being dance. Numerous studies have found that dance has improved sensorimotor control of body sway following just a single dance session. Furthermore, learning dance engages a variety of cognitive resources that improve postural control of children. Dancing therefore contributes to the development and refinement of the fundamental motor skills like gait and balance. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of dance training on gait and balance of Grade R and Grade 7 school children, and to investigate which age group would best demonstrate these effects. This study was conducted using an intervention and control group. The Grade R intervention group constituted a sample of thirty-four participants, the Grade R control consisted of twenty-seven participants, the Grade 7 intervention group and control group consisted of twenty-one participants each. Three different testing instruments were used; a 10-meter walk test for stride pattern analysis, a dynamic balance test known as the tandem gait and the static balance test known as the tandem stance balance test. Both the control and experimental group were required to perform these tests before and after the intervention period. The dance training lasted a period of six weeks and was conducted on a weekly basis. Following the intervention it was found that only Grade R stride pattern in terms of stride frequency was significantly changed and that no significant changes were seen at any time for Grade 7 children stride pattern and balance. The balance changes were seen for both Grade R intervention and control groups, showing that the children were improving with physical activity, which cannot be attributed to dance alone. This highlights that training should be started at the young age, and that physical activity programs like dance are good and diverse options to consider when designing such activities.Item The effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on hamstring prehabilitation(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Valadao, Jaime Andre; Andrews, BarryBACKGROUND: Hamstring injuries remain a growing concern within a large variety of sports from the elite athlete to the weekend warrior. A copious amount of research has been performed in an attempt to reduce these injuries. The aim of this study was to understand the changes in lengthened state eccentric strength of the hamstrings following four separate protocols. METHODS: A quantitative research approach, using a true experimental design, was adopted for this study. A convenience sample of non-sedentary, 35 male participants, between the ages of 18 and 35 within the City of Cape Town was used. Participants were randomly allocated to one of four groups namely; Control group (C), resistance training alone (RT), neuromuscular electrical stimulation alone (NMES), or NMES superimposed with RT (NMES&RT). Participant’s eccentric hamstring strength was tested in a lengthened state, on the Biodex system 4 Pro™ for the pre- and post-test. The intervention spanned over four weeks. SPSS version 25 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: All groups demonstrated a mean increase in relative peak torque. However, a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no interaction effect (p = 0.411) between the four groups. Further analysis using Magnitude-based inferences (MBI), to identify the magnitude of changes, showed a small positive effect for both the NMES and NMES&RT group when compared to the C and RT groups. CONCLUSION: Although there are no statistically significant differences between the four groups employed in this study (C, RT, NMES, NMES&RT), NMES and NMES&RT did show small positive effects compared to C and RT with a very low likelihood of negative effects. Thus, using NMES either alone or superimposed with resistance training will be beneficial for trained athletes but it is not a necessity and the use of specific resistance training may be just as effective.Item Effect of tumble turns on swimming performance in level 3 swimmers(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Smithdorf, Gareth; Leach, LloydSwimming, as a sport, is constantly developing, both through the resources employed in training and assessment, and through the technological development of the fundamental aspects of swimming. In the freestyle events, swimmers spend between 38% and 50% of their competition time executing turns in short pool competitions over distances that vary from 50 m to 1500 m. The importance of the turn has been noted and analyzed for several decades, where it was found that the final turn velocity was second only to mid-pool swimming velocity for determining a medal finish in the men’s race. Due to the impact that the tumble turn has on swimming performance, the present study investigated the importance of the tuck index, foot-plant index and wall-contact time (WCT) on swimming performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of the tuck index, foot-plant index, and WCT on the round trip time (RTT) in the tumble turn performance in level 3 swimmers in the freestyle swimming stroke. A quantitative cross-sectional and descriptive design was used in this study. A convenient sample of ten (10) swimmers were tested, five male and five female, all being level 3 swimmers affiliated to the high performance team of Swimming South Africa (SSA). Video analyses of the turns were recorded. Each subject performed thirty (30) trials, each consisting of a 50 m freestyle swim with flip turns at race pace. Descriptive statistics and multiple stepwise regression analyses were used to analyse the data. A p-value of below 0.05 indicated statistical significance. The mean tuck index was 0.57 ± 0.14°. The mean foot-plant index was 0.45 ± 0.10 cm. The mean WCT was 74.31 ± 11.57 %. The mean RTT was 2.47 ± 0.40 s. A significant negative correlation was found between tuck index and RTT (r = -0.41; p < 0.05). No significant relationship was found between foot-plant and WCT. Further regression analysis showed that the tuck index was a significant predictor of RTT (F = 21.745, p < 0.001). Following the freestyle tumble turn, the flutter kick technique remained the superior method of exiting the wall, based on the 5 m RTT. Therefore, the introduction of optimal turning practice for age-group swimmers is likely to result in significant reductions in turning times and should be noted by coaches and swimmers alike.Item Experiences of athletes living with HIV following disclosure of their sero-status in Ndirande Blantyre Malawi(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Kondowe, Ivy Yvonnie; Leach, Lloyd; Ley, ClemensAthletes are at risk for HIV infection due to their celebrity status which enables them to associate with multiple concurrent sexual partnerships. Athletes with an HIV sero-positive status should be encouraged to disclose their HIV positive status to enable them access appropriate treatment, care and support. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of athletes living with HIV following disclosure of their sero-status. The study was conducted in Ndirande Township in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. Twelve purposively sampled athletes living with HIV, four males and eight females between the ages of 18 and 30 years, participated in this study. Data was collected using qualitative methods conducting semi-structured, face to face individual interviews and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. The consequence of disclosure model was used to explain the themes that emerged from the data. The results of the study indicated that all athletes disclosed their HIV seropositive status. The majority of the athletes disclosed their HIV positive status to spouses, family members, friends and health care providers in order to access support and treatment. However, athletes did not disclose to their clubs and sports institutions because there was no conducive environment. After disclosure of their status, most athletes had positive experiences that included increased psychosocial support and care from their social networks. Some athletes had negative experiences such as stigma and discrimination from teammates and distant relatives. While athletes living with HIV had support from families and community support groups, there was a lack of appropriate support systems in the sport institutions. In addition, athletes living with HIV had limited access to health care services. For athletes living with HIV to remain productive, there is need for further research and the establishment of appropriate support systems in different levels of the sport institutions.Item The experiences of female sport administrators in the Western Cape: gender bias in the Workplace(University of the Western Cape, 2008) Titus, Simone; Jones, Denise; Terblanche, Susan S.; Dept. of Sports, Recreation and Exercise Science; Faculty of ArtsResearch indicates that the advancement of women into top management positions is steadily increasing. However, it seems as if gender divisions in the workforce do not encourage equal opportunities for women in the labor sector. In the world of sport, gender equity has been promoted with some progress. However, this progress, both globally and in South Africa, is still limited both quantitatively and qualitatively. There has been very little research on the experiences of women in leadership positions, specifically in the field of sport. This study explored the experiences of female sports administrators in the workplace. This study employed a qualitative research methodology. Purposive sampling was used to select suitable candidates in the field of sport and recreation in the Western Cape, South Africa. Data was collected by using semi-structured interviews and data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results indicate that participants in this study experience gender bias in the workplace in terms of differential treatment, organizational fit and harassment and intimidation. Conclusions and recommendations are also offered.Item Experiences of stakeholders of a handball club on club development in the Western Cape(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Saunders, Noluthando Ruth; Phillips, JulieSport participation, especially team sports such as Handball, can be extremely beneficial. Continuous sport growth relies on club development, and club development strengthens the club's social responsibility. Sports codes are reducing their club development programmes, and Handball is one of the sports that are hardest hit due to limited government funding and development programmes. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of stakeholders of a Handball club in the Western Cape. An in-depth qualitative case study of a selected Handball club was conducted, with participants. These included club officials (chairperson, secretary, and treasurer), provincial federation official, and government official responsible for club development.Item An explorative study of the knowledge and use of mental skills training (mst) by coaches of Western Cape youth provincial sports(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Van Der Westhuizen, Gabi-Lee; Andrews, BarryMental skills training (MST) is an essential tool used to enhance sports performance to its optimal level. It is globally recommended by Sports Scientist, Sports Psychologist, coaches and even athletes. MST improves the mind-set of the athlete to develop the ability to concentrate more, increase motivation, manage anxiety, develop self-confidence and thereby enhance performance in competitive sport. Though MST is highly beneficial, it is also highly underused by coaches, whom widely misjudge poor performance as physical flaws and not a lack of mental skills. Coaches generally lack the knowledge of MST, but perceive its importance for performance rating it as beneficial to athletic growth.