Creating a Healthy Sport Experience: The Arizona Model

1
Creating a Healthy Sport Experience The Arizona
Model Treasure, D. C.1,2, Schmidt, C.C.2,
Bischoff, C.3 1 Arizona State University 2
Arizona Interscholastic Association 3 Arizona
Department of Health Services TEPP
Problem Families in Arizona and throughout the
country face a plethora of health and quality of
life issues. Of particular concern are obesity
and tobacco use, the leading causes of
preventable death in the United States of
America. Physical activity has been shown to
have a positive influence on these and other
issues related to all cause morbidity, mortality
and quality of life (USDHHS, 1996). Research has
shown however that although children and
adolescents are more active than adults, physical
activity levels decline through childhood and
adolescence tracking into adulthood with inactive
children likely to become inactive adults (e.g.,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1998
Stone, McKenzie, Welk, Booth, 1998). As
part of a comprehensive statewide approach to
tobacco control and the amelioration of other
health related issues, the Arizona Department of
Health Services Tobacco Education Prevention
Program (ADHSTEPP) has funded an initiative
designed to assist all invested parties in the
creation of the social conditions necessary for
children and adolescents to experience healthy
sport and physical activity. Having initially
established a relationship between ADHSTEPP and
the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) in
2000, the development of a comprehensive
educational outreach program targeting coaches,
administrators, parents and youth sport
participants is currently underway. The
principal goal of the program is the creation of
healthy sport and physical activity experiences
for all. A healthy sport and physical activity
experience is defined as one that is
developmentally appropriate encouraging a healthy
lifestyle and sportsmanship.
Results Interscholastic Programming 755
coaches, administrators and other high school
personnel have participated in the 22 AIA PVWH
workshops conducted to date. 59 of the 219
member high schools have participated in the
program, with 37 of the athletic directors from
these schools attending. Process evaluation data
on a number of topics is derived from a battery
of questionnaires administered before and after
each workshop. The results presented below
relate to program implementation efficacy and
participant tobacco attitudes and knowledge. 654
pre-post questionnaires were matched and used in
the present analyses. Program Implementation
Efficacy. A self-regulatory self-efficacy
measure is administered to the participants
pre-workshop. The efficacy measure lists a
number of barriers that have emerged in regard to
the implementation of Character Counts! in
schools and communities in previous process
evaluations. The measure assesses participant
belief in their ability to implement PVWH in
their respective school or community in the face
of various perceived or real barriers. The
measure is assessed on a 100-point scale with
high scores representing higher levels of program
implementation efficacy. Results of a paired
sample t-test and effect size calculation
revealed that participant belief in their ability
to implement the PVWH program in their
school/community increased as a function of
attending the seminar (Pre-seminar barriers
efficacy M 65.72 SD 18.20 Post-seminar
barriers efficacy M 75.11 SD 15.59). The
increase in efficacy was both statistically
significant t (653) -13.81, plt.001 g -.55
and meaningful as demonstrated by the moderate
effect size (Cohen, 1969). Tobacco
attitudes and knowledge. A number of items
relating to tobacco attitudes and knowledge are
also administered in a pre-post format. Items
are drawn from various sources including the
Adult Tobacco Survey developed by ADHSTEPP and
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tobacco related
instruments. Participants respond on a two-point
scale with 1 Yes and 2 No. Paired sample
t-tests were conducted to examine change scores
with a Bonferroni adjustment (.05/11 plt.004)
used to control for type I error.
The results demonstrate
that the participants attending the AIA PVWH
workshops support state tobacco control policy
and enforcement efforts. The findings also show
that attendance at the workshops has a positive
influence on participant knowledge in regard to a
number of items related to tobacco awareness,
education, and enforcement.

• Results
• Community Based Programming
• The content of the youth sport program is
  designed to achieve four specific goals
• Provide tools to assist invested parties in the
  creation of a developmentally appropriate youth
  sport experience
• Provide tools to enhance communication on a
  variety of topics including the youth sport
  experience and a healthy lifestyle
• To educate invested parties on the availability
  of healthy lifestyle resources
• Demonstrate how to Teach, Enforce, Advocate and
  Model appropriate behaviors
• Over 1,500 coaches and 750 parents have
  participated in the youth sport program to date.
  In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the
  program, a self-report questionnaire was
  administered at the completion of each clinic.
  The self-report process evaluation questionnaire
  assesses what the participants learned, their
  perceptions of the content, logistics, and
  curriculum delivered. Data collected from all
  participants has been overwhelmingly positive.
• The following results from a basketball coach
  education pilot program supported by supplemental
  funding (PA 99038) For Tobacco-Free Sports
  granted to ADHSTEPP by the CDC are representative
  of participant feedback.
• Overall Rating. 97 of coaches rated the clinic
  as very good or excellent (M 4.57 SD
  0.61) on a 5-point Likert style scale anchored by
  1 Poor to 5 Excellent.
• Stated Goals. Responses from the coaches on a
  5-point Likert style scale (1 Very ineffective
  5 Very effective) showed that the clinics were
  successful in educating them how to
• Create a developmentally appropriate youth
  basketball experience (M 4.57 SD 0.61).

Abstract As part of a comprehensive statewide
approach to tobacco control and the amelioration
of other health related issues, the Arizona
Department of Health Services Tobacco Education
Prevention Program (ADHSTEPP) has funded an
initiative designed to assist all invested
parties in the creation of the social conditions
necessary for children and adolescents to
experience healthy sport and physical activity.
Having initially established a relationship
between ADHSTEPP and the Arizona Interscholastic
Association (AIA) in 2000, the development of a
comprehensive educational outreach program
targeting coaches, administrators, parents and
youth sport participants is currently underway.
Key Points The principal goal of the program
is the creation of healthy sport and physical
activity experiences for all. A healthy sport
and physical activity experience is defined as
one that is developmentally appropriate,
encouraging a healthy lifestyle and
sportsmanship. Results The results collected
from interscholastic and community based programs
suggest that the Arizona model is achieving its
stated goals. The findings demonstrate that the
participants attending the AIA PVWH workshop
support state tobacco control policy and
enforcement efforts. The findings also show that
attendance at the workshop has a positive
influence on participant knowledge in regard to
tobacco awareness and education. Data gathered
from over 1,500 coaches and 750 parents who have
participated in the youth sport program to date
has been overwhelmingly positive. Attendance at
the clinics has led to increases in participant
knowledge on how to create the social conditions
necessary in the creation of a healthy sport
experience. Benefits The model currently
under development has the potential to focus
efforts in youth and interscholastic sports on
healthy lifestyles and sportsmanship. It offers
the potential for a best practice model and has
already received funding from state agencies,
federal agencies, and corporate sponsors.
Methods The program mirrors the nature of youth
sport participation in this country.
Specifically, our primary focus is at the base of
the participation pyramid with the youngest
children playing in organized sport with various
community agencies. Partnerships have therefore
been established with Boys and Girls Clubs,
YMCAs, City Parks and Recreation, Little League,
and other youth sport groups to assist in the
delivery of coach and parent education clinics.
When appropriate, strategic relationships with
professional sport franchises are being
developed. Web based resources and other support
materials are currently in development to
supplement face-to-face programming in an effort
to ensure impact and sustainability of the
program. Our interscholastic school-based
program has evolved from the Character Counts!
Sports Pursuing Victory With Honor (PVWH)
initiative. Although character education remains
a component of the AIA PVWH program, the primary
focus is now on creating a healthy sport
experience. In addition to school personnel,
educational programming designed for parents,
officials and student-athletes is at various
stages of development and implementation.
Conclusions Data collected to date suggests
that the program has had a positive influence on
tobacco control policy and in the creation of a
healthy sport experience. Outcome based
research is being designed to assess the
long-term effects of various aspects of the
program on key cognitive, affective, behavioral
and bio markers. The long-term success of the
model will be based on our ability to capacity
build. To this end, efforts are focused both on
expanding existing and establishing new
partnerships in and outside Arizona.