Date of Award

2016

Rights

Access is available to all users

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS) in Physical Education: Exercise Science

Department

Physical Education, Health and Recreation

Abstract

"The purpose of this study was to determine if select upper-extremity strength and power field tests, and the test battery, predict pole vault performance in female pole vaulters. There is very little research on female pole vault athletes, specifically non-elite athletes. Field tests previously shown to be predictive of performance in males were examined to determine if they were also predictive for females. Four tests were used (8 lb backwards medicine ball (MB) throw, 3 m seated rope pull, three pull-ups for time, and maximum pull-ups) to determine if pole vault performance (season personal record for each athlete) could be predicted by the test results. Nine collegiate female pole vaulters were tested. Pearson correlation and regression analysis were used to determine if there were relationships between the tests and pole vault performance and if the tests could predict performance. Correlation coefficients revealed that the two pull-up tests were highly related (r = -0.811), so maximum pull-ups was removed from the remainder of the results. Regression analysis revealed that 82.6% of the variance in personal record was accounted for by the three predictors, 8 lb backward MB throw, 3m seated rope pull, and three pull-ups for time (p = 0.024). Linear regression analysis showed that 71.8% of variance in pole vault performance was accounted for by the test battery (p = 0.004). Pole vault performance, in female collegiate athletes, can be predicted by the three predictor variables and by the test battery"--Leaf iv.

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