@article{carlton_mckenzie_bocarro_edwards_casper_suau_kanters_2021, title={Objective Assessment of Physical Activity and Associated Contexts During High School Sport Practices}, volume={3}, ISSN={["2624-9367"]}, DOI={10.3389/fspor.2021.548516}, abstractNote={Background: Organized sports provide children and adolescents with opportunities to achieve recommended amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and schools are a primary setting for sports programs. The main aims of this study were to examine participant physical activity (PA) levels during the most popular high school sports in the United States and to assess the influences of practice contextual factors on PA levels.Methods: Participant PA and its contexts were assessed during practices for the 10 most popular girls' and boys' high school sports in the United States. Data were obtained during 598 practice sessions in 12 schools in North Carolina using a validated direct observation instrument (System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). A regression model was applied to understand the association between sport context and athletes' PA.Results: Overall, athletes were observed engaging in MVPA 60% of practice time. MVPA varied among sports and levels were highly influenced by practice contexts. Among girls' sports, cross country and soccer practices provided the highest proportion of MVPA and MVPA percent during boys' practice sessions was highest during cross country and track and field. Practice contexts were associated with MVPA accrual with time allocated for gameplay and fitness activities associated with the highest levels of PA.Conclusions: The results contribute to an understanding of which sports and how their practices are conducted facilitate increased PA. Findings indicate athletes accrue substantial amounts of PA during high school practices, but that it varies from sport to sport. As well, the context that characterizes sport practices is a significant determinant in how much PA occurs. Most sports that emphasized game simulation, fitness, and skill development drills had higher levels of MVPA. Given the length and frequency of practices and how the content is delivered, we can accurately predict how much PA athletes are likely to achieve during a given sport season. The findings from this study demonstrate that sport can make a useful, if not sufficient role in helping high school athletes reach recommended PA levels. PA engagement can be optimized by attending to the management of contexts surrounding the sports.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN SPORTS AND ACTIVE LIVING}, author={Carlton, Troy and McKenzie, Thomas L. and Bocarro, Jason N. and Edwards, Michael and Casper, Jonathan and Suau, Luis and Kanters, Michael A.}, year={2021}, month={Jul} } @article{umstattd meyer_prochnow_bridges_carlton_wilkins_arnold_mcclendon_mckenzie_pollack porter_2020, title={Assessing Physical Activity in Temporary Spaces: Application of SOPARC/iSOPARC (R) for Play Streets}, volume={91}, ISSN={["2168-3824"]}, DOI={10.1080/02701367.2019.1656793}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT Purpose: The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) is a valid, reliable method for understanding how people engage in physical activity (PA) in various permanent settings (e.g., parks) and contexts. However, its utility, reliability, and validity in temporary spaces has not been examined. Temporary spaces can provide PA opportunities often absent in low-income communities due to inadequate safe permanent PA spaces. Play Streets involve temporary closure of streets or other publicly accessibly spaces (e.g., parking lots, open-fields) to create safe play spaces for a specified time-period. We describe the utility, reliability, and validity of using SOPARC to assess PA in temporary spaces like Play Streets. Method: Trained SOPARC/iSOPARC (iPad App) research staff completed systematic observations during Play Streets occurring in four diverse low-income rural U.S. communities during summer 2017. Results: We successfully used iSOPARC to document PA and how spaces were used at Play Streets (n = 16), confirming its utility, reliability, and validity. Unlike observations of permanent spaces, target areas could not be pre-established since play spaces often changed during set-up, requiring time onsite to identify target areas and boundaries. Play areas frequently appeared and/or disappeared during Play Streets, and this was systematically addressed by using physical target area boundaries instead of activities. Conclusions: Understanding how temporary spaces are used for PA is critical for promoting their use. SOPARC/iSOPARC methods are useful in a Play Streets’ context; however, systematic methods and training are needed to address inherent unpredictable and dynamic changes within and across target areas.}, number={2}, journal={RESEARCH QUARTERLY FOR EXERCISE AND SPORT}, author={Umstattd Meyer, M. Renee and Prochnow, Tyler and Bridges, Christina N. and Carlton, Troy and Wilkins, Emily and Arnold, Kimberly T. and McClendon, Megan E. and McKenzie, Thomas and Pollack Porter, Keshia M.}, year={2020}, month={Apr}, pages={346–353} } @article{bunds_kanters_venditti_rajagopalan_casper_carlton_2018, title={Organized youth sports and commuting behavior: The environmental impact of decentralized community sport facilities}, volume={65}, ISSN={1361-9209}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2018.08.017}, DOI={10.1016/j.trd.2018.08.017}, abstractNote={• Previous research has not quantified the extent of travel required for participation in organized sport. • Participants spent an average of 106 min/week in car transport accounting for 28% of the participant’s average driving time per week. • The environmental impact of this youth sport program annually is about 400 tonnes of CO2eq. • Assigning children to practice at the closest facility to their homes could reduce emissions from this travel by 12% whereas upgrading vehicle gas mileage efficiency could reduce emissions by 40%.}, journal={Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Bunds, Kyle S. and Kanters, Michael A. and Venditti, Richard A. and Rajagopalan, Neethi and Casper, Jonathan M. and Carlton, Troy A.}, year={2018}, month={Dec}, pages={387–395} } @article{carlton_kanters_bocarro_floyd_edwards_suau_2017, title={Shared use agreements and leisure time physical activity in North Carolina public schools}, volume={95}, ISSN={0091-7435}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.08.037}, DOI={10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.08.037}, abstractNote={Although increasing community access to public schools through shared use agreements (SUAs) has been a recommended strategy for promoting physical activity (PA) among national, state and local organizations, empirical evidence examining the efficacy of SUAs is limited. This study examined the degree of usage and production of PA among schools with shared use, and how variation in PA output is related to characteristics of the school, type of activity, facility type, and when activity occurs. Data were collected in 20 schools across North Carolina using System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) and Structured Physical Activity Surveys (SPAS) to assess PA in school athletic facilities during out of school time. Findings indicated that although schools had a policy of shared or open use, most facilities were empty during non-school hours. Hierarchal linear regression models also showed that formal programming was positively associated with both use and PA levels. Given the abundance of empty facilities, community groups in need of space to facilitate structured PA programs should pursue avenues of sharing facilities with public schools. Furthermore, to increase the efficacy of shared use, structured physical activity programs may be needed. Future studies are encouraged to further explore the effects of the specific types of shared use programs on PA production as well other aspects of the built environment surrounding schools.}, journal={Preventive Medicine}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Carlton, Troy A. and Kanters, Michael A. and Bocarro, Jason N. and Floyd, Myron F. and Edwards, Michael B. and Suau, Luis J.}, year={2017}, month={Feb}, pages={S10–S16} } @article{kanters_bocarro_moore_floyd_carlton_2014, title={Afterschool shared use of public school facilities for physical activity in North Carolina}, volume={69}, ISSN={0091-7435}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.10.003}, DOI={10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.10.003}, abstractNote={{"Label"=>"OBJECTIVE", "NlmCategory"=>"OBJECTIVE"} To determine the status and common characteristics of shared use in public schools in North Carolina. {"Label"=>"METHOD", "NlmCategory"=>"METHODS"} All public school principals (N=2,359) in North Carolina were invited to participate in an online survey (February - May, 2013) designed to provide baseline information about the extent and nature of shared use of school facilities. {"Label"=>"RESULTS", "NlmCategory"=>"RESULTS"} Responses (n=1182, 50.1%) indicated that most schools share their facilities (88.9%). Formal agreements were more common when schools shared gyms and outdoor athletic fields. Informal agreements were most common with playgrounds and track facilities. Schools with more low income or Black students were less likely to share facilities. For schools that did not share use of their facilities the most frequent reason was no outside groups had ever asked. {"Label"=>"CONCLUSION", "NlmCategory"=>"CONCLUSIONS"} Schools may be more accommodating to shared use partnerships. Community organizations seeking to use indoor school facilities or athletic fields should be prepared to complete a formal written agreement. Preconceived notions that schools are unwilling to share their facilities may be preventing community organizations from initiating shared use inquiries. Schools located in the middle tier of economic distress and schools with a greater concentration of Black students were less likely to share their facilities.}, number={S}, journal={Preventive Medicine}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Kanters, Michael A. and Bocarro, Jason N. and Moore, Renee and Floyd, Myron F. and Carlton, Troy A.}, year={2014}, month={Dec}, pages={S44–S48} }