Wednesday, March 7, 1S34
Daily Nebraskan
Pago 7
Class' examines, analyses athletes' behavior
By Mary C. Reiliy
Nervous twitching,
douched posture and ncr
nail biting are all human
behaviors that can signal
an athlete's performance.
Ai ill iroi xA-jy 442, a class
that studies sports beha
vior, was offered at UNL
for the first time this semes
ter. The class studies how
human behaviors will af
fect or indicate levels of
sports performance, said
Jann Steel, an associate
professor of anthropology
and co-teacher of the
course. Open to all stu
dents, the course should
also teach students how
to analyze human behav
ior and determine if it is
random, Steel said.
"As an athlete, I am
now consciously aware of
my behavior," said class
member Renee Gould, a
freshman gymnast. "Now
I try not to display ner
vous behavior."
Attending the class helps
to control her behavior,
she said, and it helps her
athletic performance.
Steel said the course
benefits athletes and their
performances because they
tune into their anxiety
levels.
To help them tune in,
the class collects behav
ior data in a lab situation.
Students observe athletic
competition and record
the athletes' behaviors,
Steel said. This semester,
the class watches gymnas
tics meets.
Observed behaviors not
only will help athletes,
but also coaches, she said.
By knowing the behaviors
their athletes display,
coaches can help them
avoid those behaviors and
possibly improve their
scores.
If a gymnastics judge
sees that gymnasts start
their routines immedi
ately, that is a positive
image, Gould said. But,
she said, if gymnasts who
wait before their routines
do well, they do not express
negative feelings, either.
However, Gould said, if
gymnasts' faces express
insecurity after a landing
or during a performance,
that tells the judge some
thing negative.
Gould cited one exam
ple of sports behavior. At
the Feb. 7 Nebraska vs.
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This space contntxited as a public service.
Penn State meet, a top
female athlete on one team
showed two behavior types
while she waited to per
form. The athlete displayed
dcrrJr.ar.t posture tlirougl i
out the meet, indicating
team leadership and good
performance, Gould said.
Keeping her shoulders held
back and placing her hands
on her hips, crossing her
arms before her or hold
ing her hands at her sides
indicated her confidence
while she waited to per
form. Gould said the girl
also stood on mats while
she waited, putting her
self oh a higher level than
other athletes who waited
while standing or sitting
on the floor.
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However, Gould said,
when the same girl ap
proached the balance
beam, she bit her nails
and her shoulders slumped.
She fell off the beam and
received a low score, Gould
said.
About 28 students are
enrolled in the class this
semester, five of whom
are graduate students.
Most of the undergradu
ates in the class are ath
letes, Gould said.
Steel said she did not
know if the course would
be continued. Martin Peter
son, associate professor
of anthropology, co-teaches
the course this semester.
Anthropology 110 is the
prerequisite to the sports
behavior class.
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