Exercise: The miracle treatment for mental health?

By Caroline Heaney

Recent campaigns such as Heads Together have helped to raise awareness of mental health difficulties. Mental health issues affect everyone – it is estimated that 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem each year, which means that most of us will be affected by a mental health condition at some point in our lives, either directly or through someone close to us. It is vital that once someone has taken the difficult step to disclose mental health difficulties that they can access the right treatment and support, however, NHS funding for mental health services has been reduced whilst demand has increased. It is estimated that by 2030 there will be 2 million adults with a mental health problem, and an NHS funding shortfall of £44-54 billion over the next decade. There are various treatment options available including therapies and medication, but medication is reported to be the most commonly used treatment for mental health problems. This comes at a huge cost to the NHS who reportedly spend £285 million per year on antidepressant medications. If only there was a low-cost treatment with few side effects and many additional health benefits. Well there is – exercise!

Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Exercise has long been recognised as an effective intervention in both the prevention and treatment of mental health conditions. For example, in their meta-analysis of the literature exploring exercise in the treatment of depression Josefsson, Lindwall and Archer (2014), found exercise to be an effective treatment in those with mild and moderate depression, with the potential to be effective with those with more severe depression. Similarly, exercise has also been found to be an effective tool in the prevention of depression (Mammen and Faulkner, 2013). The simple logic behind the link between exercise and mental health is that exercise can make us feel better. This means that exercise can benefit your mental health whether or not you have a diagnosed mental health problem. As well as combating diagnosed mental health conditions such as depression, exercise can enhance mood and reduce stress levels, thus allowing us to tackle daily challenges in a more positive, optimistic and constructive way.

BBC 1’s Mind Over Marathon showed the power of exercise as it charted the experience of a group of people with mental health conditions as they prepared to run the 2017 London Marathon. The people in this programme were not unique in their experience of finding exercise therapeutic in their fight against mental health conditions. Up and down the country there are many people who are advocates for the beneficial role of exercise in preventing and treating mental health conditions. A few years ago I was lucky enough to meet a group of inspiring people in Essex who were referred to a Healthy Lifestyle Programme which involved prescribing exercise as part of a programme to tackle mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. A clear message from these participants was that exercise was a powerful tool in helping them to combat mental health challenges. They described exercise as a far more positive treatment than medication.

Potentially, exercise can be used to treat mental health problems in place of or in addition to medication and other therapies, but in order for patients to benefit, medical professionals need to be confident in its role as a treatment and have access to suitable programmes to which they can refer their patients. Data from the Mental Health Foundation suggests that whilst more than half of the GPs they surveyed recognised exercise as an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, only 21% would actually refer a patient to a supervised exercise programme. This could however be due, in part, to a lack of access as 40% of the GPs surveyed said that they didn’t have access to an exercise referral scheme.

There lots of evidence to show that exercise can have a positive impact on mental health, but why is this the case? What is it about engaging in physical activity that leads to enhanced mental health? There is no one theory or hypothesis that has been universally accepted to explain the link between exercise and mental health. Instead, several different hypotheses have been proposed. These can be split into two categories: physical or psychological explanations (see table 1). It may be that a combination of factors is causes improvements in mental health, rather than one factor alone. Additionally, because people differ greatly, explanations for improvements in mental health may vary according to the individual concerned.

Table 1: Examples of physical and psychological explanations for the relationship between exercise and improved mental health (adapted from Weinberg and Gould, 2015)

Physiological Explanations

Psychological Explanations

Increases in cerebral blood flow
Changes in brain neurotransmitters (e.g., norepinephrine, endorphins, serotonin)
Increases in maximal oxygen consumption and delivery of oxygen to cerebral tissues
Reductions in muscle tension
Structural changes in the brain

Enhanced feeling of control
Feeling of competency and self-efficacy
Positive social interactions
Improved self-concept and self-esteem
Opportunities for fun and enjoyment

Conclusion

It would appear that exercise can be a highly effective tool in the prevention and treatment of mental health conditions. Exercise is a comparatively low cost treatment that can be used on its own or as an adjunct therapy and has virtually no side effects. In addition, it can tackle many other health conditions such as hypertension and heart disease. Surely prescribing exercise to treat mental health is a no brainer!

To find out more on this topic try our free course Exercise and Mental Health.

Student Story: Etienne Stott

Etienne Stott is a slalom canoeist who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, winning a gold medal in the men’s canoe double (C2) with his crewmate Tim Baillie. First-hand experience of the power of psychology in sport led Etienne to embark on a degree with the OU. Although as yet unsure of the branch of psychology he wishes to specialise in, Etienne really hopes that in the future he’ll be able to use its power to help others succeed and thrive in their life choices.

“I left school with science-based A levels and took up a place at the University of Nottingham, graduating in 2000 with a degree in mechanical engineering (BEng). Nottingham is also a training centre for canoeists and I went on to a career as a slalom canoeist, competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and winning gold in the men’s canoe double (C2).

My interest in psychology came about initially from experiencing its power in sport first-hand and I decided I’d like to become a psychologist. I opted to study for a degree with the OU as it offered me the flexibility I needed; I could manage my studies according to the demands of my lifestyle. Although I paid most of my module fees myself, I also secured some UK Sport funding through the English Institute of Sport’s Performance Lifestyle Service, which helps athletes to fund their education beyond their sports careers.

The route to an OU psychology degree is largely prescribed, although there is some choice of modules, so registering was unproblematic.

My tutors were very good: supportive, easy to contact, kind, knowledgeable, generous and understanding. OU tutors are very aware of your other commitments and do their best to be accommodating; for example, should a TMA extension be necessary. I found the learning materials really good: well written and presented, with interesting content. The OU is well organised for distance learning provision and all study components, including the online materials, are carefully integrated, providing a positive learning experience for students. I particularly liked the online study planner as it meant you always knew which stage of the module you were meant to be at.

The face-to-face tutorials that accompanied some modules were quite interesting and helped reinforce and consolidate what I’d learned. There was also a residential school and it was good to meet up with students from such a wide range of backgrounds.

Being an OU student isn’t easy, but I’d definitely recommend it to anyone considering registering; you learn a lot and the sense of achievement you experience is really rewarding. For me, the main challenge is finding the time to fit everything in. I try to anticipate how busy I’m going to be with training and competitions and then plan ahead as far as I can, setting up my life efficiently so that I’m using my energy productively. Prioritising is key. If you’re prepared to make sacrifices for a while and are clear about your motivation, you’ll find it more interesting so will be more likely to succeed. Be enthusiastic about your subject, too. When I think back to my first degree, I realise just how much of a mechanical process it was. I went from school to university almost without thinking, unlike now. I’m really enjoying studying and when I get good marks for my TMAs I know my hard work is paying off.

I’m just about to start my next module, E219 Psychology of childhood and youth, and have three years to go before completing my degree. I then plan to gain experience of work in the field of psychology and perhaps do a masters and/or a doctorate. I’m not yet sure of the branch of psychology I’d like to specialise in, but no doubt this will become clearer the further I progress. In my future work, I do want to be able to use the power of psychology to help people succeed and thrive in their life choices, though.”

If you have been inspired by Etienne’s story and want to study sport and fitness at The Open University please visit the ‘Study with us’ section of this website

Sport is in a state – why has drug use become such a major issue?

By Simon Rea

As someone who has been involved competing in sport, working in sport and watching sport all my life I have become increasingly concerned about the negative reports about its association with drug use.

Image courtesy of sscreations at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Team Sky has had a particularly bad couple of weeks with speculation over the contents of a ‘mystery package’ that was sent to Bradley Wiggins in 2011 added to by revelations that ex-Team Sky rider, Josh Edmondson, had been using a pain killer, Tramadol, and injecting vitamins in 2013 and 2014. Although vitamins are not a banned substance it is contrary to the policy brought in by the cyclist’s union, UCI, in 2011 that banned cyclists from the use of needles.

Added to this is the revelation that US anti-doping agency (USADA) are investigating whether any rules were broken when Mo Farah was injected with a legal protein supplement, L-carnitine, by Dr. Robin Chakraverty. These two incidences are interesting because neither is illegal as the substances are not banned but they are considered as dubious or underhand practices that contravene the spirit of sport. In particular, it is the use of needles seems to cross the line between acceptable and unacceptable practices for professional sports people.

However, top level sport in the UK seems to have a relatively minor doping problem. According to UK anti-doping (UKAD) there are currently 52 athletes or coaches banned due to the use of illegal substances and only 12% of these are involved in professional sport. Most banned athletes are involved in amateur sports (62%) or semi-professional sports (21%). A BBC poll (BBC, 2017) showed that 35% of amateur sports people know someone who has used drugs and 8% said they had personally taken steroids.

The use of drugs is a major problem because as well as being cheating they can have devastating side effects, such as heart conditions and liver failure, that are ignored in favour of their benefits. Also, as they become more prevalent people will start to adopt the dangerous attitude that ‘they are only doing what everyone else is doing’.

Which substances are being used and why are they being taken?

The BBC poll showed three motives for drug use with 41% saying they took drugs to improve performance, 40% for pain relief and 34% to improve how they look. This fits in well with the three categories of substance most commonly used. Anabolic steroids, such as nandrolone and stanozolol, mimic the hormone testosterone and promote muscle development that can enhance performance or improve the perception of an individual’s body image. Semi-professional and amateur rugby union and league have a particular issue with anabolic steroids as success is increasingly allied to strength and bulk. These sports have accounted for 46% of the sanctions issued by UKAD (BBC, 2017).

Stimulants, such as amphetamines and ephedrine, are taken to reduce fatigue and allow an athlete to compete at maximum intensity for longer thus enhancing performance. They also create a ‘fat burning effect’ which can be desirable for those wanting to improve their appearance. Narcotic analgesics, such as morphine and pethidine, act as painkillers and can mask the effect of injuries and allow athletes to train harder and longer. Tramadol has a similar effect but is an opioid rather than a narcotic.

The motives for drug use are clear but there are two main factors that are contributing to its growth.

Firstly, the ‘win at all costs’ mentality or what Team Sky described as a ‘medallist’ culture. This can lead to athlete welfare being compromised at the expense of ensuring they are successful. The song ‘We are the champions’ which was played during the ceremony as Manchester United were recently presented with the EFL Cup has the line ‘No time for losers ‘cause we are the champions’ exemplifying attitudes to success and failure. Possibly a dubious message to send to our children.

Secondly, the obsession with body image and pressure to conform to stereotypes of male and female beauty. This is often media driven through images in fitness magazines and increasingly training seems to be about attaining an attractive physique rather than gaining health benefits. Indeed, the practices of training for health and training for body image are often at odds with each other as steroids are used to build muscle and stimulants to promote fat burning. The psychological condition ‘bigorexia’ where muscular people see themselves as having physical flaws or not being muscular enough has become as much of a concern as anorexia where people see themselves as being overweight irrespective of their actual appearance.

Is sharing negative experiences of drug users a solution?

Nicola Sapstead, the head of UKAD, has described drug use in UK sport as ‘fast becoming a crisis’ but it is possible that a potential solution is already available. On the BBC 5live phone on 20th March there was a steady stream of people who had used drugs describing the damaging long-term consequences of drug use’ with one male gym user who had to have to surgery to remove excess breast tissue that had developed due to the increase in oestrogen levels caused by steroids.

Creating effective education programmes and showing people that despite what they may experience many athletes, such as Jess Ennis-Hill, experience success without taking supplements or resorting to dangerous practices.

References
BBC Sport (2017) ‘Doping in sport: Drug use ‘fast becoming a crisis’ – Nicole Sapstead [online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/38884801 (accessed 21st March 2017)

Waddington, I. and Smith, A. (2009). An Introduction to Drugs in Sport: Addicted to winning? Abingdon, Routledge.

Cheating in sport and the issues surrounding drug use are covered in our new module E117 that will be available from October 2017. For more information visit the Study with us section of this website.

Volunteering opportunities with the Great Run Company

We’ve been looking for a way for OU Sport and Fitness students to develop their experience and CVs to help their career development and have partnered up with the Great Run Company to provide some unique TV Production/Course Operations opportunities in their mass participation event portfolio in Manchester, the Lake District, London or Bristol. To see how these volunteering opportunities may be useful to you take a look at the short video below. The Further Information Sheet tells you more about the events, volunteering roles and answers frequently asked questions.

If you would like to apply please complete the Expression of Interest form below and send it to the email address on the form. But hurry, the events in the north of England need applications in by April 4th or 11th (the other dates are later).

The Great Run Company – Expression of Interest

Student Story: Allana Francis-Ashmeil

After an up and down start with her education, Allana Francis-Ashmeil had given up the hope of gaining higher education qualifications. She had a strong passion for sport, especially football and wanted to be able to continue her coaching job in the sports field whilst also pursuing her career further. Allana was told about the OU by her mum and although she had her reservations she signed up for the Foundation degree in Sport and Fitness. Whilst studying for her degree it was necessary for Allana to gain some other qualifications along the way including her level 2 coaching badge. Allana claims her OU studies gave her a massive confidence boost, so much so that alongside her studies she also started her own business, STL (Sky’s the Limit) London which encourages young people in her community to achieve their dreams.

“After a very up and down road with education, including learning I was dyslexic and failing my first year of university at Canterbury Christ Church University, I had given up hope of gaining a higher education qualification. I was convinced university wasn’t for me. I have always had a strong passion for sports, especially football. I am currently playing and am vice-captain of AFC Wimbledon Ladies Reserve Team.

I wanted to be able to continue to work in my sporting field but also pursue my career as a sports coach as well as follow other ideas I had pending for my future.

When studying the sport and fitness with coaching degree it was compulsory to have a level 2 coaching certificate. Prior to the OU I never had any interest in coaching badges, but I am now a level 2 coach and I am looking to do my level 3 next year. The value it added to my CV is evident as I am now a full time P.E and Sports teacher at a prep school in South London. Having coaching badges and a degree has enhanced the experience I have in sports by a great amount.

I ensured my job accommodated the fact that I was studying. Working as a sports coach meant I had regular mornings and weekends to get my studying and wok done. I would dedicate at least 3 days a week to university work. I also made sure my employers were aware of my studies this was important as it made sure I wasn’t overloaded with work hours.

The OU has taught me time management, organisation, patience and persistence. These are lifelong skills that are going to stay with me in all aspects of life and my career. The OU experience taught me that anything is possible and no matter who you are or where you’re from your dreams are achievable.

I have always had a love for the arts. When I was younger I was a student at Italia Conti studying Musical Production. As well as sports and the arts I also love working with children and young people. In November 2012 I landed the opportunity to work in a year in Ernest Bevin College, an all boys secondary school, alongside studying my apprenticeship for a CASHE Teaching Diploma. I worked in the Performing Arts Department at Ernest Bevin College, as I already had a personal love for the subject it fuelled the passion even more.

I was offered the opportunity to work on a solo project with students of my choice. I decided to write, produce, direct and choreograph a play that incorporated dance. The production was entitled ‘The block’ which focused on a group of friends at a crossroads in their lives as they were leaving college and becoming young adults. I casted nineteen boys aged between 13 and 15 and the play was performed to a public audience of fifty. It was a huge success and raised over £100 for Trail Blaizers, a charity I chose, who work with young offenders bettering their lives. We were fortunate enough to have the chief executive of the company present in the audience; she gave a public speech and also had a 1 to 1 session with the cast, discussing what the charity does and how their raised funds would help.

The amount of positive feedback I received pushed me to start my own company that provided a platform for children and young people in the community who held a passion and talent in the performing arts industry. The company would provide workshops, events and showcases for young people to be a part of, building on their confidence, self-worth and involving the community in the generation of the future.

In October 2013 I went to a Bright Ideas Trust Event, this company is founded by Tim Campbell OBE, the first winner of Lord Alan Sugar’s ‘The Apprentice’. This event was aimed at young entrepreneurs to meet like-minded people. I met Tim Campbell and had the chance to network with a lot of business people. I was shortlisted to pitch my business idea to Margaret Mountford, the chairman of the company, who is also a close friend and employee of Alan Sugar. A week after the event I was contacted by Bright Ideas Trust informing me that Margaret Mountford had loved my business idea and put it forward to the company for them to invest in my idea. Bright ideas Trust then put me through a 3 stage process where I had to complete a business plan, cash forecast and pitch on two different occasions to executives and the start-up business loan team. After 3 weeks I was successful and approved of the loan amount I requested. I am now part of the Bright Idea’s Trust’s successful candidate team.

My company is called STL London. STL stands for Sky’s The Limit, which is the slogan enforced in all the children and young people the company comes in contact with. Our first event was in November 2013, after the disaster of the Typhoon, the company played its part by raising funds for a children’s charity. STL London and 7 young people aged 8 – 14 went to Southbank London and performed dance routines and freestyle performances. In under 3 hours we raised £360 for the children in the Philippines and the money was donated to UNICEF, who donated balloons, t-shirts and a collection bucket to the company for the event. It was a great success and the positivity it had on the children who took part was amazing, they realised that their talents can be used to help others as well as themselves. The community response was amazing and we received many compliments and comments throughout the event.

The next event was Centre Stage, this is STL London’s regular showcase which occurs at least once a year. These showcases are open to young people aged 5 – 21 years who have a talent for singing, rapping, dancing, poetry, comedy or performing. It is a public event which is open to the community to engage them in youth talent. It also is a platform for young people to express themselves positively enhancing the talents and gifts they process, enabling them to have a feeling of self-worth and importance. The first Centre Stage Showcase took place on January 11th 2014. We had over 13 acts who performed on the night. It was also the official launch of the company. The show was a huge success and has attracted the attention of many. It also featured in the Wandsworth Bright Side Magazine. Since then we have had 2 more shows and I am currently planning another one for next year.

I am very passionate about STL London reaching out to more children and young people. Next year I am planning a few new projects that will focus on encouraging more children and young people to pursue their dreams.

I want to finish by thanking The OU for what they have done for me. I will always speak highly and proudly of this institution and I would love to be a voice that encourages people, who like me never thought they could, that taking this journey will be the best thing they could ever do.”

If you have been inspired by Allana’s story and want to study sport and fitness at The Open University please visit the ‘Study with us’ section of this website.

You can also hear more about Allana’s journey in the video below.

Student Story: James Collins

James Collins intended to go to university to study Leisure and Tourism, however, when he the opportunity to be a model he thought he’s take a year out and give that a go. That year turned into many years and eventually James decided that he needed to plan for when his modelling career would come to an end. He had originally wanted to study something in Sports the first time around, so, after completing a personal training certificate, decided to enrol with the OU to study Sport, Fitness and Coaching. James studied full time around his modelling work, which meant he had to be able to complete his OU studies whilst travelling around the world! Three years later and James completed his degree achieving a First Class. He is now studying for his Masters with Middlesex University with a focus on strength and conditioning. In the future, James is aiming to work in an academy or with athletes training them on strength and conditioning. He’s also considering a PhD!

“I completed my GCSE’s and GNVQ back in the day and finished that in 2001. The intention was that I was going to go to Birmingham University to study Leisure and Tourism. Back when I was applying to university there weren’t that many degrees in sport related subjects apart from Physical Education. I wasn’t the best student in my teenage years, so I didn’t get the grades to be able to do that at the time, which was why I was going to do Leisure and Tourism – I’m not really sure what I would have done with that though.

But before I started with Birmingham University I got an opportunity somehow to be a model. So I thought I’d give that a go and take a year out. That year, however, turned into many, many years and I did that all through my 20’s. I was very lucky to be able to travel the world doing it – New York, Paris and Milan, but I got to the point where I was tired of not using my brain, and I knew that eventually it would come to an end and I needed to start thinking of the future. I took a personal training certification to see if I could learn again as it had been so long and I passed that so then decided to give the OU a go. I needed to be able to study alongside modelling and travelling as I couldn’t just be based in London or anything like that.

When I started my OU studies it was a nice shock to the system! I decided to complete my studies full time, so I did it in 3 years. I was able to still travel around for work and just take my books and my laptop with me. I did my tutorials here, there and everywhere and it actually went very well. Somehow I managed to get a first class grade!

I think everybody knows the OU. You grow up seeing the videos on BBC 1 and 2 at night and I just one day decided to have a look to see if there was anything sport related available and was quite surprised to see that there was. As part of the sports degree with the OU there was personal training experience so that seemed to fit perfectly and that’s why I chose that degree with the OU.

There were a couple of challenging elements for me. I was doing it full time and there was a lot of reading that you had to do, especially around Christmas. In the curriculum you have the Christmas period off, but I found that’s where I caught up so that was really busy for me. Also, at a regular university you have your teacher with you every week and you can ask them questions face to face, whereas with the OU you sometimes have just one tutorial and you have you ask your questions by email which can mean you have to wait a while to get a reply. Doing exams in handwriting was brutal. I was used to doing it all on a laptop and my hand was in agony. Whilst studying I was always travelling for work, so I was having to deal with everything that comes with that, including working out of different times zones and jet lag. I was always having these big events to deal with too. However, because of the type of study I was able to take my books and materials with me to be able to study whilst travelling.

I found having the online tutorials really helpful because you could go back and listen as many times as you liked. Whereas now in my lectures for my masters I record them on my phone and hope that will work every time so that I can go back and listen to them like I did at the OU. Being able to do that is super, super helpful!

Because I was doing it full time, every month I’d have 2 assignments due in so I’d give myself two weeks to get the assignment done. The first week, I would make sure I got all of the reading done and in the second week I would write my assignment even if it didn’t have to be in for a couple of weeks and I would just stick to that routine. If I had a ton of reading to do then I would just do it on the weekends.

When I first started my OU studies, the original plan was that I was going to be a PE teacher. I was intended to follow up my OU studies with teacher training. But the first year went really well and I just started to have a look around at what other jobs there was in sports that I could do. I decided to go down the strength and conditioning route and then I found a Masters course at Middlesex University that I thought would be good and so I started to just aim for that instead. My current plan is to complete my masters in Strength and Conditioning and then start applying for roles working at an academy or with athletes coaching on strength and conditioning. I’m also just debating whether to do a PhD alongside that too!

My advice to anyone considering an OU course would be to just stay on top of the reading and try to have a strict timetable that you stick to, because it’s very easy to get behind, especially with holidays or big events in your life. Also I would say to ask your tutors anything you’re not sure about – I was really bad with emailing them, but they are there to help you and they may even give you the answer without realising it!

I would definitely recommend the OU because you don’t need to have a certain level of grade to enter, so if you did poor at school when you were younger and want to get back into it, you can give it a try. You’re able to earn money and get a degree at the same time. Also, if you can’t get to a regular university, or are restricted by your location, then it’s perfect. I think it’s brilliant!

I graduated in 2016 and the whole day was great – it was everything I thought it would be. It was good to be able to see other students graduating too. The whole experience is obviously quite different to a regular university because you don’t know anyone else, so it’s just you and your little family. But I loved it.”

If you want to follow in James’ footsteps and study sport and fitness at The Open University please visit the ‘Study with us’ section of this website.

Student Story: John Curd

When I began studying with the Open University, I was at a low ebb. I had recently retired due to ill health and had suffered several devastating bereavements in a short space of time. Previously I had enjoyed a long and varied career, which included decades of psychiatric nursing in the NHS and a stint in the Royal Army Medical Corp (RAMC). However, I was in a bit of a rut and felt as though I needed to undertake a new challenge.

Having run 115 full marathons and 103 half marathons for charity over a period of several decades, I have something of a passion for sport and athletics. Therefore, I decided to pursue an OU course that involved these two fields. In 2008, I commenced the module E112, titled ‘Introduction to sport, fitness and management’. Since then, I have successfully completed a total of five modules with a view to attaining a BSc (Hons) degree in Sport, Fitness and Coaching. I have just begun my sixth and final module. Studying with the OU has given me a greater sense of purpose, as well as having broadened my mind.

From the day I started studying with the OU until now, I have always enjoyed the very best of support from the OU. During my studies, I have suffered more bereavements and more bouts of ill health and there have been times when this adversity has caused me to consider effecting a cessation of my studies. However, thanks to the help and advice that I have received from Student Support, the North-West branch of the OU, my various course tutors and the Milton Keynes faculty staff I have always been able to overcome such adversity and progress with my studies. The university staff have been incredibly supportive to me.

Thanks to my studies with the OU, I am now a qualified kettlebell instructor, a Level 2 Registered Exercise Practitioner and the proud holder of a Foundation Degree. My OU journey has not always been easy, but it has been worthwhile in every regard. I look forward to the rest of the academic year and the challenges and accomplishments that it will bring.

Referencing In Sport: Getting your head round it!

By Helen Owton and Gavin Williams

Many students find referencing confusing and it seems that confusion comes from not fully understanding what is meant by voicing your own opinion in the context of an academic essay. Indeed, you are asked to write about what others have found and argued yet at the same time, you are told that you need to think for yourselves and come up with your own ideas and interpretations. According to Norton et al. (2009), those who are skilled essay writers respond to the essay by:

Reading the relevant sources
Formulating an argument that represents their personal stance
Ensuring that all the points they make in their essays are supported with evidence from the literature

Knowing when to reference and the specific conventions required can prove difficult, however, particularly for students new to studying at university level. The flowchart below “Is a reference needed?” provides some useful guidance for you:

Adapted from Cardiff University, 2006

As the diagram points out, you cannot make claims about knowledge in your essays without backing up with reference to the appropriate sources. It is the same with concepts and ideas. It might help to think about your own experiences; for example, think about how annoying you might find someone passing off one of your ideas in a meeting as their own without mentioning that the original idea came from you. As Jill, a student (cited in Norton et al., 2009, p. 79) points out “You can’t just make a point and leave it at that, you need to show the evidence is out there. This has been said and it is in this journal or this book” At undergraduate level, most points and ideas should be referenced, therefore, search through relevant journals and find previous research in order to support your points. First and foremost, you should use the module materials in order to show your understanding of what you have studied. As you increase through the levels (e.g. level 3), you might start to use other different sources of information as listed below:

Journals: the quantity and quality of your evidence will increase greatly and so will your topic of the area
Textbooks e.g. the Study Guide or Reader for your module(s).
Other credible documents

In E217 Sport and Conditioning Science into Practice, for example, you are encouraged to explore sources outside the module material to produce a “Personal Investigation”. Not only must you cite where you found ideas or knowledge, you must do this accurately as referencing is essential in higher education. You must do this in 2 ways:

In the text, by putting in brackets the author’s surname (not their initials) and the date when the study/book was published
And in the referencing section at the end of your essay, by alphabetically listing, by author, all journals, books, websites and other sources you referred to in the main text of your essay

Additionally, in sport, the general rule of thumb is to avoid using too many quotes because summarising information helps you understand something better as well as demonstrate your understanding to the person reading your work. Including too many quotes can result in a very superficial response to a question and when you are being marked you are not demonstrating your understanding to the reader/tutor. You should therefore keep direct quotes to a minimum and look to summarise (paraphrase) the information you have read whenever possible. Despite the need for referencing and citing appropriately, you must write about it in your own words. This can help demonstrate your understanding of what you have read and that you can apply this understanding to the question you are attempting to answer. Remember to reference it in the text AND in the reference list at the end of the essay. By doing this you are meeting academic criteria.

Getting penalised

It is important to get your head round referencing because a lack of referencing can directly affect the overall quality of your response to a question and consequently affect how tutors mark the essays. Many tutors take the view that when students have been told how to do something in their writing and then do not do it, it is valid to penalise them by lowering their mark (Norton et al., 2009). This happens particularly when a student’s turnitin scores are high (e.g. over 25%) which shows a high level of copying directly from another source or putting things in your own words.

In order to gain further information about referencing on your module take a look at the Assessment Guide, available from the module website. The Open University library provides a range of resources to assist with academic writing and referencing. The Referencing and Plagiarism section here contains further information along with a very useful video about plagiarism. In addition, the Study Skills section on your StudentHome page also contains some very useful resources to help you plan and write assignments. Remember too that your tutor is there to provide support so do get in contact with them if you would like some specific advice about referencing.

In essence, “Every single name that appears in anything you write must be followed by a date in brackets, and the full reference must be presented at the end of your assignment” (Norton et al., 2009, p. 83). These cited references should then be listed at then end of your assignment in a reference list.

Reference List

Norton, L., and Pitt, E. with Harrington, K., Elander, J. and Reddy, P. (2009). Writing Essays at University: A Guide for Students by Students. London: London Metropolitan University, Write now Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

We must challenge the culture of silence about child sexual abuse in football

By Helen Owton

Professional footballers, including the former Crewe Alexandra player Andy Woodward, have been speaking out recently about their experiences of sexual abuse as children. They include alleged victims of football coach Barry Bennell, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 1998, and are waiving their right to anonymity.

The NSPCC said a special hotline, set up after four professional footballers spoke out about their abuse, received more than 50 calls in its first two hours.

These developments follow the conviction in March 2016 of former Sunderland footballer Adam Johnson, found guilty of grooming and sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

Sports, such as football, can be an ideal environment for trusting relationships between coaches and athletes to be developed – and exploited. Research has highlighted the “grooming process” in sport, in which a coach could abuse their position of authority to gradually erode the personal boundaries between athletes to subject them to sexual abuse.

Some coaches abuse their power

A large amount of power is invested in a sports coach. They can impose their version of reality on athletes. In this context, perpetrators of abuse can isolate victims from potential sources of support within that reality by controlling the psychological environment. This can be through direct emotional manipulation, psychological abuse, and the creation of a highly volatile, psychologically abusive training environment.

A recent study I worked on with Andrew Sparkes at Leeds Beckett University, focused on the story of “Bella” – not her real name – a female athlete, who was groomed and then sexually abused by her male coach. We drew on previous research to explore three main types of harrassing coaches:

The flirting-charming coach: someone always flirting, joking, or trying to touch the athlete.
The seductive coach: someone who went further, trying to “hit on everyone”.
The authoritarian coach: someone who used his power over the athlete. He was also characterised as having psychological problems and often had a degrading and negative view of women in general.

Bella’s coach was able to shift between the personae and tactics of the different coaches in order to groom her and have “power over” and own her for many years.

Jock culture hides abuse

While sexual abuse exists in many different sports, football embraces masculine characteristics which act like a cult – a subculture adhering to its own list of commandments situated in a type of “jock culture”. In the past, the commonly accepted ethos of “suffer in silence” and the traditional belief that children’s voices should not be heard, could too easily be used to disguise sexually abusive behaviours.

Often athletes believe that the “jock culture” of which they are a part takes precedence over any other authoritative structures outside their sporting world – a bubble which can cut them off from external support.

Men’s football, in particular, provides a platform to global celebrity, bloated salaries, corporate sponsorship and fan adulation that can catapult male footballers to fame and fortune. Football coaches, similar to other positions of power, are the gatekeepers to this dream and this status comes with power that has the potential to be abused.

Breaking the silence

This power is reinforced when they are found to have committed serious violent or sexual offences – but not punished. Evidence from the NFL in the US regarding violence against women suggests that sportspeople are less likely to be “punished by the leagues, teams, or criminal justice system as harshly or consistently as their general public counterparts”.

The overwhelmingly high value placed on men’s sport, specifically men’s football, might mean that abusers think they can get away with abusive behaviours which might include sexual or child abuse. Many victims are made to believe by the perpetrator that they were the only one who was abused – that they were “special” and would not be believed if they came forward. It can also be extremely difficult for men to admit to being a victim. Speaking out about abuse means breaking codes of masculinity and camaraderie that are closely tied to sporting identity.

While it is important for people to tell their stories, we need to be careful that the news does not create moral panic which leads to a culture of fear around coaches as “dangerous individuals”. While the footballers who have spoken out are very courageous, it’s important not to cast suspicion on all coaches.

Many of the effects of abuse on victims – such as drink and drug abuse, depression, suicidal feelings and sexual disturbance – are misunderstood. The culture of silence surrounding sexual abuse in sport can perpetuate feelings of isolation for victims of abuse. Speaking out about their abuse enables victims, bystanders and other sportspeople to become whistleblowers who challenge the culture of silence that seems to exist in football and other sports about this kind of abuse. After all, the shame lies completely with the abuser, not with the abused.

Helen Owton, Lecturer in Sport & Fitness, The Open University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Calling all OU Sport and Fitness students

• Have you studied any modules in Sport and Fitness at The Open University?
• Would you like to share your experience and inspire others?

IF SO, THEN WE NEED YOU!

We would like to update our bank of ‘student stories’, which are profiles of OU Sport and Fitness students, and are looking for volunteers from our current students and alumni.

To be eligible to participate you need to have studied at least one Sport and Fitness module at The Open University. We are looking for both past and present students from a wide range of backgrounds with a range of career goals. Every OU student’s story has the potential to inspire others, so don’t think that your story isn’t interesting enough!

You can see some examples of previous student stories here.

If you are interested in participating, or want to find out more, please contact Caroline Heaney ([email protected])

OU Sport & Fitness Team Blog

Commentary from The Open University Sport and Fitness team