AUTHOR=Carlton Troy , McKenzie Thomas L. , Bocarro Jason N. , Edwards Michael , Casper Jonathan , Suau Luis , Kanters Michael A. 

TITLE=Objective Assessment of Physical Activity and Associated Contexts During High School Sport Practices

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=Volume 3 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2021.548516

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2021.548516

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=Background: Organized sport provides children and adolescents with opportunities to achieve recommended amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and schools are the primary setting for these programs. The main aims of this study were to examine participant PA levels during the most popular high school sports in the United States and determine the influences of practice contextual factors associated with participant MVPA.
Methods: The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) was used to objectively measure the PA and its contexts during practices for the 10 most popular girls and boys’ high school sports in the United States. 
Results:.Overall, the sport practice participants were observed engaging in MVPA 60% of the time. PA varied among sports and was highly influenced by practice context variables.  For girls sports, cross country and soccer practices had the highest proportion of MVPA. For boys sports, cross country and track had the highest proportion of MVPA.  Practice context was a significant predictor of MVPA behavior during practice time.  Practice time allocated for gameplay and fitness activities were associated with higher levels of physical activity. 
Conclusions: The results add clarity to our understanding of which sports facilitate more participant physical activity during practices. Additionally, the context that characterizes sport practices is significant in determining how much physical activity occurs. Most sports that place extra emphasis on game simulation, fitness, and skill development drills can be expected to have higher levels of MVPA. Based on how practices are delivered to athletes, we can accurately predict how much physical activity athletes can expect to achieve within a given sport season assuming length and frequency of practices are recorded.