The science of shinty

: A needs analysis and training considerations.

Abstract

Currently there are no empirical studies that have conducted a needs analysis for the sport of shinty or identified the match-play demands in senior male players. The aims of this study were to develop a shinty athlete profile and to identify match play demands. The study consisted of two parts: 1) a battery of field-based fitness tests used to develop an athlete profile; and 2) gathering of match-play data using global positioning system (GPS) technology to identify the match-play demands of shinty. For the field-based fitness tests, forty-eight senior male shinty players, including defenders (n=19), midfielders (n=10) and forwards (n=19), were recruited from three clubs. The fitness testing battery comprised of hand grip strength, countermovement jump (CMJ), 5- and 10-metre sprints, 5-0-5 change of direction, and a 1,500-metre timed maximal aerobic speed (MAS) run. Finally, GPS match-play data was collected over 7 competitive league matches from participants within one club (n=11). Fitness testing results showed no significant difference between the three positional groups for any of the tests. GPS data collection results included total distance, distance per minute, high speed running, maximum speed, number of sprints, sprint distance, and number of accelerations and decelerations. This is the first study of its kind to have been conducted in the sport of shinty. The findings of this study can be used by clubs to inform the design of training programmes, improve performance, and develop talent identification processes.

Date of Award	22 Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of the Highlands and Islands
Supervisor	Daniel R Crabtree (Supervisor) & Trish Gorely (Supervisor)