Date of Award
6-1-1967
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Economics & Finance
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the physical fitness levels of athletes and non-athletes at the University of North Dakota.
This study was directly concerned with physical fitness as measured by the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Modified Youth Fitness Test. The students involved were selected freshmen who had enrolled at the University of North Dakota in the fall of 1963, but did not participate in intercollegiate athletics in their four years of college and athletes who participated for three years in intercollegiate football, basketball, wrestling, cross country, and/or hockey at the University of North Dakota.
The test was administered in the fall of 1963 by the physical education staff at the University of North Dakota and both groups were retested by the writer during the first semester of 1966-67.
Comparisons were made between the mean differences within each group as indicated by the scores on the initial and final tests. The null hypothesis was assumed with respect to the differences within the groups on the initial and final tests. This hypothesis was tested with the "t" technique for the difference between means derived from correlated scores from small samples. Comparisons were also made between the experimental group and the control group by testing the significance of the difference between the mean differences found within groups. The between group comparison used the "tM technique for uncorrelated data from small samples.
Some of the conclusions indicated by this study were: 1. The experimental group (athletes) shoxTed significant improvement in all of the selected measures of physical fitness except the 50-yard dash and sit-ups at the criterion .01 level. 2. The control group (non-athletes) improved significantly in one selected measure of physical fitness, the shuttle run, at the criterion .01 level. 3. The control group showed a significant decrease in the 600-yard run-walk and sit-ups at the criterion .01 level. 4. In comparing the experimental and control groups, the writer found significant differences at the criterion .01 level in the following test items: sit-ups, shot put, pull-ups, standing broad jump, and the 600-yard run-walk.
Recommended Citation
Gab, Del, "A Comparison of the Physical Fitness Levels of Athletes and Non-Athletes Over a Four Year Period at the University of North Dakota" (1967). Theses and Dissertations. 3976.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/3976