SCHOOL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Sports Montage

 

INFORMATION LETTER - ATHLETES

 

Dear Athlete

Thank you for showing interest in taking part in our study. This letter will tell you a bit more about the study and what we would like to do. Please read this carefully before deciding if you would like to take part.

 

What is the research about?

We are trying to find out more about how young athletes around the country are responding to training practices within their sport and also, how they cope with their personal lives and the demands of sporting life. Overtraining is a condition when an athlete hasn't got the balance between work and rest correct, leading to poor performance, fatigue and frustration. By identifying how and why some athletes get this right but others get it wrong, we hope to be able to advise parents, athletes, coaches, teachers and medics about preventing overtraining in children/ young athletes.

 

Who is taking part?

Any athlete from 11 to 18 years old practicing sport on a regular basis.

 

What will you be asked to do?

You will be asked to complete a questionnaire about many different issues related directly to your sport, training practices, competitions and personal life. It will only take you approximately 15 minutes to complete.

The information you give us will be kept safely and all data will be anonymous.

When will you do the study?

You can complete this questionnaire at a time that is best for you.

 

Can you change your mind?

You can stop participating in the study at any time, without having to give a reason why. If you do want to leave the study all you need to do is send us an email (sshs-otstudy@exeter.ac.uk) saying that you want to stop and we will delete all your data from the study. Withdrawing from the study will not affect your relationship with your coach, club, school or the University research team.

 

What will be done with the collected information?

All the results we will collect will be stored on a computer. No one will be told your individual results. We will write the study up for other scientists to read but your information will remain confidential.

 

What do you do next?

If you have any more questions about the study you can contact Nuno Matos (sshs-otstudy@exeter.ac.uk or 07704971805). Otherwise ask your parents / caregivers to get in contact and we will do our best to answer your questions.

If you have read and understood everything that we want you to do, before ticking the opt-in box at the bottom of this webpage, please give us your email, and your parents/ caregivers email and telephone number as we need to contact them before you complete the questionnaire to get their permission that they are happy about you doing this. Once we have their permission we will send you an email with a username and password that will allow you to log on to the study website and fill in the questionnaire.

 

When can you fill in the questionnaire?

Once you have the log-in username and password you can complete the questionnaire at any time that's best for you.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Sport and Health Sciences.

What are you consenting to?

You have read the information above concerning this project and understand what it is about. All your questions have been answered to your satisfaction. You understand that you are free to request further information at any stage.

You also know that:

1. Your participation in the project is entirely voluntary.

2. You are free to withdraw from the project at any time without giving a reason and this will not be a problem.

3. The answers that you give will be kept securely and you understand that only the researchers will have access to your answers.

4. The results of the project may be published but your anonymity will be preserved.

 

If you wish to take part in the study please fill in the information in the boxes below and click the "I consent to participate in this study" button to submit your form.

Your name:
Your email:
Your age:
Your parent / caregiver's name:
Your parent / caregiver's email:
Your parent / caregiver's contact phone number:

 

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