Guidelines for Coaches College Papers/Posters for the 2023 Coaches College

This is an overview: read the rest of the information below this section carefully to ensure your submission formatting is correct.

All submissions must be:

• Written in English,
• typed single-spaced in Times New Roman size 12 font with 1 inch (2.54 cm) margins,
• and should not exceed 2 pages. **if you submit more than a 2 page write-up your submission will not be considered for review**
• All tables and figures will be limited to 2 in total and should be included on a single but separate page (e.g., 1 table and 1 figure; 2 tables; or 2 figures). However, figures and tables are not necessarily required.
• All references should be included on a single and separate page. References will be limited to 10 total.

Please include figures and tables in a format that the editors can edit when and as needed (Do Not copy and paste as a PDF or picture). Tables should be formatted through the Word table tool. Clearly label any figures and submit figures in a Microsoft Office Object format or so where the figure may be edited by the reviewer. All figures and tables must be displayed in grayscale/black and white coloration. Provide a title (above) and caption (below) for each figure and table within your submission if applicable.

Summaries should aim to provide a comprehensive discussion of the research project and contain sections as specified below. Each section should contain a concise but sufficiently detailed write-up of relevant information. Number all pages in this order prior to submission:

• title page (page 1),
• extended abstract (page 2 and page 3),
• 10 or less references (page 4),
• and 2 tables and/or figures (page 5) .

Carefully proofread the final revision and keep a copy of the abstract that you submitted. Continue reading below. 

Please include a title page with your submission containing the following information:

1. Title of the abstract (Less than 15 words).
2. Category (Sport Science or Coach Education).
3. Full names of the authors and institutions/corporate affiliations. Do not list academic degrees. Names should be listed as First name and Middle Initial followed by Surname (e.g., John A. Citizen or J. Andrew Citizen, when appropriate).
4. Contact details for the corresponding author (Name, institution, telephone number, and email of the corresponding author).
5. Number of figures and tables (e.g., 1 figure, 0 tables; 2 figures; 1 table, 1 figure).

Your submission should include the following elements, in order: Title, Authors, Author Affiliations, ​Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Practical Applications, and References.  

Style: Extended abstracts should be written in first person using the active voice. Writing should be concise and direct. Avoid using unnecessary jargon and abbreviations, but use an acronym or abbreviation if it is more commonly recognized than the spelled-out version of a term. Formats of numbers and units and all other style matters should follow the APA 6th Edition specifications. Measurements of length, height, mass, and volume should be reported in metric units (m, kg). Only standard physiological abbreviations should be used because nonstandard abbreviations are unnecessary and confusing. Avoid abbreviations in the title. The full wording should precede the first use of an abbreviation e.g., cross-sectional area (CSA). 

Title: Titles should consist of 15 words or less. An effective title should convey the main topics of study, highlight the importance of the research, be concise and attract readers.

Author and Author Affiliations: Names should be written as John A. Smith or J. Adam Smith when applicable and affiliation specification thereafter (John A. Smith1). Author affiliations should include affiliation order, laboratory (if applicable), department, school name, city, state abbreviation, and country abbreviation (e.g., 1Center of Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education, Department of Sport, Exercise, Recreation, and Kinesiology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA

•  ​Important Authorship Guidelines: The abstract submission for Coaches College 2021 adheres to the criteria for authorship as outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors: Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for the content. Authorship credit should be based only on substantial contributions to:
  • a. Conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of data; and 
  • b. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and
  • c. Final approval of the version to be submitted and published in the conference proceedings.

Conditions a, b, and c must all be met. Individuals who do not meet the above criteria may be listed in an acknowledgments section on your poster.

Introduction: The Introduction should provide a succinct statement of the context or background of the study. The justification, practical importance of the study, and specific purpose or research objective should be clearly stated. Secondary objectives can also be presented. The purpose stated as a research question or objective is preferable to an explicit hypothesis. Only pertinent references should be cited, and data or conclusions from the work being reported should not be presented here.

Methods: The Methods section should be limited to material available at the time of the study design, whereas information obtained during the study should appear in the Results section. The Methods section should include a description of the design, subject information (including a statement that institutional review board approval was granted, in the spirit of the Helsinki Declaration), interventions, outcome measures, and statistical analyses. 

• Subjects--The study subjects or participants should be described in terms of number, sex, age, body mass, height (e.g., n=3 males [23±2yrs, 95±5kgs, 180±10cm]). All investigations with human subjects should conform to the Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki).
• Design--The experimental approach should be clearly stated (eg, randomized controlled study, case study, observational research), as well as the incorporation of control subjects, if appropriate.
• Methodology--The methodology, including facilities, equipment, instruments, and procedures, should be presented with sufficient detail to permit an independent researcher to repeat the study. References should be cited for established methods. Sufficient explanatory detail should be provided for new or unconventional methods.
• Statistical Analysis--Authors are encouraged to consult a statistician in the planning and analysis phases of the study. The experimental design and statistical methods should be clearly detailed. Sample variability should be reported with standard deviation and uncertainty (or precision) of estimates indicated using confidence limits or intervals. Magnitudes of effects can be shown and interpreted with established criteria. Reporting the clinical or practical significance in a sport setting will help readers determine the real-world value or application of the main findings. Results should be reported so the number of digits is scientifically relevant. Standard and nonstandard statistical terms, abbreviations, and symbols should be defined, and details of computer software provided.  

Results: The results should be presented in a logical sequence, giving the most important findings first and addressing the stated objectives. Do not duplicate results between the text and the figures or tables. Use graphs to summarize large amounts of information, and avoid creating large tables of numeric data. Avoid inappropriate use of statistical terms such as random, significant, normal, sample, and population.

Discussion: Authors should emphasize new and important findings of the study. Material from the Results section should not be repeated, nor new material introduced. The relevance of the findings in the context of existing literature or contemporary practice should be addressed. At the end of the discussion, only include conclusions supported by the study findings. The study’s limitations and generalizability should also be addressed and, where necessary, recommendations made for future research.

Practical Applications:  The practical applications portion is an important feature of the published abstract as it is relevant to the conference’s cohort of sport scientists and coaches. Authors should summarize how the findings could be useful for coaches and athletes and/or other researchers in sport physiology and sport performance. 

References: Reference count will be limited to 10 references. References must be cited according to APA 6th Edition specifications. Remove all DOI hyperlinks from your submission. 
​
Figures and Tables: Figures and Tables will be limited to 2 in total. Provide each figure and table with a brief caption or title that defines all abbreviations used within it. Figures and tables must be numbered and called out in the text in consecutive numerical order. Figures should be submitted and inserted into the text as a Microsoft Office Object or a format that is capable of being edited by a reviewer. Figures should be professional in appearance and have clean, crisp lines. Hand drawing and hand lettering are not acceptable. We no longer support colored figures or tables so bear in mind all articles should in grayscale/black and white format. When tabular material is necessary, it should not duplicate the text. Tables must be prepared using Microsoft Word’s table-building functions (Word Table Tool). Tables should be single-spaced and include brief titles in the heading and descriptions in the footnote section.  

Abstracts that have been accepted, revised, and approved will be presented in poster format during the Coaches College. All posters will be on display before and between scheduled speaking sessions. First authors are required to register for and attend Coaches College and stand by their poster to answer questions. Specific poster requirements are listed below. 

IMPORTANT: All poster presentations should be printed on one uniform poster sheet with dimensions not exceeding 42 × 84 in. (107 × 213 cm) (height × width).  Posters should not be on a backing board. Push pins will be available on site. At the conference, posters must be up by TBA. Poster judging and questions will take place during breaks. Primary authors are expected to stand with their posters during breaks. Poster abstract presentations must be consistent with the contents of the accepted abstract, and include the following sections: introduction, methods, results, discussion, and practical applications.

Helpful Poster Suggestions:
​Be aware that most people will view your poster from a slight distance, so use at least 18-point font.  In the event that you are temporarily unable to stand by your poster, be sure that the poster is able to stand alone and provide a coherent and straight forward story to the reader. Emphasize your most important points and avoid overwhelming the reader with too much detail.  Keep the content of your poster clear and accessible to both coach and scientist alike.

Tables & Figures: Keep tables and figures uncluttered and try to use strong visual contrast. Avoid using too many extraneous graphics (e.g. watermarks, pictures/graphics behind text, overzealous coloring) to ensure that the focus is on your content. 

As shown below, we suggest using a traditional poster design or a #betterposter design (both of which have been suggested for poster presentations by the National Strength and Conditioning Association).

​***The poster designs below are just EXAMPLES. Stick to the parts and order of your submitted abstract as specified above.***