DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN KINETICS AND SPORTS SCIENCE

Academic performance of students in universities has been associated with underlying problems, one of which is that of students’ stress. This study therefore aims to determine the influence of stress on the academic performance of undergraduates in University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. In order to carry out the task, four research questions were raised and one hypothesis formulated which was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study comprised 6576 undergraduates. The data was collected using simple random technique and a sample size of 380 undergraduate students from the eight (8) departments in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin city, was used for the study. The research instrument used for the study was a self-structured questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was subjected to scrutiny and the test-retest reliability technique was used to ascertain its reliability. The correlation coefficient computed was 0.82 indicating that the instrument was reliable. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and means, while chi-square statistics was used to test the hypothesis. Results revealed that undergraduate students of University of Benin were having stressed times in certain areas of their academic life such as: overall study habits, organizing time, listening and taking notes, writing test/examinations, financial concerns/hardships, campus environment, and course requirements. Majority (66.6%) of the respondents reported to have high stress levels while, the stress level for 18.9% of the respondents is moderate and for 14.5% of the respondents, it is low. The chi-square test carried out confirmed that there is a significant relationship between students’ stress levels and their academic performance in the University of Benin. In conclusion, students have to set priorities in light of their resources to avoid stressful situations. Recommendations were made that stress intervention programs be designed to address stress of University students. Coping strategies that deals with one's own thoughts and feelings can be facilitated by accessible professional and peer counselling, student support groups, and adequate course advising. Also, students themselves must develop effective study habits by giving appropriate time that must fulfil the demand of their course.

This study examined the influence of coaching styles on the performance of student-athletes at the University of Benin. The purpose was to identify the dominant coaching styles used by coaches and determine how these styles affect athletes’ performance, academic motivation, and overall development. The study also explored athletes’ perceptions of coaches’ leadership and communication, as well as challenges associated with applying coaching styles effectively. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population consisted of 204 student- athletes, from which 102 were selected using purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Data was collected using a validated and reliable self-structured questionnaire, with reliability confirmed through the test–retest method and Cronbach’s Alpha. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data. Findings showed that democratic and supportive coaching styles were the most dominant among coaches. Coaching styles were found to significantly influence athletic performance, confidence, discipline, and academic motivation. The study also identified challenges such as
inadequate resources, large team sizes, academic pressure, and limited institutional support. It was recommended that coaches receive continuous training on effective leadership and athlete-centered methods, and that the university strengthen its support systems to enhance coaching effectiveness and student-athlete performance.

This study investigated the relationship between digital health literacy and physical activity engagement among sports enthusiasts within the University of Benin community. A descriptive survey design was employed; with a sample of 100 sports enthusiasts’ selected using purposive sampling technique. A validated questionnaire was used to assess digital health literacy levels and physical activity engagement which was established by the researcher and validated by two experts in the field of Human Kinetics and Sports Science. The data analysis of respondents’ bio data was done using mean, standard deviations and Pearson Correlation used in the analysis of data and testing of hypothesis. ANCOVA Statistics on difference in the frequency or intensity of physical activity between sports enthusiasts with higher digital health literacy levels and lower digital health literacy levels was also used. Data analysis revealed that majority of the sports enthusiasts had a high level of digital health literacy, which positively affected their physical activity engagement. A significant relationship was found between digital health literacy and physical activity engagement. However, no significant difference was observed in the frequency or intensity of physical activity between sports
enthusiasts with higher digital health literacy levels and those with lower digital health literacy levels. The conclusion that was made from the result of the research is that majority of the UNIBEN sports enthusiasts had a high level of digital health literacy, thus positively affecting their physical activity engagement to a high extent. The study recommends enlightening sports enthusiasts on the advantages of physical activity engagement using digital health literacy and increasing the frequency and intensity of physical activity to benefit from its health outcomes

This study investigated the role of technology in enhancing sports event management at the University of Benin. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all 44,500 undergraduate students, with a sample of 381 students selected from three faculties using a multistage sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled "Technology and Sports Event Management Questionnaire (TSEM-Q)." The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically mean and standard deviation, to answer the research questions. The findings revealed that event management software significantly enhances the planning, coordination, and operational efficiency of sports events. Online registration platforms were found to reduce administrative stress, increase participation rates, and improve communication effectiveness. Furthermore, live streaming technology was shown to boost audience engagement, expand the global reach of university sports, and attract potential sponsors. Based on these findings, it was concluded that technology plays a crucial role in improving the management and delivery of sports events at the University of Benin. The study recommends the full integration of event management software, the adoption of online registration systems for all university sports events, and the strategic use of live streaming technology to maximize audience engagement and sponsorship opportunities.

This research examines the evolving mechanisms through which brands activate their sports sponsorships and evaluates the subsequent impact of these strategies on key marketing objectives: audience engagement and brand visibility. The study posits that the contemporary marketing landscape has rendered traditional, passive sponsorship characterized primarily by static logo placement ineffectual for achieving meaningful brand-consumer connections. Consequently, brands are increasingly adopting a more dynamic and integrated approach, deploying inventive, interactive tactics to maximize their investment. These tactics include, but are not limited to, digital and social media campaigns, strategic athlete partnerships, immersive fan experiences, and authentic community-focused initiatives. To gather empirical data, this study employed a survey methodology, distributing questionnaires to organizations actively engaged in sports sponsorship. The analysis of the collected data reveals a clear correlation between strategic activation and marketing success. Specifically, sponsorships that are meticulously planned and deliberately tailored to a target audience demonstrably enhance brand recognition and foster deeper, more resonant audience engagement. Nevertheless, the research also identifies significant persistent challenges that hinder optimal implementation. These obstacles include poorly defined campaign objectives, constraints imposed by limited budgets, a lack of authentic alignment between the brand and the sponsored event or property, and the ongoing difficulty of accurately measuring the return on investment (ROI) of sponsorship activities. In conclusion, the findings underscore a critical imperative for brands to transition from mere sponsorship to strategic activation. This necessitates an approach that is inherently more strategic, deeply audience-centric, and continuously innovative. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the indispensable need for robust evaluation frameworks, enabling brands to precisely track impact, demonstrate value, and refine future sponsorship strategies for sustained competitive advantage

This study investigated the Impact of Nutrition on Muscle Recovery and Performance of University of Benin Athletes. The study adopted the descriptive research design. The population of the study consists of 12o students athletes of the University of Benin. A survey was conducted among 36 participants, 9 football athletes, 6 basketball athletes, 6 volleyball athletes, 3 handball athletes, 6 athletics athletes, 3 swimming athletes and 3 hockey athletes. The sampling technique applied was the fish bowl method of the simple random sampling. The participants filled a self-structured questionnaire which was validated by experts in the department of Human Kinetics and Sports Science, and was the research instrument administered by the researcher. The data was analyzed using the using frequency percentage and the mean and standard deviation. The study was able to find out the Impact of Nutrition on muscle recovery in athletes, how nutritional status impact performance in various sports, the differences in the nutritional needs of male and female athletes. The study also found out that personalized nutrition plans enhance performance and improve injury and that hydration influences performance of athletes during training activities and competition. The study recommended therefore that athletes should pay attention to their nutritional needs to know what works best for them, athletes should incorporate meals such as sport snacks during trainings and competition to help in better performance and quick muscle recovery, athletes should be educated on what type of meals to take before, during and after training activities for quick muscle recovery and during competitions, water, energy drinks, sport water should be readily available for athletes during competition to keep them hydrated at all times during the period of the competition to reduce fatigue and enhance performa

Sports success is dependent primarily on genetic endowment in athletes with morphologic, psychologic, physiologic and metabolic traits specific to performance characteristics vital to their sport. Such genetically-endowed athletes must also receive optimal training to increase physical power, enhance mental strength, and provide a mechanical advantage. However, athletes often attempt to go beyond training and use substances and techniques, often referred to as ergogenics, in attempts to gain a competitive advantage. Pharmacological agents, such as anabolic steroids and amphetamines, have been used in the past, but such practices by athletes have led to the establishment of anti-doping legislation and effective testing protocols to help deter their use. Thus, many athletes have turned to various dietary strategies, including the use of various dietary supplements (sports supplements), which they presume to be effective, safe and legal.

In the absence of medical examinations, the change in behaviour and attitude may only be considered a possible way to the prevention of HIV/AIDS prevalence. The basic purpose of this study was to ascertain the knowledge and perception of HIV/AIDS risk behaviours among undergraduate students of the University of Benin, Benin city, Edo state. The study adopted the survey research design with a sample of one hundred undergraduate students that were randomly selected. Data was collected
with standardized instrument of questionnaire and was analyzed using percentage. Five research questions were raised to guide this study. Results of the study revealed that there is a high level of awareness on HIV/AIDS amongst students of the University of Benin. A proportion of the respondents still engage in risky acts like sharing of blades and clippers, risky sexual acts like Oral and anal sex. The study also reveal that the students were more informed about HIV/AIDS through billboards, posters and hand bills. It was recommended among others that more enlightenment campaigns should be organized on campus using the two-way
strategic approach (Inter-personal communication and the use of mass media). It was also suggested that sex education should be included in the curriculum of Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This study evaluated the need for effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in Edo State. It sought to determine the level of recognition of tourism development policies; benefits accruable from sustainable tourism
on stakeholders; the role of government in sustainable tourism; role of other stakeholders in sustainable tourism, and the issues affecting implementation of sustainable tourism policies. To guide the study, five (5) research questions were raised. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was made up of 100 staffs of the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism comprising departments as Policy Department, Partnership Department, Regulation and Standard
Department, Planning and Research Department, Human Resources and Admin (Finance and Account, Procurement), Edo Art Council Department. A sample size of 100 staffs of the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism comprises the entire population, thus, making a census population. The instrument for the study was a self-constructed questionnaire titled “Evaluating The Need For Effective Policies As A Panacea For Sustainable Hospitality And Tourism Industry Questionnaire (ENEPPSHTIQ)”. The
instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and two other experts in the Department of Human Kinetics and Sports Science, Faculty of Education, University of Benin. Cronbach Alpha statistics was used to establish the internal consistency of the
items. The reliability of index of 0.89 for the instrument was obtained. Data were analysed using percentages, mean and standard deviation. The findings showed that majority of the tourism staff indicated that there was moderate level of tourism recognition in development policies. There are several benefits of sustainable tourism on stakeholders. The government have a role to play in tourism sustenance in the state. The stakeholders have a role to play in sustainable tourism. There are issues affecting the implementation of sustainable tourism policies. It was concluded that measures should be taken to raise the recognition and public awareness of tourism in line with sound sustainable development policies. Government and other stakeholders should play their expected roles in sustaining tourism so that its inherent benefits can be felt by all and its negative effects on implementation eradicated. It was therefore recommended that government should formulate workable policies that could see to the effective collaboration of public private sector partnership and the implementation of sustainable tourism development.

This study investigated the influence of mental toughness as correlates of athletic performance among student athletes in the University of Benin, Benin City. The study adopted a correlation research design. Four research questions were raised and four
hypotheses were formulated. The population for this study consisted 243 student-athletes currently enrolled at the University of Benin. The sample size of this study is 121 student athletes. The multiple sampling procedure was used to select student athletes. The research instrument for the study was a structured questionnaire made up of two sections, section A and section B. To establish the validity of the instrument, it underwent a rigorous review process by experts in the field of sports psychology in the department of human kinetics and sports science of the University of Benin . Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used with multiple regression analysis to analyze the hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of this research revealed that athletes with higher mental toughness tend to better than others with lower mental toughness. Concentration was also found to improve sports performance among student athletes of the University of Benin. Athletes who are self confident in
their skills and abilities tend to perform better than others who do not posses self confidence. Mental toughness was also found to increase sports performance irrespective of gender. In conclusion, this research has provided valuable insights into the relationship between mental toughness and athletic performance among student athletes of the University of Benin. The
results support the idea that enhancing mental toughness can lead to improved sports viii performance. Concentration and self- confidence were also found to be critical factors in the performance of student athletes. The research design, which employed a correlation approach, allowed for the examination of these relationships. Recommendations were made for coaches, athletes, and sports authorities that mental toughness training should be incorporated into the regular training programme of student athletes. These programs can help athletes develop the mental skills required to enhance their performance. Concentration and Self-Confidence Workshops should be provided to athletes with opportunities to attend workshops and psychology sessions focusing on concentration and self-confidence. These sessions can assist in strengthening these crucial aspects of mental toughness. Future research can explore additional psychological factors and their impact on athletic performance. Such as motivation, resilience and emotional control, investigating the effectiveness of various mental toughness training methods would also be beneficial.