Baker, Joseph2018-11-212018-11-212018-07-122018-11-21http://hdl.handle.net/10315/35505The balance between training stress and recovery is essential in the pursuit of athletic performance; however, characteristics of recovery use among experts have been understudied. This thesis explored deliberate recovery in athletes by examining the relationship between expertise and sleep, a biologically necessary form of recovery. Over a 14-day period, 43 athletes recorded their sleep quantity, quality, and training load. A follow-up questionnaire assessed sleep chronotype and categorized athletes into three skill groups. Elite and pre-elite athletes reported sleeping significantly longer than non-elite athletes, starting significantly earlier in the night. In contrast, elite athletes reported significantly worse sleep quality than both pre- and non-elite athletes, with several possible explanations proposed for this deficit. Results indicate that sleep plays a greater role with higher-skilled athletes, supporting the idea of a differential use of recovery according to athlete expertise and encouraging further replication and exploration of the concept of deliberate recovery.enAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.KinesiologyElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2018-11-21ExpertiseSportSkillAthlete developmentSleepRecoveryDeliberate practiceDeliberate recovery