IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC SELECTION CRITERIA IN YOUNG BALL SPORT PLAYERS

• Main Authors: József Márton Pucsok (Author), Gergely Ráthonyi (Author), Katalin Varga (Author), Gabriella Perényi (Author), Andrea Lenténé Puskás (Author), Zoltán Bács (Author), László Balogh (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: University of Debrecen, Institute of Sport Sciences, 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.36439/SHJS/2020/2/8595; 2676-9506
• Keywords: Sport physiology, performance analysis, ball-sports, talent identification; Sports; GV557-1198.995
• Source: Stadium, Vol 3, Iss 2 (2020)

Background: Our study aimed to analyze body composition and spiroergometric data of young (14-15 years) elite level ball sport players. We suggested three-ball sports (handball, soccer, and basketball) share common performance indicators, as rapid intermittent movements primarily characterize each ball sport. Methods: We selected one-hundred and ten, handball (n=30), basketball (n=40), and soccer (n=40) players male and female from local clubs in Hungary. Seventy-nine males and thirty-one females participated in our study; their average age was 14.51 and 14.56, respectively. They participated in laboratory testing; the protocol included a body composition analysis and spiroergometric tests. We measured body composition and physiological parameters utilizing an In Body 720 device and a standard Bruce treadmill protocol. Although we were aware of the Bruce protocol limitations in elite athletes, we choose this protocol as a safer alternative for younger inexperienced athletes. Results and conclusions: We concluded that in young male soccer and basketball players, mean peak /load (W), peak/VE (l), peak/Vtex (l), peak/VO2 (ml/min), peak/VCO2 (ml/min), and peak/ O2 pulse (ml) data is a reliable indicator of the sport-specific performance. We may also suggest that in our male basketball and handball players' population, peak/Vtex (l) is the only variable, which is significantly different. Between groups of male handball and soccer players, peak/VO2/kg (ml/min) may be a valid performance indicator. Among female basketball and handball players, we found a significant difference in three performance variables: peak/Vtex (l), peak/VO2 (ml/min), and peak/ O2 pulse (ml).