INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN SELECTION, SPORT PERFOR‹ MANCE, BODY SIZE AND COMPOSITION IN ADOLESCENT HANDBALL PLAYERS

Abstract

In this study it was investigated whether there is any difference in body size
factors of young teenage sportsmen with the same age but with different levels
of athletic performance based on their selection. We conducted our research by
examining three groups of adolescent handball players: group 1: players from
Székesfehérvár sport clubs (NB1/B division) (N=54), group 2: athletes taking
part in the Sport XXI Program with those who have been performing well in
different sport occasions (N=60) and the group 3: players from the Héraklész
Program (N=69). Thus, regarding sport performance efficiency, athletes be-
longing to clubs were set as baseline level (group 1), while the sporting success
performed by the Héraklész Program were considered as highest level (group
3). Twenty one body size parameters as selection profile was computed for
each group based on the 2nd National Growth Study protocol. By means of
determined values of factor analysis the influence of selections levels on body
size factors were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance.
It was found that the height of handball players in Székesfehérvár sport
clubs (group 1) corresponded to the reference value of general growth test.
Width dimensions were over the normal range, the sizes of circumferences
and skinfolds were located around the 75th percentile. The longitude, width
and circumference parameters of boys in the 2nd group were larger than those
of averaged reference ranges. With the exception of longitude data, which
were higher, the profile of the Héraklész Program athletes tended towards
the profile of boys in the 2nd group. This proves that height bears significant
importance as key factor in the selection for excellent performance. By means
of factor analysis three distinctive factors were identified (muscle, fat and
bone). The level of selection significantly affected all these three factors in the
course of the common factor analysis, albeit it had the biggest impact on the
muscle factor.
The results demonstrated that in puberty the ever higher young boys get
selected by sport pickers. The multiple selection did not significantly change
the size profile except for the body height dimension. The different body
sizes of the club athletes might be related to structural heterogeneity of
the individuals. The selections primarily affected the muscle factor most
regarding body size parameters. The larger longitude and circumference siz-
es have primary impact on selection the young boys with better physical
endurance for the handball sport competiton.