EXAMINATION OF THE DISTINCTIVE CONDITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MALE HANDBALL PLAYERS

Abstract

Talent identification, development, and successful transition to elite performance are key components of youth training in team sports. While physical attributes have traditionally dominated selection processes, increasing attention is now given to psychological and pedagogical factors as well. The aim of our study was to explore the conditional, anthropometric, and motivational characteristics that differentiate selected (elite) and non-selected (non-elite) male youth handball players. A total of 42 athletes participated in the study. Physical and motor performance were assessed using the official testing protocol of the national handball federation, while motivation was measured with the Hungarian Sport Motivation Scale (H-SMS). Data analysis was performed using discriminant analysis. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in several key physical parameters (e.g., back squat, height, body weight, bench press), as well as in forms of intrinsic motivation (cognitive and affective regulation), with elite players showing superior performance in both domains. In conclusion, both physical and psychological characteristics play a critical role in predicting success in youth handball. Our results underline the importance of incorporating motivational profiling into talent identification and training processes. These findings may support coaches and sports professionals in designing more effective development strategies and improving the quality of youth handball training.