Int J Sports Med 2012; 33(07): 543-549
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1298000
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Contribution of Growth and Maturation in the Functional Capacity and Skill Performance of Male Adolescent Handball Players

S.P. J. Matthys
1   Ghent University, Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent, Belgium
,
R. Vaeyens
1   Ghent University, Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent, Belgium
,
M. J. Coelho-e-Silva
2   University of Coimbra, Faculdade de Ciências do desporto e Educação Física, Coimbra, Portugal
,
M. Lenoir
1   Ghent University, Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent, Belgium
,
R. Philippaerts
1   Ghent University, Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent, Belgium
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 18 November 2011

Publication Date:
04 May 2012 (online)

Abstract

The present study determined to what extent the variance in performance might be explained by chronological age, biological maturation, training load and anthropometry in 168 Belgian male handball players aged 14 years: anthropometric, strength, speed and sport-specific skills were assessed. MANOVA tested the effect of chronological age and biological maturity, whereas MANCOVA was used to compare maturity groups controlling for chronological age and training load. In addition, canonical correlation analysis was used between age, maturity-offset and anthropometry, on one side, and performance and sport-specific skills, on the other side. Results revealed significant differences between early, on-time and late maturity groups for anthropometry (p<0.001), strength (p<0.001) and sprint 20-m (p<0.05) in favour of the early maturing players. The difference between the mean values of the extreme groups for height was 24.8 cm, for weight 33.2 kg and, for body fat 6.5%; for handgrip 20.2 kg, for 5-jump test 1.1 m and for 20-m sprint 0.20 s. Maturity status had no effect on sport-specific skills. Canonical correlations indicated that poorer scores in sport-specific skills were related to fatness and lack of training. In parallel, a substantial relationship was found between early maturity-offset, body size, strength and 20-m sprint.

 
  • References

  • 1 Baxter-Jones ADG, Maffulli N, Mirwald RL. Does elite competition inhibit growth and delay maturation in some gymnasts? Probably not. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2003; 15: 373-382
  • 2 Beunen GP, Malina RM, Lefevre J, Claessens AL, Renson R, Simons J. Prediction of adult stature and noninvasive assessment of biological maturation. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997; 29: 225-230
  • 3 Bloomfield J, Ackland TR, Elliott BC. Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sport. Melbourne, VIC: Blackwell Scientific; 1994
  • 4 Chamari K, Chaouachi A, Hambli M, Kaouech F, Wisloff U, Castagna C. The five-jump test for distance as a field test to assess lower limb explosive power in soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2008; 22: 944-950
  • 5 Coelho e Silva MJ, Figueiredo AJ, Carvalho HM, Malina RM. Functional capacities and sport-specific skills of 14- to 15-year-old male basketball players. Eur J Sport Sci 2008; 8: 277-285
  • 6 Coelho e Silva MJ, Moreiro Carvalho H, Goncalves CE, Figueiredo AJ, Elferink-Gemser MT, Philippaerts RM, Malina RM. Growth, maturation, functional capacities and sport-specific skills in 12–13-year-old-basketball players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2010; 50: 174-181
  • 7 Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioural Sciences. Hillsdale NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988
  • 8 Council of Europe. Eurofit: Handbook for the EUROFIT Tests of Physical Fitness. Rome: Secretariat of the Committee for the Development of Sport within the Council of Europe; 1988
  • 9 Cumming SP, Eisenmann JC, Smoll FL, Smith RE, Malina RM. Body size and perceptions of coaching behaviors in female adolescent athletes. Psychol Sport Exerc 2006; 6: 693-705
  • 10 Figueiredo AJ, Goncalves CE, Coelho e Silva MJ, Malina RM. Youth soccer players, 11–14 years: maturity, size, function, skill and goal orientation. Ann Hum Biol 2009; 36: 60-73
  • 11 Figueiredo AJ, Goncalves CE, Coelho e Silva MJ, Malina RM. Characteristics of youth soccer players who drop out, persist or move up. J Sports Sci 2009; 27: 883-891
  • 12 Gorostiaga EM, Granados C, Ibanez J, Gonzalez-Badillo JJ, Izquierdo M. Effects of an entire season on physical fitness changes in elite male handball players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006; 38: 357-366
  • 13 Gorostiaga EM, Granados C, Ibanez J, Izquierdo M. Differences in physical fitness and throwing velocity among elite and amateur male handball players. Int J Sports Med 2005; 26: 225-232
  • 14 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Update – Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research. Int J Sports Med 2011; 32: 819-821
  • 15 Hirose N. Relationship among birth-month distribution, skeletal age and anthropometric characteristics in adolescent elite soccer players. J Sports Sci 2009; 27: 1159-1166
  • 16 Lefevre J, Beunen G, Steens G, Claessens A, Renson R. Motor performance during adolescence and age thirty as related to age at peak height velocity. Ann Hum Biol 1990; 17: 423-435
  • 17 Lidor R, Falk A, Arnon M, Cohen Y, Segal G, Lander Y. Measurement of talent in team handball: The questionable use of motor and physical tests. J Strength Cond Res 2005; 19: 318-325
  • 18 Lohman TG, Roche AF, Martorell R. Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual. Champaign IL: Human Kinetics; 1988
  • 19 Malina RM, Pena Reyes ME, Eisenmann JC, Horta L, Rodrigues J, Miller R. Height, mass and skeletal maturity of elite Portuguese soccer players aged 11–16 years. J Sports Sci 2000; 18: 685-693
  • 20 Malina RM, Eisenmann JC, Cumming SP, Ribeiro B, Aroso J. Maturity-associated variation in the growth and functional capacities of youth football (soccer) players 13–15 years. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004; 91: 555-562
  • 21 Malina RM, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O. Growth, Maturation and Physical Activity. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics; 2004
  • 22 Malina RM, Cumming SP, Kontos AP, Eisenmann JC, Ribeiro B, Aroso J. Maturity-associated variation in sport-specific skills of youth soccer players aged 13–15 years. J Sports Sci 2005; 23: 515-522
  • 23 Malina RM, Claessens AL, Van Aken K, Thomis M, Lefevre J, Philippaerts R, Beunen GP. Maturity-offset in gymnasts: Application of a predicted equation. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006; 38: 1342-1347
  • 24 Malina RM, Ribeiro B, Aroso J, Cumming SP. Characteristics of youth soccer players aged 13–15 years classified by skill level. Br J Sports Med 2007; 41: 290-295
  • 25 Malina RM, Pena Reyes ME, Figueiredo AJ, Coelho e Silva MJ, Horta L, Miller R, Chamorro M, Serratosa L, Morate F. Skeletal age in youth soccer players: implications for age verification. Clin J Sport Med 2010; 469-474
  • 26 Mirwald RL, Baxter-Jones ADG, Bailey DA, Beunen GP. An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002; 34: 689-694
  • 27 Mohamed H, Vaeyens R, Matthys S, Multael M, Lefevre J, Lenoir M, Philippaerts R. Anthropometric and performance measures for the development of a talent detection and identification model in youth handball. J Sports Sci 2009; 27: 257-266
  • 28 Pearson DT, Naughton GA, Torode M. Predictability of physiological testing and the role of maturation in talent identification for adolescent team sports. J Sci Med Sport 2006; 9: 277-287
  • 29 Philippaerts RM, Vaeyens R, Janssens M, Van Renterghem B, Matthys D, Craen R, Bourgois J, Vrijens J, Beunen G, Malina RM. The relationship between peak height velocity and physical performance in youth soccer players. J Sports Sci 2006; 24: 221-230
  • 30 Rannou F, Prioux J, Zouhal H, Gratas-Delamarche A, Delamarche P. Physiological profile of handball players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2001; 41: 349-353
  • 31 Sherar LB, Mirwald RL, Baxter-Jones ADG, Thomis M. Prediction of adult height using maturity-based cumulative height velocity curves. J Pediatr 2005; 147: 508-514
  • 32 Sherar LB, Baxter-Jones ADG, Faulkner RA, Russell KW. Do physical maturity and birth date predict talent in male youth ice hockey players?. J Sports Sci 2007; 25: 879-886
  • 33 Sherar LB, Cumming SP, Eisenmann JC, Baxter-Jones ADG, Malina RM. Adolescent biological maturity and physical activity: Biology meets behavior. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2010; 22: 332-349
  • 34 Skoufas D, Kotzaminidis C, Hatzikotoylas K, Bebetsos G, Patikas D. The relationship between anthropometric variables and the throwing performance in handball. J Hum Mov Stud 2003; 45: 469-484
  • 35 Wolstencroft E. Talent Identification and Development: An Academic Review. Edinburgh: Sportscotland; 2002
  • 36 Ziv G, Lidor R. Physical characteristics, physiological attributes, and on-court performances of handball players: A review. Eur J Sport Sci 2009; 9: 375-386