Purpose: Change of direction speed (CODS) and reactive agility (RAG) are important qual-ities in futsal, but studies rarely examined the predictors of these conditioning capacities in players of advanced level. This study aimed to evaluate predictive validity of certain an-thropometric and conditioning capacities in evaluation of futsal specific CODS and RAG in top-level players. Methods: The sample comprised 54 male players from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, members of teams competing at the highest national rank, including national champions for the 2017–2018 competitive season in both countries. The variables comprised set of pre-dictors (body mass, body height, triceps skinfold, reactive strength index [RSI], sprint 10 m [S10M], and broad jump [BJ]; and four criteria: futsal specific CODS and RAG, performed with and without dribbling (CODS_D, CODS_WD, RAG_D, RAG_WD). To identify the asso-ciation between variables Pearson’s correlation and multiple regressions were calculated. Results: Observed predictors explained statistically significant (p < 0.05) percentage of vari-ance for all four criteria (Rsq: 0.28, 0.30, 0.23 and 0.25, for CODS_WD, CODS_D, RAG_WD, RAG_D, respectively). Body mass was significant predictor for all criteria (Beta: 0.35–0.51), with poorer performances in heavier players. In both performances which involved dribbling, significant predictors was RSI (Beta: −0.27 and −0.31 for CODS_D and RAG_D, respective-ly), with superior performances in players with better RSI. The S10M and BJ were not identi-fied as being significantly correlated to studied RAG and CODS performances. Conclusion: Study confirmed specific influence of studied predictors of futsal specific CODS and RAG with consistent negative influence of body mass on studied performances. Almost certainly this can be explained by specifics of RAG and CODS execution. Specifically, tests are performed over relatively small distances, with several changes of direction, which clear-ly mimic the futsal specific performances. Although sprint performance is often observed as important determinant of CODS and RAG, herein we did not confirm its predictive validity in explanation of futsal specific CODS and RAG. Future studies should evaluate other poten-tially important predictors of these capacities in futsal.

The importance of physical activity, as one of the crucial resources for maintaining and improving physical health, was diminished during the Covid-19 pandemic. Except for the impact it has on physical health, physical activity may have various psychological benefits, especially during the development period of adolescence. The current findings of physical activity show that adolescents are more physically inactive during the pandemic than usual. Also, there are increasingly negative psychological outcomes in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to explore the levels of physical activity, negative affectivity, coping and preoccupation with the pandemic in an adolescent sample. The study involved 2409 adolescents (53.5% girls, 46.5% boys) from elementary and high schools aged 10 to 19. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was applied, and information about levels of physical activity, coping and preoccupation with pandemic and isolation measures were collected. Participants answered on a Likert-type scale. Findings of this research show that on average male adolescents are more likely to engage in physical activities than females. Also, a relation of physical inactivity distress and preoccupation was obtained for adolescent girls. No similar finding was found for males. However, very high physical activity (five or more times a week) was a protective factor for coping and preoccupation with coronavirus infection. The conclusion of this research indicates that levels of physical activity have a different effect on male and female adolescents during the Covid-19 pandemic. It can be concluded that female adolescents that are less physically active are more at risk of depression, anxiety and stress.

The aim of this article was to find out the views and attitudes of teachers of the fifth and sixth grades of elementary schools in Banská Bystrica on gymnastics. The research group consisted of total number of 25 physical and sport education teachers, 11 male and 14 females from eleven schools. We used our electronical questionnaire to find out the opinions of the teachers. We studied the opinions on teaching the gymnastics but also material equipment at elementary schools. In average we found out positive attitude of teachers toward gymnastics. The teachers consider the existing material equipment at elementary schools in Banská Bystrica to be suficient.

Purpose: The main aim of our research was to determine the internal load of goalkeepers in the soccer training process. The internal load of goalkeepers during the training process is examined according to the achieved values of heart rate. Our goal was to expand the knowl-edge of the impact of different methodical forms on the goalkeepers’ internal load in soccer, thereby support the possibilities of improving their training process. The assumption was that the goalkeepers would achieve significantly different heart rate values in different methodical forms. Methods: The research group was formed by six elite youth soccer goalkeepers (n=6) from U16, U17 and U19 categories. In order to evaluate the heart rate was used the POLAR PRO heart rate monitor and the loading zones of goalkeepers were determined by using a pro-gram called POLAR Team2. Subsequently, the obtained data were evaluated by using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test and Cohen´s „r “(effect size). Results: The average difference in HRavg during preparatory exercise and small-sided game was 25 ± 9 beats.min-1, and the average difference in HRmax was 35 ± 12 beats.min-1. During preparatory exercise achieved the goalkeepers’ value of HRavg 134 ± 8 beats.min-1 and in small-sided game was HRavg 159 ± 8 beats.min-1. In individual methodical forms were found significantly different average heart rate values (z = -2.201, p < 0.05, r = 0.9), which statisti-cally and logically confirmed our assumption. Conclusion: Monitoring of soccer goalkeepers´ internal load in the process of training and improvement of game activities can greatly help the coaches in further planning, optimiza-tion and tracking of the training process. Based on our research´s results is recommended to monitor and evaluate the internal load intensity of goalkeepers using sporttesters during entire training process.

Overweight and obese children often suffer for many physiological and psychological is-sues. Resistance training allows them to excel over their peers due to strength ability which is related to their somatotype. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an eight-week resistance training program on body composition in overweight and obese children. Study sample included 8 boys and 4 girls (age = 11.7 ± 1.54) who were involved in an eight-week strength specifically designed program consisted of two strength training unit per week. Resistance of exercise was set on 8‒10 RM. Body composition were measured by InBody 720 two times before and after the training intervention. The Wilcoxon matched pairs test was used. Results showed increase in total body weight (2.7%), lean body mass (2.5%) and fat mass (3.7%). This effect indicates that used resistance training program is suficient to lean body mass grow. Nevertheless, program proved to be inadequate to avoid an increase in fat mass. This could be caused by many factors which should be consider in further research (e.g. longer technique practice, diet, number of training units).