The aim was to establish differences in morphological characteristics of 48 selected female younger cadet (U14) handball players (age 13.88±0.46 years) in the playing positions of wings, backs and pivots. The sample of variables embraced 24 morphological measures defining the already established four latent body dimensions. Univariate ANOVA revealed the significant global differences among the three groups of U14 players in 11 morphological measures. Between the backs and pivots no significant differences were established. The greatest differences between the pivots and wings were established in body height, leg length, arm length, ankle breadth, body weight and calf circumference (p<.01). The greatest differences between the wings and backs were established in four variables: body height, arm length, knee breadth and ankle breadth (p<.01). We endorse the interpretation that specificities of technical-tactical activities executed by backs and pivots in attack repose in the background of the established differences, that is, backs and pivots are exposed to more body contacts in attack in which they must overcome defenders’ resistance. In the sample of the Croatian U14 female handballers apparently no somatotypic component prevailed. However, a slightly larger contribution of endomorph component was perceived in the pivots’ body composition, which was in line with the general results of the entire age group. In U14 backs both the endomorph and mesomorph component were pronounced equally, whereas all the three components were of even values in the wings

The aim of the study was to analyze positional differences in anthropometric characteristics of 48 Croatian selected female handball juniors (average age 18.43 years) who played in three positions: backs (B; n=19), wings (W; n=7) and pivots (P; n=6). Twenty-four anthropometric measures, defining the four latent morphological dimensions, were used. Globally, significant differences were revealed by means of ANOVA in 11 morphological measures (7 at p≤.01 and 4 at p≤.05) between the three groups of female juniors with no significant differences in longitudinal dimensions. Only one significant positional difference was found between pivots and backs (in the lower leg skinfold in favour of pivots suggesting a higher body fat percentage. Between wings and pivots no significant differences were found in longitudinal body dimensions; however, the measures of skeletal transversality, voluminosity and partially of fatty tissue (two variables) corroborated the fundamental difference between these two positions: pivotsʼ body built was more robust. No significant differences were found in longitudinal and almost all transversal measures between backs and wings; however, the differences in body voluminosity (all in favour of backs) were probably due to the selection process. In the juniorsʼ somatotype (3.72‒3.49‒2.32), endomorph and mesomorph components were predominant over the ectomorph component, in which the lowest values were obtained from the players in all the three positions. It is of outmost importance that handball practitioners should work on the reduction of players’ percentage of subcutaneous fatty tissue and on the enhancement of the portion of active muscle mass in their body composition by the implementation of quality sports training programmes and changes in dietary habits if better game performance and sports achievements of the Croatian junior female handball players are expected.

Osnovni cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi koliko se često mladi rukometaši i rukometašice susreću s negativnim stereotipima prema sportašicama. Osim spomenutoga, ispitali smo razlikuju li se sportašice koje su u različitom stupnju izložene negativnim stereotipima u doživljaju rodne neravnopravnosti koja se očituje u nejednakim uvjetima treniranja i nejednakom načinu vrednovanja sportskih postignuća mladića i djevojaka koji treniraju u njihovom sportskom klubu. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 522 rukometaša/ica (289 mladića i 233 djevojaka) čiji se raspon dobi kretao od 14 do 17 godina (M=14,75; SD=0,96). Prema dobivenim rezultatima, s negativnim se stereotipima prema sportašicama i/ili sportu u kojem sudjeluju djevojke susrelo 94,5% mladića i 95,6% djevojaka. Mlade su sportašice češće izložene stavu prema kojem sport nije aktivnost namijenjena djevojkama (U=28188,00, p<0,05), odnosno stavu koji podrazumijeva da sport u kojem sudjeluju žene nije atraktivan (U=28111,00, p<0,05). Djevojke koje se češće susreću s negativnim stereotipima prema sportašicama statistički značajno češće navode da sportaši i sportašice u njihovom klubu ne treniraju u jednakim uvjetima (U=3551,000, p<0,001) te da se njihovi sportski uspjesi ne vrednuju na isti način (U=3353,500, p<0,001). Dobiveni rezultati upućuju na potrebu za poduzimanjem mjera s ciljem suzbijanja negativnih stereotipa prema sportašicama te omogućavanja jednakih uvjeta treniranja i vrednovanja sportskih rezultata sportaša i sportašica.

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of sexual harassment perpetrated by coaches in youth sports activities and to examine the association of those experiences with depression, anxiety, and stress in later life. Study participants were young men and women (n = 501; Mage = 20,86, SD = 1,81) who participated in sports before they turned 18 years old. The results showed that 25 % of participants experienced some form of sexual harassment by coaches while they were minors. Participants who had this kind of experience obtained higher results on depression, anxiety, and stress scales. The results indicate the need to undertake measures aimed at preventing and stopping sexual harassment in youth sport.