Can Perceptuo-Motor Skills Assessment Outcomes in Young Table Tennis Players (7–11 years) Predict Future Competition Participation and Performance? An Observational Prospective Study

Abstract

Forecasting future performance in youth table tennis players based on current performance is complex due to, among other things, differences between youth players in growth, development, maturity, context and table tennis experience. Talent development programmes might benefit from an assessment of underlying perceptuo-motor skills for table tennis, which is hypothesized to determine the players’ potential concerning the perceptuo-motor domain. The Dutch perceptuo-motor skills assessment intends to measure the perceptuo-motor potential for table tennis in youth players by assessing the underlying skills crucial for developing technical and tactical qualities. Untrained perceptuo-motor tasks are used as these are suggested to represent a player’s future potential better than specific sport skills themselves as the latter depend on exposure to the sport itself. This study evaluated the value of the perceptuo-motor skills assessment for a talent developmental programme by evaluating its predictive validity for competition participation and performance in 48 young table tennis players (7–11 years). Players were tested on their perceptuo-motor skills once during a regional talent day, and the subsequent competition results were recorded half-yearly over a period of 2.5 years. Logistic regression analysis showed that test scores did not predict future competition participation (p >0.05). Yet, the Generalized Estimating Equations analysis, including the test items ‘aiming at target’, ‘throwing a ball’, and ‘eye-hand coordination’ in the best fitting model, revealed that the outcomes of the perceptuo-motor skills assessment were significant predictors for future competition results (R2 = 51%). Since the test age influences the perceptuo-motor skills assessment’s outcome, another multivariable model was proposed including test age as a covariate (R2 = 53%). This evaluation demonstrates promising prospects for the perceptuo-motor skills assessment to be included in a talent development programme. Future studies are needed to clarify the predictive value in a larger sample of youth competition players over a longer period in time.

The relationships between gross motor coordination and sport-specific skills in adolescent non-athletes

“…Despite the differences between study designs, it can be considered that this finding is in line with the results of previous researches [14][15][16][17]19]. However, our outcomes indicated that the degree of motor coordination accounted only for 23% of the variance in the performance on volleyspecific skills.…”

“…Because of the paucity of investigations about the topic, it is difficult to compare our results with other studies. While the degree of motor coordination seems to be an important predictor of motor performance in different sports [12][13][14][15][16][17][18], little is known about this relationship in volleyball. Specifically in volleyball, Pion et al [19] found that high-level young female players had better motor coordination compared with their average-level peers.…”

“…In addition, the relationship has also been investigated between the degree of motor coordination and performance in different sports [11], such as tennis [12,13], table tennis [14], soccer [15], gymnastic [16,17], judo [18], and volleyball [19]. Overall, these findings have suggested that the degree of motor coordination is an important predictor of sports performance in youth athletes.…”

Determinants for table tennis performance in elite Scottish youth players using a multidimensional approach: A pilot study

“…Moreover, in order to undergo the volume and intensity of training necessary, expert performers must possess various psychological qualities related to motivation, mental toughness, self-regulation, and emotional regulation (Jonker, Elferink-Gemser, & Visscher, 2010;Chu, Chen, Chen, Huang, & Hung, 2012;Lopez & Santelices, 2012). These psychological variables were selected, because they are likely to help junior players to develop into elite players at senior level (Faber, 2016;Gucciardi, Hanton, Gordon, Mallett, & Temby, 2015). Junior table tennis players are confronted with a series of demands during their career and their competitive season such as a demanding training schedule or intense competitive environment (Martinent, Decret, Guillet-Descas, & Isoard-Gautheur, 2014).…”

Are Physical Education Lessons Suitable for Sport Talent Identification? A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…Concerning participants' grade level, studies were conducted at all educational levels. However, the majority focused on primary education (3) [43,47,49], followed by secondary education (2) [45,48], and preschool (1) [42]. Only two studies were conducted with PE teachers [20,44].…”