Selection of Talents in Handball: Anthropometric and Performance Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Anthropometric and physical performance parameters that determine competitive levels in handball need to be carefully studied to identify which of them can bring the optimal contribution when the talents for this sport are selected. Objective: To identify which anthropometric and physical performance variables evaluated in the basic categories (infantile, under-15 and cadet, under-17) have the greatest influence on professional levels attained by male and female handball players throughout their sports careers. Method: A total of 145 handball players (75 males and 70 females) participated in the study. Participants were initially evaluated during the season 1998-99 and their performance levels were supervised until March 2013. The resulting data were classified according to the performance level (regional n = 109; national n = 36), gender, and category (infantile, cadet). Results: The MANCOVA analysis indicated that the player's maturation stage is one of the main parameters to be accounted for when selecting the variables that should configure a talent detection model for handball, which is also conditioned by sex. Anthropometric variables are highly influential in the case of male players, while physical performance variables (squat jump, counter movement jump, counter movement jump with arm, 10x5m shuttle run, 20 m shuttle run, and VO 2 max) have a similar effect in males and females. Conclusion: The study of changes occurring in anthropometric and physical performance variables may yield useful information to detect talents in handball, and maturation is a key factor to choose the most appropriate variables.

Influence of Biological Maturation Status on Kinanthropometric Characteristics, Physical Fitness and Diet in Adolescent Male Handball Players

“…Regarding the kinanthropometric characteristics, these results are similar to those found in previous studies performed both in handball players [10,42,43] and in other sports [26,27,44,45]. In both cases, athletes with early biological maturation obtained higher values in kinanthropometric characteristics.…”

“…Additionally, on the other hand, the GH hormone influences height and sitting height, so it could also explain the higher values of early maturers in these variables [46]. Therefore, it seems that biological maturation influences kinanthropometric characteristics and that taking this variable into account could be a determining factor in the selection of future talents [10]. However, more research is still needed where the study population is handball players to contrast the results of the present investigation.…”

Body Composition and Fitness Profile of Polish Top U15 Male Handball Players: Talent Identification and Selection Model for Sport High Schools

“…By contrast, the WP's comparatively high CMJ scores seem to compensate for their significantly lower BH with well-developed vertical jumping ability. Previous studies have collected data from athletes of similar ages, (14 ± 2 years), in which the CMJ testing protocols were comparable (i.e., jumping techniques allowed for swing arms before take-off), and our sample of players jumped on average relatively higher than Spanish U16 national players (7) and elite Belgian cohorts from 2 separate studies (22,23).…”

“…However, to sustain the competitiveness of their national teams, many countries develop original TI programs (1,7,32) where anthropometric (1,17,18,29) and physiological characteristics (1,29), along with technical-tactical skill evaluations (10,15), are used as markers of young players' individual potential for future elite performance. National federations regularly and rigorously select athletes from their age-category pools for continuing centralized training programs (8,15,28,29) and official international championship events (20,22).…”

“…At the elite level, significant position-specific anthropometric (1,4,6,8,23) and fitness qualities (1,6,9,11,22) are required of TH players to execute advanced technical and tactical skills that directly impact performance's outcome (5,14,17,27). Talent identification (TI) paradigms in TH have been studied extensively (7,15,(18)(19)(20)22). Recently, questions have been raised about the validity and reliability of motor and physical tests in prepubescent populations (11,15,20), the effects of relative age and maturation on motor testing results (3,15,19,20,22,24), early position specialization (20), and predictors of achieving the elite playing status (18,20,24).…”