Despite many studies presenting that a high number of adult athletes start exercise in sub-optimal hydration state, limited data concerning hydration levels in athletic youth exists. This study aimed ...to identify the hydration status of young athletes of different sports during a typical training. Sixty-nine young men athletes from different sports (swimming, judo, basketball, football) voluntarily participated in the study (age: 13.7±1.7 years, experience: 4.8±2.0 years). Measurements were carried out before and immediately after training. Data collection took place at the same time of the day. All athletes trained for about 90 minutes and they consumed fluids ad libitum during their training. Pre-training urine measurement revealed that 58.2% of the athletes started training in dehydrated state (USG≥1.020). Besides, 63.3% of the athletes completed the training in also dehydrated state with USG values ≥ 1.020 and urine colour between 4-6. Mean body weight loss during the training was -0.26±0.40. This study concluded that the prevalence of dehydration in young athletes is high according to USG and urine colour values. Great number of the athletes arrived at training in dehydrated state and dehydrated even more during training despite access to fluids. Some educational programs and measures for optimal hydration in young athletes should be taken into consideration.
Study purpose. In sports, just like in everyday life, motivation plays an important role in achieving individual goals. Motivation is an individual’s decision to engage in certain activities and make ...various efforts to do so. Sports require a continuous, constant effort from individuals, so it is even more important here that the athlete has the necessary motivation. Without motivation, it is not possible to do sports at a high level in the long term. The aim of the study was to examine the sports motivation factors of handball players in the Hungarian junior classes. Handball is one of the most popular sports in Hungary. As a result, it can be said that, from the point of view of the long-term success of the sport, it is essential to know the factors that motivate youth athletes.
Materials and methods. We collected the data required for the research using a questionnaire. The research took place in the fall of 2022, with 190 youth athletes interviewed. During our research, we established that internal and external motivational factors are equally important for Hungarian youth handball players.
Results. With statistical calculations, we show a significant relationship between the athletes’ motivation and the joy caused by sports, the avoidance of disappointment caused to the environment due to the cessation of sports, and the sports results achieved.
Conclusions. The results of the study will be a useful resource for those interested in the sport of handball, to better consider the motivational factors that help to understand the motivation of young athletes and which are important in order to consistently provide a high level of performance.
Niering, M and Muehlbauer, T. Changes after a conventional vs. an alternative therapy program on physical, psychological and injury-related parameters in male youth soccer players with patellar ...tendinopathy during return to competition. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2022-Changes after a conventional (CON) vs. alternative (ALT) therapy program on physical, psychological, and injury-related or pain-related parameters in soccer players with patellar tendinopathy (PT) during return to competition were examined. Thirty-four male youth soccer players (15-16 years) with PT were randomly assigned to a CON (n = 18) or ALT (n = 16) program. The ALT program consisted of 60 minutes of balance training, eccentric and isometric exercises, static stretching, and a dual-task progression. The CON program consisted of 30 minutes of eccentric and isometric exercises and static stretching. Both programs were conducted until painlessness was reported during full training load. Assessments of muscle power (drop jump, jump and reach), change of direction speed (CODS) (acyclic sprint), speed (tapping, 30-m linear sprint), endurance (Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level-1), the Achievement Motives Scale Sport, and injury-related or pain-related correlates were performed immediately, 6 weeks, 16 weeks, and 20 weeks after the respective therapy program. Players in the ALT group required a shorter program duration (ALT: 47.1 ± 15.6 days, CON: 58.2 ± 24.6 days) and achieved the same (muscle power, speed, endurance) or greater (CODS) improvements in physical performances, the same enhancements in psychological measures (achievement motives), and better values for injury-related or pain-related correlates (injury incidence, pain-related training interruptions). Results indicate that both programs effectively improve relevant outcome parameters in players with PT. The ALT therapy is more time efficient than the CON therapy. Therapists should consider this multimodal training program for effective treatment of athletes to shorten their return to competition time and minimize the risk of secondary injuries.
Purpose Assessing the development of skills that ensure personal mental toughness in adolescence is important because adolescents’ increasing autonomy and socialisation during adolescence inevitably ...create the conditions for an increasing number of external stressors to emerge. Paradoxically, adolescents’ confidence in their ability to cope with external stressors decreases during adolescence, which may lead to poorer sports performance in adolescent athletes. This study aimed to determine and analyse mental toughness skills in the cadet and junior age groups of young basketball players. Another aim was to reveal how general (total) mental toughness and age predict each athletic mental toughness skill. Methods This study surveyed 378 young basketball players using a two-stage cluster sampling approach. The Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ48) was chosen to assess general mental toughness skills. The Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A) was chosen to assess athletic mental toughness skills. Results The study’s results revealed that players in the junior age group scored significantly higher on challenge (p < 0.001; d = –0.41), commitment (p < 0.001; d = –0.65), emotional control (p < 0.001; d = –0.76), life control (p = 0.02; d = –0.26), overall control (p < 0.001; d = –0.64), self-confidence in one’s abilities (p < 0.001; d = –0.73), self-confidence in interpersonal interactions (p < 0.001; d = –0.50), overall self-confidence (p < 0.001; d = –0.73), total mental toughness (MTQ-48) (p < 0.001; d = –0.78), determination (p < 0.001; d = –0.47) and visualisation (p < 0.001; d = –0.81). Significant correlations (r ranges from 0.12 to 0.37) were found between mental toughness skills and age groups for all scales mentioned above, except positive cognition and self-belief. Total mental toughness strongly predicted athletic mental toughness skills, but age did not predict determination and self-belief skills. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that promoting mental toughness can lead to improved athletic mental toughness indicators, emphasising its relevance for coaches, trainers, and sports psychologists in enhancing athletes’ development and performance.
Parents are one of the main social agents that shape young athletes' experiences and participation in sports, but they are also the least explored group in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of ...this study was to conduct a systematic review of research on the role of parents in the motivation of young athletes.
The systematic literature review consisted of four electronic databases from which 29 articles published in English and in full-text form in peer-reviewed journals between 1999 and 2023 were retrieved.
A total of 29 studies met the eligibility criteria. These studies collectively surveyed 9,185 young athlete participants and 2,191 parent participants. The sample comprised 26 quantitative studies and 3 qualitative studies. The findings underscore that parents play both unique and synergistic multidimensional roles in motivating young athletes. Parents' positive goals and values, autonomy-supportive parenting styles, moderate parental involvement, positive parent-child relationships, and a parent-initiated task climate are identified as optimal parenting strategies.
While parents undeniably play a crucial role in motivating young athletes, the manner and extent of their involvement are key.
Background Futsal demands lower limb power, repeated sprint ability, and technical prowess. Furthermore, anthropometric characteristics have been shown to influence physical capacities and sports ...performance and, thus, should be assessed alongside physical fitness levels to maximize performance. Methods This study aimed to investigate the potential correlations between anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness levels among young Portuguese male futsal players and to compare these attributes across two distinct age groups. Twenty-one male athletes from two age groups (Under-18: N=14 - 16.1 ± 0.6 years old; Under-15: N=7 - 13.7 ± 0.6 years old) were recruited to take part in this investigation. Anthropometric characteristics body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were assessed, and participants performed three performance tasks (20-meter sprint, vertical and horizontal jump). Results Statistically significant differences regarding body weight (p=0.005), height (p=0.011), and hip circumference (p=0.036) were observed between age groups (Under-18 and Under-15), but no differences were found regarding performance tasks (all p≥0.736). Conclusion After analyzing the entire sample, BMI was found to be inversely correlated with horizontal (r=-0.51; p=0.03) and vertical (r=-0.64; p<0.001) jump performance, and waist-to-hip ratio was positively correlated with 20-meter sprint performance (r=0.70; p<0.001). These indicate a correlation between a higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratio with lower physical fitness levels.
Introduction: Previous literature suggests that good nutrition knowledge does not necessarily translate into desired eating behaviours among adolescent athletes, which may affect their sports ...performance. The purposes of the study were twofold, which were to examine nutrition knowledge and practice between the sexes, and to evaluate the magnitude of relationship between nutrition knowledge and practice among adolescent handball athletes in Malaysia. Methods: Three hundred and twelve male and female adolescent handball players competing in a national level competition voluntarily participated in this study. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire which consisted of items on their demographic information and about their nutrition knowledge and eating practices. Independent t-test and Pearson’s correlation were used to compare nutrition knowledge and practice between the sexes and to describe the relationship between variables, respectively. Results: The results showed that there were no significant differences (p>0.05) observed for nutrition knowledge and practice between the sexes. Besides, the results demonstrated that nutrition knowledge had a significant but weak positive correlation with eating habit (r=0.114, p=0.003) among the athletes. Conclusion: This study showed that nutrition knowledge and practice were moderately adequate, and that knowledge does not necessarily translate into good dietary practices. Therefore, the athletes would benefit from a comprehensive and innovative nutrition education, a strategy which warrants further investigation.
Purpose: to determine the most significant kinematic indicators in the sports selection of beginner shot putters.
Material and Methods: This study was carried out on a sample of 9 students at the ...fourth stage of the competition in Division 1, which took place in the 2017/2018 academic year at the Faculty of Physical Education of Maysan University. The following kinematic (biomechanical) parameters were analyzed: the angle of release of the nucleus, the velocity of release, the height of the point of ejection of the nucleus and the speed of swing. The correlation coefficients were determined between the kinematic indicators and the result in the shot put, as well as the regression equation for the dependence of the result in the shot put on the knematic indicators. The data obtained in the study were presented in the form of the arithmetic mean, standard deviation, median, skewness coefficient, Pearson's correlation coefficient, analysis of variance and linear regression, which included the contribution coefficients of each analyzed indicator, standard error, reliability of the regression equation as a whole, and reliability of the coefficients contribution to the shot put result of each kinematic exponent.
Results. It has been shown that the swing speed has the greatest influence on the result in the shot put among beginner athletes. The swing speed, shot angle, shot speed and shot height have significant relationships with the shot put result. The multiple regression equation for the dependence of the shot put result on the swing speed, shot angle, shot height and shot point turned out to be reliable in general. However, only the swing speed has a reliable coefficient of the regression equation. The shot angle tends to be the determining factor in the shot put result. The release rate and the height of the release point have significant correlations with the shot put result, although in the regression equation they have unreliable indicators of influence on the shot put result.
Conclusions. When teaching beginner shot putters, the greatest attention should be paid to the pushing swing technique, namely the swing speed. The second most important indicator is the angle of the shot put, it is recommended to use the basic prediction equation, which determines the expected results in the selection of young athletes in shot put, with high reliability of the results obtained. These characteristics are recommended to be used for evaluating young athletes, as well as in the process of training and preparing athletes for competitions.
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