Relations among Motor Abilities and Skills in Handball

Igor Gruic

Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Horvacanski zavoj 15, Zagreb, Croatia

Keywords: Handball, Technique, Knowledge, Physical Preparedness, Evaluation.

Abstract: The objective of the research was to determine the relationship between motor abilities and levels of

acquisition of certain specific motor skills. On 80 students / adults who participated, with average (X

±SD)

age of x=19 years, mass of 76±3.5 kg,179±4.7 cm tall, standard tests for the assessment of anthropometric

characteristics, basic and specific motor abilities, and motor skills in performing different handball techniques

were assessed. Statistically significant relations between abilities and skills were determined, especially

among the speed, precision and technique of performing the shooting techniques in handball.

1 INTRODUCTION

Techniques, motor skills, motor stereotypes, kinetic

chains, biomechanically optimized spatial-time

variables and parameters are verbal constructs that in

their essence/definition - and due to their inextricable

correlation - are intertwined with certain definitions

of motor abilities. It should be respected in standard

planning procedures, programming and control of the

teaching&training process. An integrative approach

to training certain abilities and knowledge is a

prerequisite for shaping algorithms with clearly

defined procedures for achieving set goals.

According to Gruić, 2014, and Gruić and Vrbik,

2018, “knowledge, abilities, morphology etc., are

organized trough function, form & content, and by

understanding allometry (McMahon, 1984) and

method of partializations (Milas, 2009) power of

insight in practical research and applications may be

improved (Gruić, 2015)”.

Main objective of the research was to define the

relationship of certain anthropological

characteristics, mainly between the level of

development of certain motor abilities and levels of

acquisition of certain specific motor skills.

2 METHODS

The sample of entities for the purposes of this research

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6680-8940

was sampled from the final population of students of

the first year of studies at the Faculty of Kinesiology,

University of Zagreb (n = 171) in the academic

2008/2009. Finally, in all aspects of the experimental

set, 80 students / adults participated, with average

±SD) age of x=19 years, mass of 76±3.5 kg and

being 179±4.7 cm tall, whose health status did not

differ from satisfactory.

Sample of variables was comprised of batteries of

standard tests for the assessment of anthropometric

characteristics, basic and specific motor abilities, and

motor skills in performing different techniques of

handball (table 1).

Data processing. Basic and specific motor abilities

were measured by professional staff at Diagnostic

Centre within Institute of Kinesiology, UniZg.

Efficacy of performance of 9 specific handball motor

skills were assessed by 6 experts in the field of top-

level sports and education (Table 2.). The precision is

defined by a hit in one of the 9 segments of the goal -

3 points for the upper left and upper right corners, 2

points for the left and right lower corners, 0 for the

central segment, the goal post and the miss, and 1

point for the lower central, upper central, middle left

and middle right segment of goal. The flight velocity

of the thrown ball has been measured by a radar

(STALKER radar; applied Concepts, Inc.; 2609

Technology Drive, Plano, TX, 75074, U.S.A)

For all variables in the sample, basic parameters

of descriptive statistics with basic measures of central

Gruic, I.

Relations among Motor Abilities and Skills in Handball.

DOI: 10.5220/0008548402510256

In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Sport Sciences Research and Technology Support (icSPORTS 2019), pages 251-256

ISBN: 978-989-758-383-4

251

tendency, dispersion parameters and measures of

curvature and asymmetry were determined.

Normality of distribution of results in variables was

tested with K-S test. Pearson’s correlation coefficient

was used to analyse the relationship among expert

assessments of performed specific motor skills

(handball knowledge). Metric properties of existing

standardized and newly constructed measuring

instruments and expert system for evaluating the

elements of handball techniques were analysed and

interpreted through central and dispersion parameters

of variables, measures of asymmetry and

elongation/flatness. Cronbach α was used as a

measure of reliability, and to assess the homogeneity

average correlation among the particles was used.

The contributions of individual final grades of

motor abilities to performance of certain elements of

handball technique were analysed by regression

analysis. Non-parametric statistical methods were

used to analyse all the results in the observed

variables that were not normally distributed -

Spearman's rank correlation was used to determine

the correlation between accuracy, speed and

evaluated performance of shooting,

Data processing was conducted in statistical

package Statistica 5.0.

Table 1: Sample of variables – basic and specific abilities and handball techniques.

No NAME Test ID OBJECT OF MEASUREMENT

BASIC MOTOR ABILITIES

1 20m running (s) – cells (5,10m) (s) MESP20M Power – explosive strength of sprinting

2 Bosc 3 - 5 feet jumps -t.platform (index) MESRSn Power – explosive strength of jumping

3 Bosc max (arms swing)-t.platform (cm) MESMAX Power – explosive strength of jumping

4 Sit-ups in 60 seconds – repetitions MRSSPT6 Dynamic repetitive-relative strength

5 Hold in back extension (s) MSSEL Static strength

6 Bench press- 70% TT (repetitions) MRSSBP7 Dynamic repetitive-relative strength

7 Lateral steps (s) MAGKUS Agility

8 20 yards (s) MAG20Y Agility

9 Shoulder rotation test with a stick (cm) MFLIP Flexibility

10 Straddle (V) sit forward bent (cm) MFLPRR Flexibility

SPECIFIC MOTOR ABILITIES AND SKILLS

11 Stance shot -radar 6m (km/h) MESBL2 Specific throwing explosive power

12 Jump-shot - radar 9m (km/h) MESBL4 Specific throwing explosive power

13 20m dribbling (10m, 5m) (s) MESPV20M Power – explosive strength of sprinting

14 dribbling the ball – VL (grade) VL technique

15 catching and passing the ball in a motion(grade) HDK technique

16 basic stance shot(grade) OU technique

17 shots from backcourt attacking positions(grade) SS technique

18 shots from left wing (grade) LK technique

19 shots from right wing(grade) DK technique

20 shots from pivot position with rolling(grade) KN technique

21 single feint to the left with a pass to the right(grade) FLD technique

22 single feint to the right with a pass to the left with a "coating"(grade) FDL technique

23 Ball velocity after basic shot (km/h) OU_BR velocity

24 Ball velocity after jump shot from backcourt att. position (km/h) SS_BR velocity

25 Ball velocity after jump shot from left wing (km/h) LK_BR velocity

26 Ball velocity after jump shot from right wing (km/h) DK_BR velocity

27 Ball velocity after jump shot from pivot (km/h) KN_BR velocity

28 basic shot precision (points) OU_PR precision

29 jump shot precision from backcourt att. position (points) SS_PR precision

30 jump shot precision from left wing(points) LK_PR precision

31 jump shot precision from right wing(points) DK_PR precision

32 jump shot precision from right wing(points) DK_PR precision

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Table 2: Example of the evaluation criteria of the level of knowledge required for performance of jump-shooting (Gruić and

Vrbik, 2018., adjusted from Gruić, 2011).

Poin

Element Code Jump Sho

from bac

court attacking position

0 Ball control

No ball control (dropping the ball during performance

–

no points fo

subject on any basis)

0/1 Position/posture S

The throw performed during flight phase (opposite shoulder and hip are at least are little in front

of the shutting arm)

0/1 All Phases F All phases performed (start-up, take-off, flight, shot, controlled landing)

0/1 Gross coordination GK

Correct performance – gross coordination (if the element is performed by the game rules)

(efficiency, rhythmical cohesion, vertically directed jump, movement amplitude)

0/1 Fine coordination FK

Correct performance – fine coordination (trunk rotation over 45 °, circular arm swing,

successive activation: hip – shoulder – elbow – wrist; ball thrown with elbow above shoulder

height - without pushing the ball)

0/1

Performance

strength/speed

S/B

Performance strength/speed

(using all of one´s capacities ore performing slower/ weaker than 70% of assessed maximum)

0/1

Situational

efficiency/utilization

SIT Situational efficiency (is the performance applicable in the real game/situation with peers)

Table 3: Descriptive parameters of motor abilities, skills and handball knowledge (initial; †liminal K-S d/p).

N X

- Mean Min Max Range SD X

-Skew X

- Kurt

M5 79 1.59 1.23 1.75 0.42 0.09 -0.48 1.03

M20V 79 3.82 2.59 4.42 1.83 0.23 -1.32 8.85

MAGKUS 79 7.88 6.79 9.71 2.92 0.47 0.90 2.37

MAG20Y 79 4.76 4.33 5.75 1.43 0.23 1.36 4.49

MESRS 79 117.67 69.80 152.55 82.75 13.03 -0.06 2.07

MESMAX 79 53.23 39.60 65.27 25.67 5.67 -0.24 -0.32

RADAR6 79 67.25 50.10 86.07 35.97 7.21 0.22 0.13

RADARSS 79 73.41 57.53 91.87 34.33 6.11 -0.20 0.62

MRSPT6 79 57.32 10.00 75.00 65.00 8.84 -1.85 9.29

MPRSBP7 79 15.77 3.00 36.00 33.00 8.03 0.47 -0.55

MSSEL 79 113.78 50.00 241.00 191.00 36.46 1.31 2.71

MFLIP 79 85.51 15.00 114.33 99.33 17.31 -1.16 3.30

MFLPRR 79 70.14 40.00 99.67 59.67 12.55 0.13 -0.06

VL 80 2.37 0.00 5.50 5.50 1.19 -0.12 0.09

HDK 80 2.06 0.00 6.00 6.00 1.26 0.69 0.67

OU 80 2.73 0.00 6.00 6.00 1.13 0.14 0.64

SS 80 2.57 0.00 4.80 4.80 1.13 -0.53 0.32

LK† 80 2.27 0.00 5.00 5.00 0.82 0.28 0.93

DK 80 1.87 0.00 4.20 4.20 0.80 0.44 0.08

KN 80 2.41 0.40 5.00 4.60 1.00 -0.31 -0.22

FLD 80 1.85 0.00 4.00 4.00 0.87 -0.13 -0.10

FDL† 80 1.62 0.00 5.40 5.40 1.06 1.18 1.40

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results in all variables assessing basic and specific

abilities and skills were normally distributed (in

standard use with appropriate reliability and

homogeneity for different populations and samples).

Liminal K-S d/p values for LK and FLD in initial

measuring point were determined. Variables covering

precision (variables with extensions:’_PR’) were not

normally distributed, therefore in later analyses

Spearman correlations were used. The total average

reliability measured by Cronbach's α for all analysed

specific handball knowledge (VL-FDL) is 0.89 (0.86-

0.90). The average homogeneity measure estimated

by the average correlation between the particles for

all analysed knowledge is 0.71 (0.67-0.75). It should

be noticed that handball knowledge was assessed

three times in order to determine reliability and

homogeneity for heterogeneous youth sportive and

student population after ending secondary school and

included in university graduate kinesiology

programme. Two measurements of specific

knowledge were used for purposes of this research –

at start and at the end of teaching&training program.

Relations among Motor Abilities and Skills in Handball

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Table 4: Descriptive parameters for precision, ball velocity, and grades for shooting techniques (final).

N X

- Mean Min Max Range SD X

-Skew

- Kurt

OU 80 4.32 1.40 6.00 4.60 0.95 -0.08 -0.12

SS 80 4.28 2.80 6.00 3.20 0.90 0.34 -0.84

LK 80 4.36 1.40 6.00 4.60 0.96 -0.38 0.55

DK 80 3.69 1.20 6.00 4.80 1.14 -0.31 -0.52

KN 80 4.72 2.00 6.00 4.00 0.93 -0.73 0.08

OU_BR 78 75.47 31.90 89.80 57.90 8.48 -1.84 8.21

SS_BR 78 74.10 59.70 91.50 31.80 5.81 -0.15 0.41

LK_BR 78 67.41 54.40 79.70 25.30 5.89 -0.27 -0.48

DK_BR 74 61.80 42.30 75.40 33.10 7.03 -0.31 -0.35

KN_BR 74 62.05 41.70 79.80 38.10 7.34 -0.12 0.25

OU_PR 76 0.78 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.83 0.59 -0.86

SS_PR 78 1.00 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.95 0.46 -0.91

LK_PR 78 0.71 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.81 0.90 0.05

DK_PR 74 0.82 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.97 0.92 -0.24

KN_PR 74 1.09 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.95 0.29 -1.03

Table 5: Relations among basic and specific motor abilities and specific handball knowledge (summary and partial

contributions; †liminal K-S d/p).

Summary VL HDK OU SS LK† DK KN FLD FDL†

R 0.59 0.66 0.64 0.64 0.55 0.53 0.54 0.56 0.61

0.34 0.44 0.41 0.42 0.30 0.29 0.29 0.32 0.37

Adj R

0.21 0.32 0.29 0.30 0.16 0.14 0.15 0.18 0.24

F(13,63) 2.54 3.77 3.41 3.51 2.09 1.94 2.00 2.25 2.86

p <0.01

<0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.03 <0.04 <0.04 <0.02 <0.001

Std.Err.ofEst 1.04 0.90 0.81 0.75 0.89 1.05 0.85 0.91 0.99

Parc(beta) VL HDK OU SS LK DK KN FLD FDL

M5 0.01 0.18* 0.10 0.05 0.20* -0.03 0.03 0.02 0.03

M20V -0.02 -0.19* 0.00 -0.03 0.13 0.00 -0.10 -0.19 -0.06

MAGKUS -0.05 0.00 -0.15 -0.18 -0.12 -0.38** 0.03 -0.30** -0.26**

MAG20Y -0.28** -0.21* 0.00 -0.08 -0.28** -0.06 -0.27** -0.08 0.01

MESRS -0.05 0.12 0.17 0.08 0.05 0.02 0.04 0.11 0.09

MESMAX -0.03 -0.01 0.12 -0.02 0.09 -0.06 0.05 -0.03 0.16

RADAR6 0.50** 0.27* 0.39** 0.01 0.25 0.18 0.56** 0.23 0.47**

RADARSS -0.11 0.04 0.10 0.37** 0.03 0.04 -0.30* -0.12 -0.18

MRSPT6 0.07 0.07 -0.01 -0.16 -0.05 0.00 -0.04 -0.06 -0.04

MPRSBP7 -0.02 -0.14 -0.04 -0.28** -0.12 -0.30** -0.05 -0.23* -0.19

MSSEL 0.06 0.25** 0.21** 0.22** 0.00 -0.01 -0.13 0.07 0.09

MFLIP 0.26** 0.05 0.08 -0.02 0.18 -0.01 0.09 -0.05 0.05

MFLPRR -0.11 0.13 -0.20 0.05 0.24 -0.02 0.11 -0.06 -0.08

Notice: Statistically significant contribution at level p<**0.05; * 0.10

A series of regression analyses analysed the impact /

contribution of basic and specific motor skills in

explaining the total of the estimated levels of

performance of specific handball motor skills,

dribbling, catching and passing the ball, shooting

techniques from different positions, and feinting. The

correlation of the predictor set of variables and

individual knowledge as the criterion variables (Table

5) is described by multiple correlation ranges from

0.53 to 0.66, respectively, and the coefficients of

determination determine their common variability

ranging from 29% to 44%. F values are at degrees of

freedom df1 = 13, df2 = 63, statistically significant at

the conclusion level to p <0.05. Among 13 predictor

variables, with different individual contributions,

those variables that have the most significant partial

contributions to the explanation of individual criteria

should be separated are:

(1) RADAR6, for dribbling the ball (VL), basic shot

(OU), jump shot from the pivot position (KN) and

feint to the right with pass to the left (FDL) (with

certain reserves for HDK), then

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Table 6: Relationship between grades of performance, ball velocity and precision of the shot (Spearman rank correlation, n =

74, *0.05).

velocity OU_br 0.33* SS_br 0.11 LK_br 0.37* DK_br 0.13 KN_br 0.33*

grade

OU 0.55* 0.21 0.55* -0.03 0.52* 0.24* 0.52* -0.02 0.32* 0,02

SS 0.44* 0.34* 0.37* -0.19 0.41* -0.04 0.40* 0.05 0.28* 0,05

0.37* 0.24* 0.41* -0.08 0.33* 0.13 0.34* -0.02 0.22* 0,21

0.36* 0.26* 0.19 -0.11 0.31* 0.07 0.30* -0.14 0.19 0,11

KN 0.25* 0.02 0.16 -0.12 0.23* 0.14 0.31* -0.08 0.25* 0,31*

precision 0.33* OU_pr 0.11 SS_pr 0.37* LK_pr 0.13 DK_pr 0.33* KN_pr

(2) MAGKUS, in particular for the feinting

techniques (FLD, FDL) (but also the right-wing

shooting technique, DK),

(3) MAG20Y, for techniques of dribbling the ball

(VL), left wing shot (LK) and pivot position shot

(KN) (with certain reserves and for catching and

passing the ball technique, HDK),

(4) MSSEL for catching and passing the ball in

movement (HDK), stance shot (OU) and jump

shot from backcourt shooting positions (SS), and

(5) MPRSBP7 for jump shots from backcourt

shooting positions (SS) and right-wing position

shots (DK) (with certain reserves in feint to left

with passing to right FLD)

After initial representations of less and more

significant variables, other techniques of selecting

relevant explanatory variables, beside stepwise

regression methods, should be introduced

(Bonferroni corrections). Many regressions by

definition bring a lot of significant parameter

estimates at the 5% level even if there is no

relationship. Some of the F-values are very close to

the critical value in case of the regressions. If not

considered to be inclusive set of variables usually

used to cover whole physical preparedness of team

handball players, this experimental setup would be

limitation of the study (multiple comparisons

problem), together with certain heterogeneity of

sample, and structure of their previous and

extracurricular (often sportive club related) activity.

Further, there is the existence of certain

statistically significant correlations (Table 6) between

the speed, precision and technique of performing the

shooting technique. Spearman's rank correlation was

used because the results in precision by the default

scoring system were not distributed according to

normal distribution.

4 CONCLUSIONS

There is a statistically significant general and partial

contribution of results in variables for the assessment

of basic and specific motor abilities to the level of

performed specific motor skills.

Building architecture of understanding relations

among anthropometry, basic and specific motor

abilities and skills represents a precondition for

controllable, realistic perspective planning of

success, both competitively and with regard to

injuries prevention.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Research was partially conducted under research

project “Diagnostic procedures for the assessment of

fitness status in handball” funded by Croatian

Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (ID: 034-

0000000-2614).

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