The value of a non-sport-specific motor test battery in predicting performance in young female gymnasts

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 497 - 505
• Main Authors: Vandorpe, Barbara, Vandendriessche, Joric B., Vaeyens, Roel, Pion, Johan, Lefevre, Johan, Philippaerts, Renaat M., Lenoir, Matthieu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.03.2012; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Anthropometry; Athletic Performance; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Competitive Behavior; expert judgement; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gymnastics; Humans; Identification; Judgment; longitudinal study; Measurement; Motor ability; motor coordination; Motor Skills; Physical Examination - methods; Physical Fitness; physical tests; Talent identification; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Human; expert judgement; Coordination; Physical performance; Anthropometry; Expert; Aptitude test; longitudinal study; Athlete; Motor control; Talent identification; Sport; physical tests; Body movement; Female; motor coordination; Gymnastics
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2012.654399

Gymnastics talent identification focuses on the identification of young gymnasts who display characteristics for potential success in the future. The aim of this study was to identify which current performance characteristics are related to performance in competition 2 years later. Twenty-three female gymnasts aged 7-8 years completed a multidimensional test battery measuring anthropometric, physical, and coordinative characteristics and were technically evaluated by expert coaches. Two years later, the all-around competition results of those gymnasts now participating in elite (n = 12) and sub-elite (n = 11) competition were obtained. None of the initial measurements significantly correlated with the results of the sub-elite gymnasts 2 years later. For the elite gymnasts, a non-sport-specific motor test battery correlated strongly with the competition result, with more than 40% of the variation in competition performance being explained by the result on that test 2 years earlier. Neither the coaches' judgement nor the anthropometric and physical characteristics were sensitive enough to predict performance. A motor coordination test might be valuable in the early identification of gymnasts, as its discriminative and predictive qualities might be sufficiently powerful for selection within a relatively homogeneous population of gymnasts exhibiting similar anthropometric and physical profiles.