Associations among physical performance tests and their predictive value for selection and playing time : a quantitative study of Icelandic female youth national basketball players (2018-2023)

Abstract

Körfubolti er íþrótt sem einkennist af mikilli ákefð með hléum á milli. Líkamlegar kröfur hennar krefja leikmenn um að viðhalda miklum styrk, hraða og þoli – þætti sem geta haft bein áhrif á bæði frammistöðu og spilatíma. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar var að kanna tengsl milli afkastagetu í líkamlegum prófum við bæði val í yngri landslið og spilatíma hjá íslenskum körfuknattleikskonum í undir 15, undir 16 og undir 18 ára landsliðshópum. Gögnum var safnað frá mælingum á U15, U16 og U18 ára leikmönnum. Mælingar voru framkvæmdar til að mæla þol, snerpu, hraða, kraft og líkamssamsetningu þeirra. Þær framkvæmdu líkamleg próf eins og 15 metra sprett, snerpu T-próf (e. Agility T-test), móthreyfingarstökk (e. Countermovement Jump), sitjandi medicine bolta kast (e. Seated Medicine Ball Throw) og Yoyo Intermittent Recovery próf. Meðalsterk fylgni fannst á milli ákveðinna frammistöðubreytna, sérstaklega hraða, snerpu og spilatíma. Engin ein stök líkamleg breyta gat spáð marktækt fyrir um val eða spilatíma í öllum aldurshópum. Niðurstöður þessarar rannsóknar sýna að líkamleg geta í frammistöðumælingum skiptir máli við mat og val á körfuknattleikskonum í lokahópa landsliða, en er aðeins hluti af stærri mynd sem einnig felur í sér tæknilega, taktíska og sálfræðilega þætti. Niðurstöðurnar styðja við heildræna nálgun og mati á þróun leikmanna í afreks körfubolta ungmenna.

Basketball is a high-intensity intermittent sport and its physical demands require players to maintain high levels of strength, speed and endurance - factors that can directly influence both performance and playing time. The study’s focus was to examine whether physical performance test results (speed, agility, power, endurance, and anthropometry) are associated with player selection and playing time among female youth basketball players in Iceland.Data was collected from U15, U16 and U18 Icelandic female national team players. They performed tests to evaluate their speed, endurance, agility, power and anthropometry status. Physical tests included Anthropometrics, 15 Meter Sprints, Agility T-test, Countermovement and Abalakov jump, Seated Medicine Ball Throw and Yoyo Intermittent Recovery Test. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were used to examine associations between physical test results, selection status and actual playing minutes during national competition. Moderate correlations were observed between certain performance variables such as speed and agility and playing time. However, no single physical metric consistently predicted selection or playing time across all groups. While physical performance is an important component of selection and playing time, it is likely only one piece of broader evaluation process that includes technical, tactical and psychological factors. These findings support a holistic approach to player assessment in youth elite basketball.