title: Factors discriminating gymnasts by competitive level.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between the performance level as evaluated by expert coaches and the results on a multidimensional test battery in female gymnastics. 4 coaches assigned 168 female gymnasts aged 6-8 years into 2 groups (Elite-level potential, n=103 and Sub-elite-level potential, n=65) based upon their technical evaluation of the gymnastics abilities on the 4 apparatus. Moreover, anthropometric, physical and coordinative characteristics were assessed. ANOVA with age as fixed factor revealed that results on all aforementioned characteristics, except body fat%, sit-and-reach, rope climbing and a motor coordination test, significantly improved with increasing age. MANCOVA with competitive level as fixed factor and age and maturity as covariates indicated that all gymnasts portrayed a similar athletic built (Wilks' lambda=0.95, F=2.20, p=0.071), but the elite-level potential gymnasts outperformed the less gifted gymnasts on all physical (Wilks' lambda=0.65, F=8.00, p<0.001) and coordinative variables (Wilks' lambda=0.79, F=22.10, p<0.001). Discriminant analysis revealed motor coordination to be the most important factor in discriminating between young female elite and sub-elite gymnasts. A test battery measuring multidimensional performance characteristics is valuable in addition to the coaches' technical judgment in the search of young gifted female gymnasts.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent, Belgium. barbara.vandorpe@UGent.be
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vandorpe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandendriessche
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaeyens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pion
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lefevre
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Philippaerts
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenoir
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D006173:Gymnastics; D006801:Humans; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*