[Anthropometrical profile of Brazilian junior volleyball players for different sports requirement levels].
OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed at investigating the anthropometrics characteristics of male Brazilian junior volleyball players, organised into 3 sports requirement groups: high qualification (HQ) formed by the national team, middle qualification (MQ) formed by athletes playing in the Brazilian national championships and low qualification (LQ) formed by players at school level.


METHODS
101 athletes were observed, HQ (n=16), MQ (n=68) and LQ (n=17), aged 16.7 ± 0.5; 16.6 ± 0.5 and 16.2 ± 0.7 years, respectively. There following were evaluated: body mass, height, standing reach height, % body fat and Heath & Carter somatotype. The statistical analysis was descriptive and inferential, the Kruskal Wallis test being used for detecting differences between groups (p<0.05 significance) and Spearman correlation coefficient for establishing association between anthropometric characteristics and requirement levels, considering p<0,05 e p<0.01 to be significant and highly significant, respectively.


RESULTS
Significant differences (p<0.05) were detected between athlete groups for body mass, height, standing reach height and ectomorphy. A "strong" correlation for height and "regular" correlation for standing reach height, body mass and ectomorphy were observed, according to players' height or classification.


CONCLUSIONS
The results gave normative data for athletes which will allow coaches and physical instructors to use such information during training as a sports' selection instrument for young talented volleyball players.
Centro Universitario de Barra Mansa, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. cltf5@yahoo.com.br
Cláudio
C
Fonseca-Toledo
Paula
P
Roquetti
José
J
Fernandes-Filho
D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance; D001824:Body Constitution; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013008:Somatotypes; D054798:Volleyball