Motor coordination assessment of U13 soccer players

Abstract

Problem Statement: Athletes with the highest level of coordination training demonstrate the best efficiency of game activity (Boichuk, 2017). Technique training has had a combined effect of both conditional and coordinative physical capacities to improve the level of dexterity in sports (Demcenco, 2017; Massafret & Serrés, 2004). The KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder (KTK) has been a valuable instrument for evaluating gross motor coordination in children wing to its valid, reliable, low-cost, and useful characteristics, both for research and practice. Approach: This study aimed to determine the level of motor coordination (MC) in under- 13-year-old soccer players (U13) with KTK test and to analyze the results in points and total motor coefficient (TMco) compared to those of previous studies. Material and Methods:A quantitative study was performed using a correlational scope. First, 25 children from the Coofisam Soccer School in Tarqui, Colombia participated; age: 12.57 years ± 0.66, height: 1.49 m ± 0.07, body mass: 45.04 kg ± 10.09, and body mass index (BMI): 20.38 ± 3.20. A sample t-test was applied to compare the results with a Belgian study (Vandorpe et al., 2011). MC and BMI were related to Pearson's coefficient (r). Results: The TMco (289.76 ± 35.34) results corresponded with a record of 91 and a normal MC classification. The point score of theU13 soccer players (172.48 ± 31.56) differed significantly from that of Belgian children (226.05), t(24) = -8.48, p<.05, r = .86. A negative association was found between BMI and MC at points, r = -.415, p<.05 and TMco, r = -.485, p<.05.Conclusions:U13 soccer players have normal motor coordination of 72% and moderate motor disorder of 28%. The MC classification was lower compared to that for Belgian children, who present a good coordination classification. U13 soccer players with higher BMI showed a lower MC.