"Who's Got Talent?" Change of Direction, Anthropometric Characteristics and Maturity Offset Differences Between Elite and Sub-Elite Young Soccer Player.

Agility, anthropometrics and maturity-offset have been considered fundamental for talent identification in soccer. The aim of this study is to compare 83 young soccer players (U12) from elite (28) and sub-elite (55) teams, to investigate the influences of anthropometric characteristics and maturation on Change-of-Direction (CoD) with the ball (dribbling) and without the ball. ANCOVA was run to investigate potential differences in Agility T-Test and Shuttle Dribble Test between categories while simultaneously controlling for the effects of anthropometric variables such as Peak Height Velocity (PHV), Weight, and Height.

No Impact of Anthropometric and Fitness Factors on Speed-Agility in Young Soccer Players: Is It a Cognitive Influence?

Purpose: Agility in young soccer players has long been associated with physical attributes like strength, speed, and power. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between cognitive factors and agility performance in this unique population.

Methods: 39 young soccer players age 13.

Is change of direction influenced by motor competencies? A possible response from a MOBAK-based study in Italian schoolchildren.

Background: Change of direction (COD) ability requires higher motor control capacity and helps children improve individual motor skills. Likewise, basic motor competencies (BMC) are relevant during child maturation and may interleave with COD ability. This study aimed to investigate the possible individual determinants between the COD ability and the BMC, cognitive skills, and anthropometrics characteristics in Italian primary school children aged 6 to 11.

Gross motor coordination in relation to weight status: a longitudinal study in children and pre-adolescents.

Introduction: Gross Motor Coordination (GMC) is crucial for the adequate development of motor competence. Our purpose in this semi-longitudinal study was to evaluate the influence of BMI on GMC in children and pre-adolescents of both sexes, across school years (classes).

Methods: We evaluated 117 subjects (aged 8-13 years) belonging to three different cohorts for 4 consecutive years, providing data over 6 years (classes).

Effects of sports experience on children's gross motor coordination level.

Background: Gross motor coordination (GMC) development could be influenced by age, gender, weight status, geographical area, living setting, home environment, socio-economic status, sports practice.

Purpose: To verify whether practicing sports and practicing different sports could influence children's GMC level.

Methods: A total of 295 children aged 8-11 years were involved in the study and divided into 5 groups in relation to the sport they practiced: gymnastics group ( = 67; 51F, 16M), cycling group ( = 64; 15F, 49M), athletics group ( = 47; 22F, 25M), swimming group ( = 35; 20F, 15M), control group ( = 82; 42F, 40M).

Motor Skills and Executive Functions in Pediatric Patients with Down Syndrome: A Challenge for Tailoring Physical Activity Interventions.

Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common chromosomal disorders. In addition to this variety of dysmorphic features. DS is also associated with a wide range of diseases and related comorbidities affecting different organs and systems.

Do maturation, anthropometrics and leg muscle qualities influence repeated change of direction performance in adolescent boys and girls?

The ability to change direction rapidly is a key fitness quality especially in invasive sports where young players perform approximately 300 changes of direction in a game. There is currently limited understanding of how anthropometric characteristics and maturation status influence change of direction ability in adolescent. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation is to assess the influence of anthropometrics and maturation status on change of direction ability in young people.

Physical fitness trend after COVID-19 restrictions in Italian school-aged children: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Physical fitness (PF) is a marker of health in children. Muscular strength and speed-agility PF components play a crucial role in musculoskeletal development and bone health. The outbreaks of COVID-19 pandemic changed the daily and sports activities in younger increasing sedentary habits with a detrimental effect on PF.

Are anthropometric characteristics powerful markers to predict the Cooper Run Test? Actual Caucasian data.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a powerful marker of cardiovascular health, especially in youth. Several field tests can provide accurate measurement of CRF, the Cooper Run Test (CRT) is generally preferred by physical education (PE) teachers and trainers. The CRT performance in adolescents has been compared to reference distance values, gender and age but the differences among the anthropometric characteristics of youth has not been evaluated.

Trends in means and distributional characteristics of cardiorespiratory endurance performance for Italian children (1984-2010).

Cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE) is an important health marker. The aim of this study was to examine temporal trends of CRE performance for Italian children between 1984 and 2010. Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, 5303 CRE test results were available for 2520 children aged 11-13 years from a single Northern Italian middle-high school between 1984 and 2010.

Self-Perceived Physical Level and Fitness Performance in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients show a higher risk of developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases due to the presence of systemic low-grade chronic inflammation. Exercise can improve cardiovascular fitness and modulate the inflammatory processes. We evaluated the physical activity (PA) level and the fitness performance of children and adolescents with IBD.

Gross motor coordination and their relationship with body mass and physical activity level during growth in Children aged 8-11 years old: a longitudinal and allometric approach.

Background: Gross motor coordination (GMC) is fundamental to the harmonious development of physical skills during the growth of children. This research aimed to explore the developmental changes in GMC during childhood, having controlled for the differences in children's body size and shape using a longitudinal, allometric scaling methodology.

Methods: A total of 104 children from North-East Italy of third-fourth- and fifth-grade students and each participant were tested for three consequently years.

The Role of Crowd Support on Home Advantage during COVID-19 Restrictions on Italian Football Competitions. Comparison between 2018-19 and 2020-21 Seasons of the Italian Serie A and Serie B Championships.

The home advantage (HA) affects football competitions, especially due to the presence of crowd support. Even though several studies demonstrated that HA (which is influenced by the crowd) decreased in recent years, the empty stadia caused by COVID-19 restrictions offered unique situations to explore and quantify HA. For this reason, we aimed to assess HA in two seasons of the major Italian Championships.

Influence of Geographical Area and Living Setting on Children's Weight Status, Motor Coordination, and Physical Activity.

This study was aimed (i) to examine the effect of living setting (rural vs. urban), geographical area (North vs. Center vs.

Gross Motor Coordination: We Have a Problem! A Study With the Körperkoordinations Test für Kinder in Youth (6-13 Years).

The main goal of our cross-sectional research was to determine the current values of gross motor coordination (GMC) of Italian boys and girls between 6 and 13 years of age. Secondary goals were to study gender differences, and the four subtests trend with ages. Results were compared with the references proposed by KTK authors and with similar searches.

"Fitness and Fatness" in Children and Adolescents: An Italian Cross-Sectional Study.

Children with obesity tend to have lower level of physical activity compared to non-obese peers. In fact, sedentary behaviors are prevalent in obese children causing difficulties to perform motor tasks and engaging in sport activities. This, in turn, has direct repercussions on adiposity and related comorbidities.

Interrelationship Between Age, Gender, and Weight Status on Motor Coordination in Italian Children and Early Adolescents Aged 6-13 Years Old.

Although numerous evidences reported a negative correlation between motor coordination (MC) and overweight/obesity in children and adolescents, the interrelationship between age, gender, and weight status is still debatable. Hence, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between MC and weight status according to age and gender across childhood and early adolescence in a large sample of Italian elementary and middle school students. A number of 1961 Italian school students (1,026 boys, 935 girls) was stratified in three consecutive age groups (6-7, 8-10, and 11-13 years) and four weight status categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) according to Cole's body mass index (BMI) cut-off points for children.

Screening Youth Soccer Players by Means of Cognitive Function and Agility Testing.

Talent identification in sports is a heavily debated topic. Previous studies have separately explored either executive functions or gross motor skills to predict the success of top-level soccer players or, more generally, to characterize elite performance in soccer. However, at mid-childhood, the possibility to scope sport-specific requirements remains elusive.

Speed agility trends in children according to growth.

Background: Speed agility is considered as the whole assessment of speed of movement, agility and coordination. The 10x4m test has been broadly used to evaluate physical fitness and overall health in children of developmental ages. A myriad of studies have investigated the ecology of speed agility (SA).

Allometric association between physical fitness test results, body size/shape, biological maturity, and time spent playing sports in adolescents.

Regular participation in strength and conditioning activities positively correlates with health-related benefits in sports (team and individual). Maturity offset (MO) is a recognized parameter in fitness outcome assessment. The aims of the present study are to analyze cross-sectional allometric development of motor performances in a sample of adolescents and relate scaled motor performance to the estimated amount and type of physical activity and biological maturity status in 771 subjects aged 14-19 years.

Italian Physical Fitness Decline: A True Fact or a Mindset? A 10-Year Observational Perspective Study.

Evidence regarding a putative physical fitness decline remains less well documented for Italian children and adolescents. An update review of data collection articles was undertaken concerning motor performances (power, strength, speed-agility and indirect cardiorespiratory fitness) of children and adolescents worldwide and compared with 2859 11-12-year-old Italian students of both sexes, throughout a ten-year observational period. Lower limb explosive strength (standing broad jump), flexibility (sit-and-reach), endurance (Cooper) and speed (SP-30) performances of sixth grade Italian students showed nearly stable trends, with no differences during the observed decade, in both sexes.

Enjoyment and self-reported physical competence according to Body Mass Index: international study in European primary school children.

Background: The enjoyment represents children as crucial factor to maintain positive engagement in physical activity. Unfortunately, enjoyment decreases with age and undergoes the physical perceived competence that, in turn, is affected by the anthropometric characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the enjoyment during physical education lessons, even though the anthropometric characteristics affects the performance and in consequence the self-perceived physical competence.

Cardiorespiratory fitness assessment using the PREFIT test in Italian children: a preliminary dataset.

Background: The cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is one of the most important indicators of the health-related physical fitness components because it reflects the efficiency of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. To indirectly assess CRF, the original protocol of the 20mSRT was adapted in a new version suitable for children called 20mSRT-PREFIT, providing performances comparable to the standards of the European area. In fact, CRF normative values are missing in the Italian context and therefore they would be meaningful to be assessed.

Body size and shape characteristics for Cooper's 12 minutes run test in 11-13 years old Caucasian children: an allometric approach.

Background: The Cooper Test, is a field test, simple and useful in the school context. The aim of this research was the definition of the trend in Cooper endurance test along with the growth. In particular, through the scaling method (allometric).