Monitoring motor traits of young athletes in Tuscany: a perspective from the first phase of the project "I ragazzi della Toscana 30 anni dopo".

Background: The current study represents the preliminary report of an Italian regional project aimed to monitor the status of young athletes in modern times and linking it to the monitoring started in the nineties.

Methods: After the preparatory stage, data were analyzed and discussed with coaches and researchers. Next, for the main stage, the coaches performed the tests and the supervisors reported them in a database. A total number of 173 participants (age: 10.64±2.42 years, BMI=18.43±3.49 kg/m) were tested for standing long jump, sit and reach, 10×4 Shuttle Run, 3 kg-medical ball throw, and Sergeant Test. Nine sports disciplines were represented.

Results: 46.5% of the participants trained more than twice a week and 15.8% of the participants played more than 1 discipline. Girls were more flexible than boys, and differences emerged in the Sergeant and Shuttle Run Test, with boys outperforming girls in older ages.

Conclusions: The "sentinel" role of sports societies, in terms of health and developmental risks, should represent valuable accountability. Authors advocate a specific focus shall be directed to the risks of youth sports specialization, gender-related developmental trajectories, long-life physical activity, and sport engagement.