The relationship between the physical abilities of eighth-grade students and sport-specific skills in physical education

Abstract

In order to achieve higher-quality physical education, students should be involved in a wide range of sports activities that improve the level of their physical abilities and basic motor skills, in view of the fact that there is a positive transfer between sport-specific and basic motor skills, whose development depends to a significant extent on the level of physical abilities. Our study sought to establish the relationship between physical abilities and sport-specific skills in eighth-grade primary school students. Moreover, it aimed to identify sex-dependent differences in the observed variables. Sixty eighth-grade students participated in the study (boys n=28, girls n=32). Students' physical ability levels were assessed with a battery of tests (modified agility T-test, Illinois agility run test, 20m sprint test, medicine ball chest throw from a kneeling position, 10x5m sprint run), while for sport-specific skills a circuit of sports games was used (technical elements of football and basketball). In addition to descriptive statistics, a unifactorial analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of sex on the results for physical abilities and sport-specific motor skills, as well as the Pearson correlation coefficient for the relationship between physical abilities and sport-specific skills observed across the entire sample as well as according to sex. Results suggest a significant correlation between the areas of physical abilities and sport-specific skills in eighth-grade primary school students. As regards differences in results according to sex, they are significant across all variables.