COMPARISON OF SOME MOTOR ABILITIES OF MALE BASKETBALL AND HANDBALL PLAYERS

In this study, some motoric characteristics of basketball and handball players with similar physical characteristics were compared. 24 handball players at the age of 12.5 ± 0.6 (mean ± sd) years old and 18 basketball players at the age of 12.8 ± 0.8 (mean ± sd) years old, all of whom have trained regularly for at least 3 years, participated in the study. Parameters such as, age, height, body weight, body fat percentage, flexibility, upper extremity velocity (arm movement velocity), equilibrium, long standing jump, vertical jump, speed, hand grip strength and reaction times were measured. Differences between groups were analyzed with independent sample t test; and significance level was accepted as 0.05. Body height and weight, body fat percent, standing long jump, hand grip strength, reaction times did not differ between the basketball and handball players, but equilibrium, flexibility, upper extremity velocity and speed were significantly higher in handball players while vertical jump score was significantly higher in basketball players. Team sports like basketball and handball are played in relatively big area in long durations and thus requiring long training periods involving specific lover extremity muscle groups may have caused significant differences in some motor abilities between these two groups. As a result, some motoric characteristics of basketball and handball players were same. These similarities were accepted as the result of being in same age group and participated in similar training programme.