Discobolul Vol. 1//2024

Success in football demands a wide range of qualities, going beyond just physical abilities and technical proficiency. The purpose of our research was to investigate the perception of both male and female football players regarding the importance of psychological preparation, as well as to know their level of competitive anxiety. A total of 72 football players, aged between 14 and 37 years have participated in the study, 37 boys and 35 girls. To assess the football players’ perception regarding the most important characteristics that facilitate athletic performance, an opinion questionnaire PQ-F (Psychological Qualities Necessary in Football) was used and, in order to investigate the competitive anxiety, a modified version of the Competitive Anxiety Questionnaire in Sport (developed by Rainer Mertens) was applied. First, we investigated whether there are significant differences between football players (according to gender, age and sports performance) in terms of the perceived importance of different psychological qualities that condition performance. Next, it was verified whether the competitive anxiety of football players varies significantly based on the importance they assign to psychological training. The statistical analysis, using the t-test for two independent samples, revealed interesting findings depending on gender, age, and sporting achievements regarding the perception of the importance of various psychological qualities that condition performance and also, about the competitive anxiety level. The conclusions provide important information to athletes, coaches, sports psychologists, regarding the specific cognitive schemes of juniors and seniors, girls and boys, in connection with the psychic phenomena that condition performance in football.

Hand asymmetry can be influenced by both biological and environmental factors, emerges early, and impacts motor skills and human development. Physical differences between boys and girls during childhood, such as body composition, may influence hand strength and asymmetry. Aims: This study examines handgrip strength and asymmetry in Portuguese children aged 6 to 10. Data from the RUSH project comprises 1504 children (760 girls) aged 6-10. Right-hand preference was observed in 90.9% of girls and 89.8% of boys. Manual grip was assessed using a handheld dynamometer (T.K.K. 5401). Descriptive statistics are presented as means and standard deviations. Within each sex, a one-way ANOVA was used to test for age-related differences, and the LSD test was used for post hoc multiple comparisons. All analyses were conducted using SPSS software version 29, with the significance level set at 5%. Older children were stronger in both hands (girls – preferred: F=101.682, p<0.001; non-preferred: F=100.589, p<0.001; boys – preferred: F=69.419, p<0.001; nonpreferred: F=67.867, p<0.001). Significant differences in hand asymmetry were also observed between age groups in both girls (F=4.892, p<0.05) and boys (F=7.764, p<0.05). Specifically, it was found that girls aged 6 and 10 and boys aged 10 had higher asymmetry values than those aged 6, 7, 8, and 9. Hand strength and asymmetry appear to change with older children showing greater discrepancies between preferred and nonpreferred hands. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms behind these differences.

Women’s artistic gymnastics is supposed to be a sport of grace and beauty. The way gymnastics is practiced nowadays has made us change our perspective on how the training of female gymnasts should be regarded. Current exercises contain elements of great difficulty, which cannot be performed efficiently without appropriate physical training. This physical training has a dual role: on the one hand, it predisposes the body to high and very high efforts, and on the other hand, it prevents injuries that may occur during training or competitions. In the training methodology of gymnasts worldwide, weight training has been used for some time. Therefore, we decided to introduce high-load weight training combined with plyometric training in the workouts of Romanian female gymnasts. The research presents a 22-week program combining the two strength development methods, the results obtained before and after program implementation, how the loads were adapted during the experiment, and the way of applying the proposed program. The results of the experiment encourage us to continue applying this program as a training method for future competitions. It is worth mentioning that, when establishing training loads in this sport, the specifics of each apparatus should be taken into account, as their demands are different, and a proper understanding of the real training stimulus might require more than just the number of repetitions and training loads.

Knowledge and development of speed indices have always been important concerns in the field of elite sport. Understanding the effects of specific exercises for speed optimisation has a positive impact not only on athletic performance, but also on overall health. The purpose of the present research is to make a comparative analysis of the dynamics of speed parameters following the application of intervention programmes to the players of two football clubs and then check the effectiveness of the means used to achieve the proposed objectives. The experimental research tested 36 members of two football clubs registered in the National Championship, namely Concordia Chiajna Football Academy (18 players) and FC Voluntari (18 players). The effects produced by the application of speed optimisation programmes were checked using the Witty System Speed Test (5 m, 20 m, 30 m) and the Illinois Agility Test. The data were collected at both the beginning and end of the training period (pretest-test). The research results highlight the dynamics of speed indices in the football game for U16 juniors. Thus, the independent variable used in the research produced significant improvements in the physical training of junior players for the 5 m sprint event and the Illinois Agility Test. For the 20 m and 30 m running events, there were no significant increases, but between the two testing sessions, the experimental group recorded some improvements. The data obtained from the research can be of practical use in the training of both elite and school teams.

The ability to maintain a stable position of the body in motion and in different positions influences all motor actions. A low level of dynamic balance causes problems related to motor skills both in daily activities and for learning sport-specific motor skills. This paper aims to assess dynamic balance in people with Down syndrome before and after attending a specially designed education program applied during training lessons. Balance education was also achieved through the sport of bocce, which was played by the participants in this study. The research involved 14 athletes (aged 20.29 ± 2.74 years) with Down syndrome (IQ below 75) who participated in bocce training over three months. The assessment was performed using the OptoJump device for the 30-second march-in-place test during two stages. A number of anthropometric measurements were also used, namely: height (162.29 ± 10.57 cm), weight (69.08 ± 13.96 kg), body mass index (26.22 ± 4.94 kg/m2) and foot length (23.94 ± 5.17 cm). Between the two testing sessions, people with Down syndrome took part in bocce lessons during which they performed various specific exercises to educate their dynamic balance. In addition, the lessons included means for the development of bocce-specific skills, which involved the use of balance but also other psychomotor abilities. The results obtained for the recorded parameters helped maintain gains in psychomotor abilities. We believe that the implementation of a specially designed program associated with specific movement skills contributes to maintaining or educating dynamic balance in people with Down syndrome.