1Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Qiriazi University College, 2Sports University of Tirana, Faculty of Physical Activity and Recreation, Tirana, Albania
Age-Related Differences in Anthropometric and Motor Skill Development Among Youth Football Players: Implications for Tailored Training Programs
Innov. Technol. Sport Phys. Act. 2025, 4(1), 9-14 | DOI: 10.56886/itspa.250602
Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate the anthropometric characteristics and motor skill performance of youth football players in Tirana, Albania, across three age groups: (U9, U11, and U13). A total of 68 participants were assessed for body weight, body height, BMI, waist circumference, and four motor skills: flexibility (sit-and-reach), agility (10×5 meter test), lower-body power (standing long jump), and speed (20-meter sprint). The results revealed significant age-related differences in body weight, body height, and waist circumference, with U9 players being significantly smaller and lighter compared to U11 and U13 players. Performance in motor skills also improved with age, par-ticularly in agility, standing long jump and sprint time, with U13 players demonstrating superior performance. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in body weight (p = .000), body height (p = .000), and sprint per-formance (p = .000), but no significant differences in BMI (p = .293) sit-and-reach flexibility (p = .071). The findings suggest that motor skill development and anthropometric changes are strongly influenced by age, highlighting the need for age-appropriate training programs. Coaches should tailor training sessions to match the physical and motor developmental stages of each age group to optimize performance and minimize injury risk.
Keywords
anthropometry, motor skills, agility, flexibility, strength, speed
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