This study evaluates the effectiveness of Maturo, a smartphone application designed to estimate maturation status in youth basketball athletes. The sample comprised 41 basketball players (mean age ± SD: boys, 13.44 ± 1.32 years; girls, 13.21 ± 1.04 years) aged between 10 and 15 years. Maturo provides automated assessments of biological maturation indicators, including PHV speed, PHV age, maturation timing (early, on-time, late), and maturation status (prepubescent, pubescent, postpubescent). The validity of the Maturo application was assessed against traditional expert evaluation methods. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Pearson correlation coefficients revealed strong correlations between Maturo and expert assessments for PHV speed (ICC = 0.955, r = 0.96) and moderate correlations for PHV age (ICC = 0.673, r = 0.78). Bland-Altman analysis indicated minimal systematic error, confirming reliable estimations by Maturo. Additionally, Kappa coefficients demonstrated excellent agreement in classifying maturity status (κ = 0.95) and timing (κ = 0.87). Maturo's non-invasive, cost-effective, and user-friendly approach makes it valuable for routine monitoring of growth and maturation. The integration of Maturo assessments with other growth indicators could enhance the comprehensive understanding of youth athletes' development, thereby informing training programs and improving athlete safety and performance.

The physical demands of modern basketball require precise and specific planning to prepare players in the best possible way. This planning sometimes includes holiday breaks or forced rest periods during the season, which can negatively impact physical performance. This study analyzed the effects of a two-week training break on countermovement jump (CMJ) and 10-meter sprint speed in 67 female basketball players (senior, U18, U14). Participants were evaluated before and after periods of inactivity and categorized based on their initial performance in each test. The results showed a significant decrease in CMJ (p < 0.05) across all categories, while sprint speed showed no significant differences (p > 0.05). Additionally, players with higher jumping ability also experienced losses, suggesting that a higher initial performance does not protect against declines in physical performance. These findings highlight the importance of designing physical maintenance strategies during inactivity periods to minimize performance losses in female basketball players, regardless of their category.

The rise of new disciplines such as 3x3 basketball finally leads to its presence in the Olympic Games, and consequently, the need to explore the behaviors that occur in order to increase performance arises. The aim of this study was to analyze by means of observational methodology the technical-tactical actions of direct and indirect blocking in the completion of the triple throw in high-level 3x3 basketball, and to compare the differences between the two genders. For this purpose, all the plays finished in triple throws in the 3x3 basketball modality in the Europe Cup 2019 were observed and recorded, during the semifinal and final games of both categories. As a previous step, an ad hoc observation tool was designed by combining the exhaustive and mutually exclusive category systems and the field format; overcoming the Data Quality, Generalizability and Invariance analyses performed. Sequential Delay and Polar Coordinates analyses showed significant relationships between behaviors, considering direct and indirect blocking behaviors as focal. The results showed that the male competition manifested a more direct and dynamic game while the female competition developed a much more structured and organized game. This type of analysis has proven to be effective in identifying behaviors and defining the relationships established between them in high-level sport.

Boccia, played by people with disabilities, is associated with a classification system based on the athletes' functional capacity, aiming to ensure that performance in this adapted sport is only determined by an athlete's sporting excellence. This study aimed to analyse the influence of classification on the performance of Boccia in international-level events. The official results of the 2012 and 2016 Boccia Paralympic Games (PG), 2017 European Championships (EC), and 2018 World Championships (WC) were considered for analysis, a total of 3.962 partials, which represent 47.544 ball throws by players. We found a growing trend of participation when comparing the PG editions and the 2017 EC and 2018 WC, and the majority of partials were adjusted (in the region of 75%, 1-2 balls difference), which indicates a global correct classification of players, which leads to equilibrium in the games. Differences based on the Boccia classification and the type of partial were only observed in individual BC3 and teams BC1 & BC2. These results highlight the need to further and deeper study these classes, characterized by rules related to teams´ constitution and game dynamics that differentiate them from other classes. This is relevant in the perspective of assurance of similar conditions for performance based in specific functional capacity and correct classification, guaranteeing that practice is attractive and motivating to improve the quality of life, opportunities for inclusion in society, and setting an example for other citizens with and without disabilities to get involved in playing Boccia.

Handball is a cooperation-opposition sport, mediated by a succession of throws, grabs, movements, and brief and intense actions. This sport requires the execution of various motor and technical-tactical actions involving specific strength components. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of strength training using elastic bands in young handball players. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches were conducted in the Pubmed, Dialnet, and Google Scholar databases. Five studies were selected that analyzed the effects of strength training using elastic bands in handball players aged between 13 and 26 years. The results obtained in this review show significant improvements in strength, power, and throwing speed, as well as in specific motor actions of handball. In conclusion, strength training with elastic bands in young handball players has positive impacts on increasing strength capacity, explosive strength, strength endurance, and muscle power. Similarly, it helps improve crucial aspects of sports performance, including throwing speed, movement, and specific game actions such as jumps and changes of direction and pace.

The inadequacy of sports facilities in schools significantly impacts Physical Education (PE), particularly the teaching of sports games. This pedagogical experience took place in the context of a school placement whose purpose was to analyze the formative value of observational tasks and peer-assessment in the participation and involvement of students in a handball teaching unit taught under the aegis of the competence model of invasion games in reduced spaces. The experience occurred during the second semester of the 2022/2023 academic year, spanning 11 PE classes with twenty-seven 11th-grade students. Data sources included the preservice teacher logbook, student observational records, and a focus group with students conducted at the intervention's conclusion. Thematic content analysis procedures were employed to analyze the informative content of the various instruments. Results indicate that teaching focused on game problems, along with observational and peer-assessment tasks, facilitated the involvement of all students in the class and promoted learning. This learning encompassed motor skills development, comprehension of game dynamics, and understanding of handball competition organization and rules. Students expressed appreciation for the experience, particularly highlighting the observation and peer-assessment processes.

The purpose of this study was to analysis the relationship of sport engagement and mental toughness in elite tennis players from Ecuador and Portugal. The study featured 265 elite tennis players (127 from Ecuador and 138 from Portugal), with ages between 15 and 30 years old (Mage = 18.81; SD = 3.73) and belonging to the most advanced categories of the national ranking of both countries. Two questionnaires were used including the Mental Toughness Index and Athlete Engagement Questionnaire. We realized a quantitative analysis, where the ANOVA statistical analysis test of unidirectional repetitive measures, Pearson correlation (ρ) and Cronbach (α) were used, which supported the analysis. The results showed that tennis players from both countries have high levels of sport engagement and mental toughness. In addition, the results showed positively relationship between sport engagement and mental toughness, indicating that players to become mentally tougher need to be dedicated and enthusiastic about the sport. On the other hand, not significant differences between both genders and countries were evident. This study reinforces the importance of developing psychological programs, based on sport engagement and mental toughness in order to developing determined, tough and component athletes to overcome adversity.

In recent years, nautical sports are gaining notoriety in the educational field, being able to demonstrate that they are a valuable tool for the integral development of students. However, there seems to be no scientific evidence on the development and effect of these in nautical education programs in Spain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of programs related to nautical education in primary and secondary education in Spain. In addition, to propose a meta-program in the line of this thematic. Based on these objectives, a search was carried out in the databases PubMed, Scopus, Dialnet, Web of Science and, subsequently, in Google Scholar and Google search engine, between 2008 and 2023 using the following keywords: "school program", "education", "nautical activities". The search results show that the main objectives of these programs are the promotion of nautical activities and sports and the knowledge of the environment itself. In terms of content, the use of sailing sports and other sports such as canoeing, windsurfing, kayaking or paddle surfing, which begin with theoretical classes, and later, practical classes.In conclusion, we have been able to verify that, at present, nautical sports are being used in the educational field, which has led us to make a meta-program where the most relevant information of the objectives, contents, methodology and evaluation is collected.

In sport, classifying players during the training period according to their year of birth generates inequalities in terms of the number of learning opportunities. This study investigates the effect of relative age at the highest levels of Spanish handball. Its presence is analyzed and it is observed whether gender and nationality variables influence it. For this purpose, the dates of birth, gender and nationality of 1141 male and female players in the two main Spanish leagues (Liga ASOBAL and Liga Guerreras Iberdrola) were collected during 3 seasons. After classifying them by year of birth, assuming an equitable distribution, the results only showed significant differences in the case of male handball (χ² = 5.04; p = 0.02) with a RAE Coefficient value of 1.20. The distribution in the case of female players was more homogeneous. When observing the sample based on nationality, the greatest differences occurred in foreign players (χ² = 7.20; p = 0.01) with a RAE Coefficient value of 1.45. Therefore, it can be stated that the RAE due to the year of birth only influences Spanish elite men's handball, caused by those international players who play in the ASOBAL League teams. The presence of these foreign athletes is the cause of the only differences observed between the groups analyzed.

The term Relative Age Effect (RAE) refers to the advantages youths born in the first half of the year have as compared to the ones born in the second half, as a result of their greater levels of physical, psychological and emotional maturity. The main purpose of this study was to verify if Relative Age Effect has an impact on amateur football or if its influence weakens as the level of the competition decreases. The sample comprised all 1488 players of the four existing amateur soccer leagues in Cantabria (3ªDivisión, n=379; Regional Preferente, n=357; Primera Regional, n=340; y Segunda Regional, n=412). The main outcomes revealed that RAE has little effect on playing positions when analyzed by quartiles, but a bigger effect is detected when analyzed by semesters. Furthermore, RAE also has an effect on competitive levels. RAE shows a clear effect on 3ªDivisión when analyzed by quartiles. In conclusion, Relative Age Effect has a minor impact on amateur soccer as compared to elite soccer.