Comparison of Certain Physical Fitness Parameters in Young Football and Basketball Players

Abstract

This study was carried out in order to compare certain physical fitness parameters of young basketball and football players. Basketball players, who are playing in U16 league (n=12), and football players playing in U17 league (n=10) participated in the study voluntarily. Groups were separated into two as the basketball group (BG) and the football group (FG). BG has a body weight mean of 74.13±7.26 kg, a height mean of 187.50±7.03 cm, and an age mean of 16. FG has a body weight mean of 68.0±7.95 kg, a height mean of 178.4±5.31 cm, and an age mean of 17. Participants were applied performance tests, which are composed of sit and reach test, leg strength, hand grip strength, flexibility, 20 m sprint, and flamingo balance test among physical fitness parameters. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS 19.0 package program, and Mann Whitney U test was used to compare two groups. While there was no meaningful difference between strength and flexibility values (p>0.05), a meaningful difference occurred in favour of FG in 20 m speed test (p<0.05). As a result, the difference that occurred in speed only makes us think that height and body weight in basketball players can impact speed and agility negatively compared to football players.