Fitness, Fatness, and Academic Attainment in Male Schoolchildren from a Soccer Academy.

Souhail Hermassi,René Schwesig,Thomas Bartels,Lawrence D Hayes

doi:10.3390/ijerph19053106

Abstract

This investigation explored the association between anthropometric measures, fitness, and academic attainment (mathematics and science grade point average [GPA]) in male schoolchildren from a soccer academy. Thirty-one males (age: 10.3 ± 1.19 years; body mass: 41.7 ± 6.5 kg; height: 1.43 ± 0.07 m; body mass index (BMI): 20.2 ± 2.8 kg/m2) participated. Body mass, body fat percentage (%BF), and BMI were used as measures of anthropometry. The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (level 1), squat and counter-movement jumps (SJ and CMJ), static balance, 10 and 15 m sprint, and a T-half test for change-of-direction (CoD) performance were used to measure fitness parameters. The GPA of mathematics and science determined academic attainment. All physical performance tests showed excellent relative reliability. ICC was between 0.87 (10 m sprint) and 1.00 (15 m sprint, CMJ). Regarding correlations between fatness and academic attainment, we found three correlations of practical value (r > 0.5), but only for mathematics (BMI: r = 0.540, subscapular skinfold: r = 0.589, body fat: r = 0.560). Mathematics was relevantly correlated with 15 m sprint (r = 0.574) and Yo-Yo IR1 test (r = 0.770). Only static balance (r = 0.428) did not reach the relevance criteria (r > 0.5). Science only showed large correlations with static balance (r = 0.620) and Yo-Yo IR1 test (r = 0.730). In conclusion, fatness and fitness are related to academic attainment in schoolchildren. In addition, except for static balance, all physical performance parameters were relevantly (r > 0.5) correlated with mathematics.

Highlights

Talent identification for soccer is of high importance for professional clubs, since there is a pervasive belief that this improves likelihood of an elite career for individuals [1,2].Success in team sports is dependent upon several performance characteristics which are either sport-specific or transferable, i.e., technical, tactical, physiological, and psychological performance [3–5]
Participants undertook soccer training 2–3 times per week (~3.8 h/week), which consisted of motor skills, technique, and tactical training. 60% of session time focused on motor skills while 40% of session time focused on basic team soccer techniques
Data are reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD)

Summary

Introduction

Talent identification for soccer is of high importance for professional clubs, since there is a pervasive belief that this improves likelihood of an elite career for individuals [1,2].Success in team sports is dependent upon several performance characteristics which are either sport-specific or transferable, i.e., technical, tactical, physiological, and psychological performance [3–5]. Talent identification for soccer is of high importance for professional clubs, since there is a pervasive belief that this improves likelihood of an elite career for individuals [1,2]. Players require development in several performance aspects in order to prosper and reach elite status [6]. There are convincing data that soccer performance and/or development requires information processing to perform in complex and rapidly changing contexts [6,7], emphasizing the importance of cognitive skills in soccer performance. Several past studies have separately explored either cognitive functions or motor skills in their separate associations with the success of top-level soccer players or, more generally, in characterizing high performance [10,11], comparing top and amateur level players among both adolescent and adult research participants

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Conclusion