Relationship between Selected Physical Fitness Variables and Shooting Accuracy among High School Basketball Players in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

This research was carried out to examine the relationship between selected physical fitness characteristics and shooting accuracy among high school basketball players in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Preliminary investigation revealed that the shooting accuracy of basketball players in the metropolis was not good compared to the standards set for players of their age category. Forty (40) basketball players comprising twenty (20) male and twenty (20) female, male with a mean age of 17.15, weight of 73.20, height of 1.79, and female also with a mean age of 17.15, a weight of 68.65 and height of 1.64 were randomly sampled and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, respectively. The experimental group was taken through drills to improve on selected fitness variables while the control group went through a mini-clinic on passing and dribbling. The mini-clinic was used to occupy the control group for the period of training at a different venue as the experimental group went through specific drills intended to improve on selected physical fitness characteristics which were used as the bases for assessing improvement in shooting accuracy. Because the mini-clinic focused on passing and dribbling, it did not have any influence on their shooting hence difference was identified. Physical fitness tests were conducted using standardized tests; agility was tested with the Illinois agility test, balance with the flamingo test, coordination with the alternate hand wall toss test, power (upper body) was tested with the seated medicine ball toss test, power (lower body) with the standing broad jump, reaction time with the ruler test, and speed with the 40m dash. For shooting accuracy, the researchers adapted the tests used by Pojsic, Separovic, and Uzicanin which are static free throw, dynamic free throw, static two points, and dynamic two points. A dependent sample t-test and Pearson’s correlation were used for analysis. Overall results showed no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control group for both sexes for the physical fitness and shooting accuracy tests at the pretest but at the posttest, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups. There was also a strong positive relationship between physical fitness and shooting accuracy among high school basketball players in the Cape Coast metropolis. The problem of shooting accuracy among high school basketball players in Cape Coast metropolis can be improved with a planned programme to improve on their selected game-related physical fitness variables.