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Physical fitness is an important health resource. From 2003 onwards, the MoMo study, a part of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), has investigated physical fitness on the basis of nationally representative data. The objective of this paper was to analyse trends in physical fitness of three cohorts at the ages of 4–17 years. Changes within 10 test items of the MoMo-test profile are reported. The mean values of physical fitness and the relevant influencing factors were directly compared across cohorts (in the total group and in age-and sex-subgroups). Statistical significance of differences was examined by calculating the confidence intervals (95% CI) for complex samples; effect sizes were determined using Cohen's d. The results indicated that physical fitness levels of German children and adolescents initially slightly increased between MoMo baseline (2003–2006) and wave 1 (2009–2012). This could partly be attributed to increased physical activity in sports clubs and in extracurricular sports at school. Then, between MoMo wave 1 and MoMo wave 2 (2014–2017) the physical fitness of children and adolescents in Germany remained the same, as did all influencing factors with the exception of extracurricular sport. From a public health perspective, programmes and measures that can increase the chances for all children and adolescents to strive for greater physical fitness should be of the highest priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stadium noise – created by spectators and fans – plays a critical part in the reality of professional sports. Due to a lack of research on the impact of these auditory cues and multimodal environments on motor performance, it is currently unclear how professional athletes experience and perceive stadium noise and how this potentially affects performance in practice. In order to explore the effect of stadium noise on athletes' performance, this paper presents an experimental design using the unique and standardised football training tool known as the "Footbonaut". Specifically, fifteen skilled German football players engaged in a standardised football-specific technical training programme while subjected to four different auditory training conditions; these included both "positive" and "negative" stadium noise conditions, a "baseline" condition providing auditory guidance, and a "no (auditory) cue" condition. Performance data for passing accuracy and passing time were measured for training in each auditory condition. A repeated measures MANOVA revealed a significant main effect for passing time. Specifically, participants showed faster passing times in the baseline compared to the negative and no auditory cue conditions. Findings are presented and discussed from a constraints-led perspective, allied to principles of ecological dynamics and nonlinear pedagogy. Particularly, the use of representative training experiences (including multimodal sensory and emotional information) appears to underline training to refine expert athletes' adaptive coordination of complex motor actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secular trend of reduced physical fitness (PF) leads to increased health risks. The aim of the present paper is to analyse various current factors that affect health behaviour with respect to the course of PF over 2 years. A path analysis combined with a latent growth curve analysis was based on a study that was conducted between June 2008 and June 2010 with 145 primary German school children (52.1% male, average age at baseline 7.95 years ± 0.95). PF was tested with the German Motor Test 6–18. For the mean PF and the course of PF, direct and indirect influences were shown over three levels, including migration background on the first level and physical activity (PA) on the second level. Body mass index (BMI) impacted the mean PF but not the course of PF. The influence of sedentary behaviour on the mean PF was diminished (compared to bivariate analysis) due to its common variance mainly with BMI. PA affected not only current PF in children but also the course of PF (aintercept =.28, P =.001; aslope =.27, P =.21). Consequently, preventive measures should focus on early adoption and maintenance of PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the uncertainty of outcome in sport, predicting the outcome of sporting contests is a major topic in sport sciences. This study examines the accuracy of expert predictions in the German Bundesliga and compares their predictions to those of sports economists. Prior to the start of each season, a set of distinguished experts (head coaches and players) express their subjective evaluations of the teams in school grades. While experts may be driven by irrational sentiments and may therefore systematically over- or underestimate specific teams, sports economists use observable characteristics to predict season outcomes. The latter typically use team wage bills given the positive pay-performance relationship as well as other factors (average team age, tenure, appearances on national team, and attendance). Using data from 15 consecutive Bundesliga seasons, the predictive accuracy of expert evaluations and sports economists is analysed. The results of separate estimations show that relative grade and relative wage bill significantly affect relative points, while age, tenure, appearances, and attendance are insignificant. In a joint model, relative grade and relative wage bill are still statistically significant, suggesting that the two types of predictions are complements rather than substitutes. Consequently, football experts and sports economists seem to rely on completely different sources of information when making their predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the developmental sporting activities of 52 German football first Bundesliga professionals (including 18 senior national team members) and 50 fourth to sixth league amateur players. They reported their volumes of organised football practice/training, including its “microstructure” (proportions of physical conditioning, skill exercises and playing forms), non-organised leisure football play and engagement in other sports through their career, respectively. Analyses revealed that the Bundesliga professionals performed moderate amounts of organised football practice/training throughout their career. They accumulated 4264 (mean value) hours over ~16 years before debuting in 1st Bundesliga; senior National Team debut was preceded by 4532 hours (mean) over ~17 years. Within the “microstructure” of organised practice/training, the proportion of playing forms developed from ~52% (childhood) to ~45% (adolescence) and ~40% (adulthood) and physical conditioning from ~13% to ~14% and ~23%. Outside organised involvement, these players engaged in extensive non-organised leisure football play making ~68%, ~54% and ~9% of all football involvement. Subsuming organised and non-organised football, ~86% (childhood), ~73% (adolescence) and ~43% (adulthood) of all activity was game play (exclusive matchplay). National Team differed from amateurs in more non-organised leisure football in childhood, more engagement in other sports in adolescence, later specialisation, and in more organised football only at age 22+ years. Relative to numerous other studies, these players performed less organised practice, particularly less physical conditioning, but greater proportions of playing activities. The findings are discussed relative to the significance of playing forms and variable involvements and are reflected against the deliberate practice and Developmental Model of Sport Participation (DMSP) frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The influence of a potentially fouled player's vocalisations on the referee's decisions was investigated. Experienced soccer referees watched video clips of real-match situations that were presented either without sound or with sound where a player's vocalisations were clearly audible and made judgements regarding fouls, direction of play and personal penalties. The results revealed that players’ vocalisations had no impact on the foul decisions of the referees. However, once a referee made a foul decision, the player's vocalisations led to an increased number of personal penalties (increase in yellow cards) for the foul-causing player. In addition to crowd noise, a player's vocalisations during a foul are used as a proximal cue in the referee's decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explored to which extent the development of German professional football players is based on early talent identification (TID) and long-term nurture in talent promotion (TP) programmes or on their emergence in the course of repeated procedures of player selection and de-selection in these programmes through childhood and youth. The annual turnover of squad members in national junior teams (2001–2013) and youth elite academies was calculated; national U-team members were followed up with regard to nominations through subsequent seasons and to their success level eventually achieved at senior age; and all current Bundesliga players were analysed retrospectively regarding their earlier involvement in TID/TP programmes. Analyses revealed that the mean annual turnover of squad members was 24.5% (youth academies) and 41.0% (national U-teams), respectively. At any age, the probability of persisting in the programme three years later was <50%. Among current Bundesliga players, the age of recruitment into the TID/TP programme was widely evenly distributed across childhood and youth, respectively. Accordingly, the number of (future) Bundesliga players who were involved in TID/TP was built up continuously through all age categories. The observations suggest that the collective of professional players emerged from repeated procedures of selection and de-selection through childhood and youth rather than from early selection and long-term continuous nurture in TID/TP programmes. The findings are discussed with regard to the uncertainty of TID and of interventions applied to the selected players, and they are related to the individualistic and collectivistic approach in TP. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In soccer, strength, power and speed are very important because of the large number of power actions performed during the game. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the influence of periodised strength training for power performance more than 2 years. In this study, 134 elite youth soccer players were recruited from two youth training centres. The cohorts were arranged as follows: A (under 19 years), B (under 17 years) and C (under 15 years). The participants in each cohort were divided into two groups. One group (Strength training group [STG]) was subjected to regular soccer training in addition to strength training twice a week for 2 years. The other group (Control group [CG]) completed only the regular soccer training. The strength training was periodised with hypertrophy and intramuscular coordination blocks. For strength training, both the front squat and the back squat were performed once a week. The subjects were tested on the one-repetition maximum (1RM) of the front and back squat and a linear sprint over 30 m. There was significantly better performance from the STG on 1RM (p <0.001). In the sprint, the STG displayed significantly better improvements (p <0.05 to p <0.001) of up to 6%. The effects of strength training are reflected in the sprint performance. Therefore, it seems beneficial for youth to perform strength training to exploit the reserve capacity in sprint performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was twofold: to provide a quantitative analysis of corner kicks during the 2006 World Cup and to examine the effect of match status on corner kicks. Through the elaboration of a category system and following an observational methodology, we performed an analysis of all corner kicks (n = 653) in the 64 matches in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. Matches were divided into sections according to evolving match status (whether the team was winning, n = 144; losing, n = 171; or drawing, n = 338). Using an observational methodology the following performance indicators were analysed: type of corner kick, scoring area, effectiveness, subsequent play, part of the body used to shoot, goal zone, number of players defending the goalposts, and defence tactics. The results obtained showed that: a) in relation to kick modality, teams perform more short corners and take more short kicks and outswing corner kicks when winning. On the other hand, teams perform more outstep and inswing corner kicks when drawing and losing; b) In relation to the scoring area, teams perform more shots that head toward the semicircle placed by the penalty area or do not use the centre when winning. However, teams head their s'hots toward the first and the second goalpost when drawing and losing; c) In relation to defence, when teams that are winning perform the corner kick, the defending teams tend to have fewer players defending the goal line; d) No significant statistical association was observed for the following performance indicators: effectiveness, subsequent play, part of the body used to shoot, goal zone, and defensive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The developmental practice patterns leading to the highest levels of success remain a subject of debate. The present study purposes to extend the body of empirical research by analysing athletic biographies from a large sample of German national squad athletes across all Olympic sports (n=1558; 57% male, 43% female). In a combined retrospective and longitudinal study utilising postal questionnaires, we evaluated the age at onset, volume, domain-specificity, variability in training and competition and success attained at different ages. Developmental practice patterns leading to rapid adolescent success and long-term senior success were inconsistent, and in some aspects contradictory. An early start-age for training and competition, early specialisation, high-intensity specific practice in the respective domain sport and little or no involvement in other sports (OS) favoured early adolescent success. Juvenile success, however, did not contribute to individual differences in success achieved at a senior age (−0.09

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of a school-based health-promotion programme in physical education (PE) on sixth grade German students' motor performance, BMI and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In a quasi-experimental design, 516 students (54.7% girls) were assigned to either the intervention group (IG) that received eight 90-minute health-promoting PE lessons or the control group (CG), which continued regular PE. Outcome variables were assessed at baseline, immediately after, and three months after the intervention in order to explore significant short- and middle-term intervention effects, respectively. The intervention programme had gender specific effects in motor performance with girls reaching higher levels. Positive short-term intervention effects were found in girls' sideways jumps (η2=0.17) and negative effects were measured in the 20-meter sprints (η2=0.05) and the standing long jump (η2=0.04). Positive middle-term effects were measured on the motor performance score (η2=0.05), sideways jumps (η2=0.08) and stand-and-reach flexibility (η2=0.04). In boys, short-term positive intervention effects were found in 20-meter sprints (η2=0.04). In the middle-term, differences in favour of the CG were found in press-ups (η2=0.03) and sideways jumps (η2=0.06). Concerning BMI the IG had significantly lower levels compared to the CG in the short-term (η2=0.04) and in the middle-term (η2=0.03), respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups in HRQOL. In conclusion, the results demonstrate the feasibility of promoting health related parameters in PE, but also raise the question whether gender-specific tailored interventions would result in higher intervention effects concerning motor performance especially in boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses sport participation using a demographic-economic model which was extended by the construct ‘social recognition’. Social recognition was integrated into the model on the understanding that it is the purpose of each individual to maximise his or her utility. A computer-assisted telephone interview survey was conducted in the city of Rheinberg, Germany, producing an overall sample ofn=1934. Regression analyses were performed to estimate the impact of socio-demographic, economic determinants, and social recognition on sport participation. The results suggest that various socio-economic factors and social recognition are important determinants of sport participation on the one hand, and on sport frequency on the other. Social recognition plays a significant yet different role for both sport participation and sport frequency. While friends’ involvement with sport influences one's sport participation, parents’ involvement with sport influences one's sport frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative age describes a youth's age within their age group cohort. Compared to relatively younger peers, relatively older youth in an annual age group cohort have been found more likely to be selected to sports teams, and to receive higher grades in education. This study examined the influence of youth sport participants’ relative age on participation and dropout. Using data from the 1995 German Youth Sport Survey (Ntotal=2612), comparisons (stratified by gender and sport type) were made between the relative age of current and former participants. Analyses also considered the type of school youths were enrolled in while exploring the influence of relative age on sport participations. No relative age effects for dropout emerged among males in team or individual sport contexts. Female dropouts were more likely to be relatively older (Q1, ORadjusted: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.34–0.80; Q2, ORadjusted: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36–0.84; Q3, ORadjusted: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.39–0.89), an effect that was mirrored among ‘artistic’ sport participants. Boys and girls in schools that were for children of higher academic proficiency were more likely to be currently participating in sport. Findings suggest that relative age-related dropout effects may be context sensitive and different for males and females. For the most part, relative age did not appear to have any relationship with dropout in this sample, with some notable exceptions for females. Overall, factors such as the type of school youths were enrolled in appear to be a more salient influence on sport participation than relative age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]