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Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether physical activity, fitness and motor skills have indirect association with math performance via cognitive outcomes and if so, through which aspects of cognition? Methods This study comprised 311 6th–9th grade adolescents (12–17y [M age=14.0y], 59% girls) from seven schools throughout Finland in 2015. Math performance was measured via a teacher-rated math achievement and the Basic Arithmetic test. Cognitive functions were measured by broad cognitive test battery. Physical activity was assessed with a self-reported questionnaire and a hip-worn accelerometer. Aerobic fitness was estimated using a maximal 20-m shuttle run test, muscular fitness with curl-up and push-up tests, and motor skills with a 5-leaps test and a throwing-catching combination test. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the associations. Results In both boys and girls, motor skills had a positive indirect association with math outcomes through visuospatial working memory. Among girls, muscular fitness had a positive indirect association with math outcomes through visuospatial working memory. Aerobic fitness was positively associated with math achievement, but the indirect path via cognition was not observed. Self-reported physical activity had a borderline indirect positive association with math outcomes through visuospatial working memory. Accelerometer-based physical activity did not correlate with math performance. Conclusion Motor skills and muscular fitness had indirect, positive associations with math performance, mediated by visuospatial working memory. The results give support to the viewpoints that the connections between motor skills, fitness and physical activity to academic skills are mediated via specific cognitive skills. peerReviewed

Summary Introduction: The study aim was to construct a technical and tactical analysis of women’s volleyball based on notational analysis in top-level and junior women’s European volleyball matches, to compare these two levels, and to clarify the differences between the winners and losers of a set. Material and Methods: Four matches from the 2010 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championships and 2010 CEV Junior Women’s European Championship 2010 were analyzed using Data Volley software. The number and performance level of different skills were recorded in total and were grouped according to the role of the players. Methods of scoring and attacking zones were also analyzed. Results: There were only slight differences between the two levels in terms of success in different skills. When the skill executions were compared between the winning and losing teams of a set within the levels, less successful skill executions and more errors in different skills were found for the losing teams. Conclusions: The results seem to indicate that there are only minor differences between adult and junior women’s volleyball at the highest level. Attacking seems to be the most important skill concerning winning in both levels. The efficiency of attacking seems to depend upon the quality and versatility of the setting and also from the physical abilities of the players.