The Impact of a Swimming Training Season on Anthropometrics, Maturation, and Kinematics in 12-Year-Old and Under Age-Group Swimmers: A Network Analysis

Understanding fluctuations and associations between swimming performance-related variables provide strategic insights into a swimmer's preparation program. Through network analysis, we verified the relationships between anthropometrics, maturation, and kinematics changes (Δ) in 25-m breaststroke (BREAST) and butterfly (FLY) swimming performance, before and after a 47-week swimming training season. Twenty age-group swimmers (n =11 girls: 10.0 ± 1.3 years and n = 9 boys: 10.5 ± 0.9 years) performed a 25-m all-out swim test (T25) in BREAST and FLY techniques, before and after 47 weeks. Three measures of centrality, transformed into a z-score, were generated: betweenness, closeness, and strength. Data were compared (t-test) and effect sizes were identified with Hedges' g. Large effect sizes were observed for swimming performance improvements in BREAST (32.0 ± 7.5 to 24.5 ± 3.8 s; g = 1.26; Δ = −21.9 %) and FLY (30.3 ± 7.0 to 21.8 ± 3.6 s; g = 1.52; Δ = −26.5 %). Small to moderate effect sizes were observed for anthropometric changes. Moderate effect size was observed for maturity offset changes (−2.0 ± 0.9 to −1.3 ± 1.0; g = 0.73; Δ = 50.9 ± 281 %). Changes in maturity offset, stroke rate (SR), and stroke length for both BREAST and FLY swimming speeds were highlighted by the weight matrix. For betweenness, closeness, and strength, changes in arm span (AS) (BREAST) and stroke length (FLY) were remarkable. The dynamic process of athletic development and the perception of complexity of fluctuations and associations between performance-related variables were underpinned, particularly for simultaneous swimming techniques in age-group swimmers.