Profiling the kicking and handballing accuracy of female Australian football players across five competition levels

ABSTRACT

Objectives

To profile the kicking and handballing accuracy of female Australian football (AF) players and investigate potential differences across five competition levels.

Methods

Female AF players were classified into five competition levels: elite senior (≥18 years) (n=35), non-elite senior (≥18 years) (n=58), high-level junior (<18 years) (n=32), non-elite junior (14–17 years) (n=38), and non-elite junior (10–13 years) (n=42). Modified AF kicking and handballing tests examined accuracy outcomes. Competition level differences in accuracy were modelled using multivariate analysis of variance.

Results

A large, significant difference between the competition levels was noted (F=11.508, p<0.001, Wilk’s Λ=0.462, η²_p=0.227), with significant differences (p<0.001) observed in the modified AF kicking (ω²=0.514) and handballing (η²_p=0.150-0.250) tests. Elite seniors and high-level juniors performed the modified AF kicking test more accurately than all non-elite competition levels (p≤0.001). Elite seniors were also more accurate in the modified AF handballing test (dominant hand) compared to all non-elite competition levels (p≤0.001).

Conclusions

This study is the first to report technical skill characteristics in female AF across a broader participation pathway. These exploratory findings could be used as reference data for player development and inform training designs, namely by incorporating non-dominant handballing competitive play situations to develop this skill in female AF players.

KEYWORDS:

• Technical skill
• women
• talent identification
• team sports

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the sport science and physiotherapy staff and students for their assistance in the data collection processes for this study.

Disclosure of Interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Availability of data and material

Supporting data for individual participants is not available to be shared publicly, as at the time of gaining ethical approval for this study, participants were assured that their data would be published only as de-identified data included together with the collective results of the other participants.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. The sponsor had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or the preparation, review, and approval of the manuscript.