Anthropometric and fitness development of British elite female basketball players…
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Saturday 01st October 2011 - Article 3
Basketball is one of the most practised sports in the world. There is a large amount of articles analysing and studying the basketball player’s anthropometry, the basketball parameters, the physiological demands, and the fitness level of the team. However, the vast majority of these studies have focused on male basketball, as opposed to female. There are only a few studies working on British high level female basketball teams. To compare and evaluate the body composition and fitness characteristics of British female basketball players from grassroots to high level against the studies which are available in the literature. Seventy eight (n = 78) female basketball players from the English Basketball League and the Great Britain National Team participated in the current study. The anthropometry tests were: weight, height, arm span, and BMI; and the fitness tests were: Flexibility (sit and reach), Agility (4x10-meter shuttle run), Lower Body Power (Standing Broad Jump), and 20-meter shuttle run Tests. Statistical differences were found between groups in the Agility and Standing Broad Jump Tests. Cardiorespiratory fitness showed a slight tendency to improve as the team’s level increased, although statistical differences were not observed. British female basketball players had fitness level and body composition values lower than high-level female basketball teams from countries where basketball is more popular and better developed. The S&C coach role within the technical staff is necessary and highly recommended to achieve high level competition.