Motor fitness differentiation among playing positions in school-age handball: A cross-sectional comparative analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze and compare motor fitness components-speed, agility, and explosive leg power-among school-level handball players based on their playing positions. Methods: A total of 100 male handball players, aged 16-18 years, were divided equally into four positional groups: Wings, Backcourt Players, Pivots, and Goalkeepers (n=25 each). Standardized motor fitness tests were administered: the 30-meter sprint (speed), Illinois Agility Test (agility), and Standing Broad Jump (explosive power). Descriptive statistics and One-Way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc tests were used to assess group differences. Results: Significant differences were found across all motor fitness components (p