Position–Wise Discriminating Tendency  Among Anthropometric Characteristics of  Indian Youth Elite Basketball Players

Dr. A. S. NAGESWARAN

Volume : II, Issue : VII, July - 2013

Position–Wise Discriminating Tendency Among Anthropometric Characteristics of Indian Youth Elite Basketball Players

Dr. A. S. Nageswaran

Abstract :

In the current basketball scenario, the purpose of the study was to analyze the discriminating factors of anthropometrical variables on the performance of youth elite basketball players with special reference to their playing positions according to the Indian context. In this study, ninety nine basketball players were positively rated ranged 84 points to 1 point, in which ninety nine players with reference to their playing position were selected as subjects. Further these ninety nine youth Basketball players were identified as elite subjects, grouped on the top thirty three rankings from each position - Guard (GD = 33), Forward (FD = 33) and Center (CR = 33) assessed by the FIBA Live Stats Software. A series of anthropometric measurements included eight skinfold measurements - biceps, subscapular, triceps, supraspinale, abdominal, illiac crest, front thigh and medial calf; five girth measurements - arm girth relaxed, arm girth flexed, waist, gluteal and calf girth; three length measurements - arm span, arm length, leg length and two eadth measurements - humerus eadth and femur eadth (biepicondylar) were selected as independent variables in this study. The performance of the selected subjects as the dependent variable was assessed through FIBA Live Stat software in terms of efficiency ratings. The Statistical techniques including descriptive statistics and discriminant analysis were applied. The result revealed that two length factors (arm length and leg length); six skinfold factors (triceps, scapula, iliac crest, abdominal, thigh and calf skinfold); three circumference factors (waist, gluteus and calf); - as totally 11 anthropometric factors have the discriminating tendency for guard, forward and center playing positions of Indian youth elite basketball players.