The Relationship of Agility and Balance Tests Results of Young Female Skaters with Competition Scores in Figure Skating

Abstract

The study aimed to highlight the relation between the performance registered by female skaters in agility and balance tests with their competition scores. Within our research, we applied three standardised tests designed to assess the athletic abilities that support on-ice skills development from Standardised Testing of Athleticism to Recognise Skaters (S.T.A.R.S.), consisting of one agility test (the Hexagon Test) and two balance tests (the Stork Test with eyes open and with closed eyes). The research was conducted on a group of 30 female skaters from Romania and Turkey during August-September 2019, with the age range from 10 to 12 years (x=10.87, SD= 0.73). The study showed that there is a significant correlation between the agility test (p=0.046) and the balance test with opened eyes (p= 0.043). Still, there was no significant relevance between the closed eyes balance test (p=0.192) and the scores earned in competitions by skaters. The results of the study aimed to guide coaches in choosing the proper tests for evaluating their skater's performance.