Influence of peak height velocity on the level of motor skills and anthropometric features in young male footballers

Authors

• Dariusz Tadeusz Skalski, University of Applied Sciences in Walcz, Walcz, Poland / Faculty of Physical Culture, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, PolandFollow
• Magdalena Prończuk, Faculty of Physical Culture, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, PolandFollow
• Artur Terbalyan, Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, PolandFollow
• Kinga Łosińska, Faculty of Physical Culture, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, PolandFollow
• Adam Maszczyk, Faculty of Physical Culture, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdansk, Poland / The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, PolandFollow
• Robert Krzysztof Roczniok, Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, PolandFollow

Abstract

Background: This study examines the influence of Peak Height Velocity (PHV) on motor abilities and anthropometric characteristics of young male football players aged 12–16. The research aimed to determine whether PHV significantly affects motor performance beyond the chronological age, providing insights for talent identification and training optimization. Materials and methods: A total of 248 male football players from four professional academies were assessed and categorized into three maturation groups: Pre-PHV (n = 95, 38.3%), Mid-PHV (n = 98, 39.5%), and Post-PHV (n = 55, 22.2%) Anthropometric measurements included height, body mass, BMI, and leg length, while motor tests evaluated sprint speed (5m, 30m), lower limb power (CMJ, SJ), and anaerobic endurance (RAST test). The study protocol was preregistered in the Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/PCEB4). Results: The findings revealed significant differences in height (F = 183.18, p < 0.001), weight (F = 263.39, p < 0.001), and BMI (F = 274.70, p < 0.001) across PHV groups, confirming that biological age strongly influences physical development. Sprint performance showed substantial improvements, with Post-PHV players achieving faster times in 5m sprints (Pre-PHV: 1.08±0.08s vs. Post-PHV: 0.97±0.05s, η² = 0.342, p < 0.001) and 30m sprints (Pre-PHV: 4.82±0.37s vs. Post-PHV: 4.39±0.29s, η² = 0.311, p < 0.001). Explosive power, measured through jump height and peak power output, demonstrated the strongest association with biological maturity (CMJ: η² = 0.349; SJ: η² = 0.365; Pmax_abs: η² = 0.328, all p < 0.001), with the greatest improvements observed in the Mid- and Post-PHV phases. Conclusions: These results highlight the necessity of considering biological age in youth football selection and training. While PHV plays a crucial role in motor development, its effects are not uniform across all physical attributes.

Recommended Citation

Skalski DT, Pronczuk M, Terbalyan A, Losinska K, Maszczyk A, Roczniok R. Influence of peak height velocity on the level of motor skills and anthropomet-ric features in young male footballer. Balt J Health Phys Act. 2026;18(2):Article8. DOI: 10.29359/BJHPA.18.2.08

Author ORCID Identifier

Dariusz T. Skalski ORCID 0000-0001-5128-7724

Magdalena Prończuk ORCID 0009-0005-1478-3151

Artur Terbalyan ORCID 0000-0002-3628-8849

Kinga Łosińska ORCID 0009-0009-0227-106X

Adam Maszczyk ORCID 0000-0001-9139-9747

Robert K. Roczniok ORCID 0000-0001-6551-9151

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.