The use of the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder in the talent pathway in youth athletes: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Identifying talented athletes from an early age to accelerate their development requires the investment of substantial resources. Due to the need for multifactorial approaches to talent identification, motor competence assessments are increasingly prevalent in contemporary testing batteries. Therefore, the aim of this review was to evaluate the literature on the use of a product-oriented motor competence assessment tool, the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) in the talent pathway and determine whether it is warranted in such programs.

METHODS

Three electronic databases (i.e. PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science) were searched for studies that used at least one component of the KTK to assess motor competence for talent detection, identification, development and selection in athletic populations. A total of 21 articles were included in the review, of which seven used the full version of the KTK and 14 used modified versions or individual components of the battery. The quality of included studies was assessed using a modified version of the Joanna Brigg's Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist.

RESULTS

The analysed literature suggests that the KTK can successfully distinguish between athletes of different competition levels and across different sporting domains, however, findings should be interpreted with caution due to the cross-sectional nature of the studies. Furthermore, the moving sideways subtest displayed the greatest discriminative power for athletes of different competition levels. Motor competence was not affected by maturation and did not differ between genders or playing positions.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these findings suggest that the KTK is a useful motor competence assessment in the talent pathway.

Anthropometry, Physical Fitness and Coordination of Young Figure Skaters of Different Levels

The aim of the present study was to identify anthropometric, physical, coordinative and ice-skating specific characteristics that discriminate young elite ice skaters from non-elite skaters and their non-skating peers. 32 skaters aged 9-12 years old (11 elites and 21 non-elites) voluntarily participated in the study. They were submitted to 5 anthropometric, 7 physical, 3 coordination and 5 ice-skating specific tests. Reference values of a representative healthy non-skating sample were taken from the Flemish Sports Compass dataset. Figure skaters appeared to be predominantly average mature (93.8%), were lighter and leaner than the reference sample, and demonstrated better physical characteristics and motor coordination. There was no difference between the elite and non-elite group regarding maturity status and anthropometric or physical parameters. Still, elite skaters scored better than non-elites on the coordination tests jumping sideways and tended to do so on the moving sideways test. Profiles of figure skaters differ clearly from a reference population, while non-sport-specific motor coordination tests allow discrimination between elite and non-elite skaters. The relevance of these findings with respect to talent detection and identification in young ice skaters are discussed.

Factors discriminating gymnasts by competitive level

This study examined the relationship between the performance level as evaluated by expert coaches and the results on a multidimensional test battery in female gymnastics. 4 coaches assigned 168 female gymnasts aged 6-8 years into 2 groups (Elite-level potential, n=103 and Sub-elite-level potential, n=65) based upon their technical evaluation of the gymnastics abilities on the 4 apparatus. Moreover, anthropometric, physical and coordinative characteristics were assessed. ANOVA with age as fixed factor revealed that results on all aforementioned characteristics, except body fat%, sit-and-reach, rope climbing and a motor coordination test, significantly improved with increasing age. MANCOVA with competitive level as fixed factor and age and maturity as covariates indicated that all gymnasts portrayed a similar athletic built (Wilks' lambda=0.95, F=2.20, p=0.071), but the elite-level potential gymnasts outperformed the less gifted gymnasts on all physical (Wilks' lambda=0.65, F=8.00, p<0.001) and coordinative variables (Wilks' lambda=0.79, F=22.10, p<0.001). Discriminant analysis revealed motor coordination to be the most important factor in discriminating between young female elite and sub-elite gymnasts. A test battery measuring multidimensional performance characteristics is valuable in addition to the coaches' technical judgment in the search of young gifted female gymnasts.

The KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder: reference values and suitability for 6-12-year-old children in Flanders

An adequate coordination level in children is important for their general development, but also for health, psychosocial, academic and well-being-related reasons. In this study, the suitability of the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder (KTK) as an assessment instrument for the gross motor coordination was evaluated in 2470 children from 26 elementary schools for general education spread over the Flemish and Brussels-capital region. All children performed four subtests: walking backwards (WB), moving sideways (MS), hopping for height (HH) and jumping sideways (JS). Age and gender-specific values were established for the Flemish children anno 2008. Overall, the current sample scored significantly worse than their 1974 German counterparts (P<0.001). Score distribution showed 21% of the children being placed in the problematic range of gross motor coordination level. A decline in coordination was observed especially in those tasks relying primarily on coordinative capacities (WB and MS), while improvements or status quo in those tasks relying on strength and speed (JS and HH) were explained by secular trends. We suggest that the KTK is a valuable instrument for the assessment of the gross motor coordination of Flemish children and efforts should be made in order to face the decline in coordination.

The KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder: reference values and suitability for 6-12-year-old children in Flanders

An adequate coordination level in children is important for their general development, but also for health, psychosocial, academic and well-being-related reasons. In this study, the suitability of the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder (KTK) as an assessment instrument for the gross motor coordination was evaluated in 2470 children from 26 elementary schools for general education spread over the Flemish and Brussels-capital region. All children performed four subtests: walking backwards (WB), moving sideways (MS), hopping for height (HH) and jumping sideways (JS). Age and gender-specific values were established for the Flemish children anno 2008. Overall, the current sample scored significantly worse than their 1974 German counterparts (P<0.001). Score distribution showed 21% of the children being placed in the problematic range of gross motor coordination level. A decline in coordination was observed especially in those tasks relying primarily on coordinative capacities (WB and MS), while improvements or status quo in those tasks relying on strength and speed (JS and HH) were explained by secular trends. We suggest that the KTK is a valuable instrument for the assessment of the gross motor coordination of Flemish children and efforts should be made in order to face the decline in coordination.

Differential regulation of G-protein expression by vasoactive peptides

Vasoactive peptides such as angiotensin II (AII), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and vasopressin play an important role in the regulation of blood pressure. We have recently shown an augmentation of Gi alpha levels in heart and aorta from genetic and experimentally-induced hypertensive rats, which may be attributed to the increased levels of vasoactive peptides. We have therefore investigated the effect of AII and ANP on the expression of G-proteins (Gi alpha and Gs alpha) in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and their relationship with adenylyl cyclase activity. Exposure of VSMC with AII resulted in the augmentation of the levels of Gi alpha-2 and Gi alpha-3 proteins and Gi alpha-2 and Gi alpha-3 mRNA and not of Gs alpha as determined by immunoblotting and Northern blotting techniques respectively. However, the stimulatory effects of N-ethylcarboxamide adenosine (NECA) and isoproterenol on adenylyl cyclase was diminished by AII treatment, whereas the inhibitory effects of AII and C-ANP4-23 were completely attenuated. On the other hand, pretreatment of the cells with C-ANP4-23 resulted in the reduction of the levels of Gi alpha-2 and Gi alpha-3 and not of Gs alpha. The inhibitory responses of adenylyl cyclase to C-ANP4-23 and AII were also attenuated and the stimulatory effects of GTP gamma S and other agonists were significantly augmented. These data indicate that AII and ANP modulate the expression of Gia protein in a different manner. It may be suggested that the enhanced levels of Gi alpha protein observed in hypertension may be attributed to the augmented levels of AII and not to ANP.