Development of motor and specific motor abilities for athletics in elementary school male and female first-graders

The aim of the study was to determine canonic relations between the set of basic motor variables and the set of athletic variables assessing the abilities of sprint, throw and long-distance run adjusted for children aged seven years. Study sample consisted of 635 first-graders from Split elementary schools, divided into groups of 325 male and 310 female subjects. The set of nine variables of the basic motor space and three variables of situation motoricity in athletics were applied at the beginning and at the end of the academic year. Association between the sets of variables was determined by canonic correlation analysis. In male subjects, association between the sets of variables revealed a predominant effect of explosive strength on the sprint and throw ability on initial measurement. On final measurement, association in the first pair of canonic dimensions was underlain by the favorable impact of all strength factors with a predominance of explosive strength, which was accompanied by the development of flexibility and coordination, influencing performance in sprint and throwing; the second canonic variable was bipolar, differentiating aerobic endurance ability determined by above-average flexibility, frequency of lower extremity movements and static strength, and throwing ability determined by above-average equilibrium, explosive strength, coordination and repetitive strength. In female subjects, on initial measurement association in the first pair of canonic dimensions was mostly determined by the effect of explosive strength, repetitive strength of the trunk and movement frequency on general ability in athletics defined by the abilities of sprint, throw and long-distance run. Association in the second pair of canonic dimensions was determined by the impact of explosive strength and flexibility on sprint performance on the one hand, and by the effect of movement frequency and repetitive strength of the trunk on long-distance run performance on the other hand. In female subjects, final measurement yielded only one significant canonic correlation underlain by the impact of all strength factors, frequency of lower extremity movements and flexibility on performance in the athletic events of sprint and throw. Relations between the sets of variables are also discussed according to sex.