The Water Polo Intermittent Shuttle Test in Women's Water Polo Players

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Physiology
• Performance Analysis

Background:

• The water polo intermittent shuttle test (WIST) is a key assessment for evaluating the physical demands of water polo.
• Assessing the reliability and validity of the WIST is crucial for its effective application in female water polo.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the test-retest reliability of the WIST in elite female water polo players.
• To investigate the WIST's validity in detecting positional differences and distinguishing between competitive playing standards.
• To quantify practically meaningful changes in WIST performance.

Main Methods:

• 14 elite female water polo players completed the WIST twice, 48 hours apart, for reliability testing.
• The WIST was administered to elite, highly trained, and trained female players across different age groups to assess validity.
• Statistical analyses included coefficient of variation (CV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), smallest worthwhile change (SWC), and minimal detectable change (MDC90).

Main Results:

• The WIST demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.93, CV = 6.7%).
• Significant differences in WIST scores were found between elite/highly trained and trained players, confirming the test's sensitivity.
• No significant positional differences were observed in WIST scores.

Conclusions:

• The WIST is a reliable and valid high-intensity intermittent performance test for elite female water polo players.
• The test effectively distinguishes between different competitive playing standards.
• Practitioners can use the MDC90 to quantify practically meaningful improvements in WIST performance.