| The Assessment of Motor Competence in Female Student-Athletes with emphasis on Sports Success |
| Paper ID : 1183-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Fatemeh Arab1, Hamideh Iranmanesh *2 1PhD Student, Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran 2Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Management and Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Motor competence refers to an individual’s ability to perform motor skills efficiently and in a coordinated manner and is considered as one of the key predictors of sustained participation in physical activity and physical health (3). The development of motor competence is influenced by biological, environmental, and practice-related factors. In many societies, girls may demonstrate lower levels of motor competence than boys due to environmental constraints and limited access to structured practice opportunities (1). Such disparities can influence the developmental trajectory of motor skills and the likelihood of achieving athletic success (2). Therefore, the present study aimed to examine motor competence among successful and unsuccessful female student-athletes in Kerman city (4). Methods: This study employed a descriptive, causal-comparative design. The research sample included 105 female high school student-athletes from Kerman city (M = 16.52± 0.93) who had at least three years of regular sports experience and had participated in provincial competitions. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. Motor competence was assessed using the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (4), and sports success was determined based on medal acquisition in provincial or national competitions. Athletes who won medals were categorized as successful (n = 45), while others were classified as unsuccessful. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of the independent samples t-test indicated a significant difference between successful and unsuccessful athletes. So that the motor competence of medalists was higher than that of those without medals (t = 2.38, p = 0.019). Conclusion: The findings suggest that higher motor competence increases the likelihood of sports success. This result aligns with previous research emphasizing motor competence as a key determinant of sport performance (1-3). Therefore, improving motor skills proficiency among girls can play an essential role in improving performance and achieving sports success. |
| Keywords |
| Motor competence, Sport success, Female student-athletes |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
