Relationship between Elite Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Skills Testing and Future Success in the Sport

Abstract

Introduction
Wheelchair basketball practices are built around developing technical and tactical skills required in game situations. To assess the performance of these skills, testing protocols have been developed. This allows both player and coach to determine improvements. However, will those who achieve high scores on skills tests be the most successful players on the basketball court during competition?
Purpose
The purpose of this analysis was to determine the relationship between skills test results and performance during competition as determined by the average efficiency scores obtained from box scores from eight basketball games.
Methods
In April 2013, 50 women of the wheelchair basketball teams around the United States, were recommended by their local coaches for consideration for the National Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team. Out of which, 25 female wheelchair basketball players were invited to compete for positions on the United States 2014 National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Senior Women’s National Team. Skills tests were similar to those used at NWBA/PVA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association/Paralyzed Veterans of America) National Wheelchair Basketball Camps. Strength testing assessments were developed by a panel of NWBA Coaches with a history of national and international coaching experience. Nine (of 25) women were chosen for the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Toronto, June 2014. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes provided preliminary information about the nature of the relationships between skills tests and player game efficiency scores.
Results
Players’ rankings on efficiency per minute played at the championship games were compared to each player’s respective ranking on the skills tests. A player’s rank varied across the skill tests; however, there was consistency between the players’ rankings on efficiency per minute played and the passing skills tests. Large effect sizes were found for higher player efficiency ratings per minute played and better dominant (stationary distance r=0.75; moving distance r=0.57) and non-dominant passing (accuracy r=0.70; stationary distance r=0.82; moving distance r=0.87).

Conclusion
Findings may represent that differential skill sets are needed for game performance. Passing, in particular, non-dominant passing skills, may give players an advantage on the court. In contrast, wheelchair basketball players on the court have large variability in the shooting, speed/agility, and strength skills, and these skill sets may be less predictive of court performance