Identification of key performance parameters and development of a youth badminton performance index in male youth players

Youth badminton performance involves an interplay of structural, physiological, training, and experiential factors more than a stand-alone measure like competition ranking. Yet, in youth programmes, athlete assessment is based on such siloed indicators such as isolated fitness tests or competition results and therefore, fails to appreciate the complexity of performance progression. Consequently, the objective of this study was to ascertain the fundamental multi-focal parameters relevant to youth badminton performance and construct a descriptive performance profiling index in the form of a Youth Badminton Performance Index (YBPI). The study employed a cross-sectional design and the subjects were 170 youth male badminton players aged 9-16 years, drawn from state-level teams and national development programmes. The components of the study were anthropometry, physical fitness, training exposure, competition and injury-related functional activity. To determine the dimensions of performance that lie underneath each of the components, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation was performed. Ten components accounting for 76.43% of the total variance were retained in the analysis. The domains of variance included anthropometric make-up, aerobic-agility, training exposure, competition experience, physical fitness, and injury-related functional readiness. The components were standardised and the YBPI was constructed from the sum of the standardised components, allowing athletes to be positioned within a relative performance grouping based on their multidimensional profile within the sample. These groupings are intended to support descriptive profiling and athlete monitoring rather than talent identification or prediction of future performance. Although the YBPI offers a multi-faceted approach to athlete profiling and monitoring and helps coaches to discern the athlete's characteristics and traits across multiple performance domains, the index is designed for performance profiling at a single point in time and not for forecasting or talent scouting. Practically, the YBPI may assist coaches in identifying whether an athlete's current profile reflects lower, moderate, or higher relative multidimensional performance status within a comparable youth cohort.