Predictors of agility performance among early pubescent girls

Although frequently studied in adults, predictors of agility are rarely reported for children. This study investigated the influence of the balance, power, reactive strength, straight line sprinting and morphological variables on different agility performances in early pubescent girls (N = 75; 12–13 years of age, randomly divided into a validation sample and a cross-validation sample). Variables included body height, body weight, body fat %; lean body mass %; countermovement jump, broad jump, overall stability index, straight line sprint 5, 10 and 15 m, test of reactive strength (bilateral side jumps – BSJ), and five agility variables. All of the tests applied except for the 5m-sprint were found to be reliable. Different agility performances should be observed as relatively independent qualities for this age group. Multiple regressions explained 30% to 64% of the criteria’s variance. Models were then cross-validated and found valid for four agility variables. Body composition and anthropometrics are weak to medium predictors, while reactive strength was found to be the most significant predictor of agility performances. Future studies should focus on training-induced changes in different motor qualities and their influence on agility.