GLOBAL MOTOR COORDINATION AND SPORTS PRACTICE IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS MULTI-SPORT PARTICIPANTS

The relationship between sports participation (SP) and global motor coordination (GMC) is associated with age. However, the time of involved in SP may be another mediator. Thus, the objective was to investigate the relationship between GMC and SP in children and adolescents involved, controlled by the time of practice. For this, 111 boys were analyzed (88 aged 6 to 9 years old; 23 aged 10 to 12 years old), with SP of two to four sports and with practice time between one and six years. The GMC was assessed by the Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder and the SP through a semi-structured interview with the legal guardians. Spearman coefficients indicated that for children aged 6 to 9 years there was no correlation between GMC and SP (p >0.05), even when controlling for time in SP. For the group aged 10 to 12 years old, there was a moderate correlation (ρ = 0.515, p <0.01). This information allows the Physical Education professional to understand that the motor experience of younger children is fundamental to enhancing motor development and that its implication in maintaining participation in sporting activities will only occur in the advanced stages of childhood.