Abstract

This study examined the relationship between skill performance and selected physical fitness variables of hand ball players of Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. 30 handball players aged 18-11 years were randomly selected from players undergoing rigorous training camp for the All India Inter-University tournament. Defensive ability, passing ability and dribbling ability were assessed by defence movement test, passing test and control dribbling test. The tests selected for the physical fitness variables were: speed, 50 m run; explosive power, sergeant jump; agility, 6×10 m shuttle run; cardiorespiratory endurance, 12 min run/walk test; flexibility, bend and reach test. The statistical tool used was Pearson product moment correlation. Defensive ability was positively correlated with speed (r=0.72) and agility (r=0.61), whereas explosive power, cardiorespiratory endurance and flexibility were negatively correlated. Passing ability was negatively correlated with speed and agility, and positively correlated with explosive power (r=0.38), cardiorespiratory endurance (r=0.79) and flexibility (r=0.69). The skill of dribbling was positively correlated with speed (r=0.87) and agility (r=0.95), and negatively correlated with explosive power; it was not significantly correlated with cardiorespiratory endurance or flexibility. The results showed that defensive ability performance can be improved by good speed and agility. A player can excel in passing if he has good explosive power, cardiorespiratory endurance and flexibility. The skill of dribbling can be taken care of if a player has speed and agility.