Background: Motor performances of youth are related to growth and maturity status, among other factors.
Aim: To estimate the contribution of skeletal maturity status per se to the motor performances of female athletes aged 10-15 years and the mediation effects of growth status on the relationships.
Subjects and methods: Skeletal age (TW3 RUS SA), body size, proportions, estimated fat-free mass (FFM), motor performances, training history and participation motivation were assessed in 80 non-skeletally mature female participants in several sports. Hierarchical and regression-based statistical mediation analyses were used.
Results: SA per se explained a maximum of 1.8% and 5.8% of the variance in motor performances of athletes aged 10-12 and 13-15 years, respectively, over and above that explained by covariates. Body size, proportions, and hours per week of training and participation motivation explained, respectively, a maximum of 40.7%, 18.8%, and 22.6% of the variance in performances. Mediation analysis indicated specific indirect effects of SA through stature and body mass, alone or in conjunction with FFM on performances.
Conclusion: SA per se accounted for small and non-significant amounts of variance in several motor performances of female youth athletes; rather, SA influenced performances indirectly through effects on stature, body mass and estimated FFM.
Keywords: Maturity status; adolescence; motor proficiency; sports.