Assessment of Preschool Children’s throwing Ability by throwing Distance and Velocity

Abstract

A remarkable decrease in children’s throwing ability has recently been reported. Until now, although throwing ability of children has been mainly assessed by distance, velocity has also become easily instrumentally measurable. However, the relationship between the throwing distance and velocity remains unclear. This study examined the age and gender differences in throwing distance and velocity, and their relationship in preschool children. Participants were 270 children (boys: 134, girls: 136), 3–6 year olds. Both the measured values had high reliability (ICC = throwing distance: boys, 0.73, girls, 0.70; throwing velocity: boys, 0.83, girls, 0.78) and were greater in boys than in girls, in 6-year-olds than in 5-year-olds, and in 5-year-olds than in 3- and 4-year-olds. Partial correlation coefficient eliminating age effect was significant (boys: 0.65, girls: 0.53). Correlation at each age was significant and high at 5 and 6 years old (r = 0.70~0.76), but insignificant only in 3-year-old girls. In conclusion, throwing velocity has high reliability, similar to throwing distance, and reflects gender- and age-related differences in preschool children. Although throwing velocity is related to throwing distance, their relationship differs according to children’s gender and age.