Incidencia de la modificación reglamentaria en competición, sobre factores técnico-tácticos y físico-fisiológicos en tenistas sub-10

Abstract

Objetives 1. To know the impact of the adaptation of rules in competition of under-10-year-old players in green stage developed by the International-Tennis-Federation on technical-tactical and physical-physiological parameters. 2. To design and develop a tennis competition adapted to under-10-year-old children according to their characteristic, previous scientific evidence and degree of accomplishment of cognitive-constructivist and ecological-dynamic pedagogical principles. Methodology and Results The study design was observational and cross-sectional. Twenty under-10-year-old players (9.46±0.66 years) played three tournaments. The participants were divide into four groups. Each group played round robin matches. Every player played four matches to a set of six games with golden point, and a tiebreak to 7pts if there was a tie. The first two tournaments were played with International-Tennis-Federation rules for under-10-year-old players at green stage (GC) (net height= 1.07-m, court-size= 23.77x8.23-m). The last tournament (MC) was scaled, reducing net height (0.80-m) and court-size (18.00x8.23-m). To show scientific evidence of the effect of playing a GC competition or a MC competition, four studies were conducted according to the two thesis objectives: - Studies regarding objective 1: Study 1. Using Smart Sensors to Monitor Physical Activity and Technical-Tactical Actions in Junior Tennis Players. A descriptive observational design of a green stage competition with under-10-year-old tennis players was carried out to observe tactical-technical quantity and variability in the first tournament (GC). The shots (n = 21,477) were collected by smart sensors in 35 matches. The results show a clear lack of technical-tactical variability at this stage using mainly forehand flat shots. Study 2. Changes in Markers of Oxidative Stress and α-Amylase in Saliva of Children Associated with a Tennis Competition. A descriptive study was conducted on the evolution of oxidative markers with the aim of studying their trend during the first GC competition. The most important results indicate a progressive increase in oxidative biomarkers. However, α-Amylase levels were higher before competition (pre-competition shot) than post-competition shots and baseline shot. - Studies regarding objective 2: Study 3. Effect of modification rules in competition on technical-tactical action in young tennis players (under-10). The objective was to compare different technical-tactical actions between the second GC tournament and the MC tournament and their degree of compliance with current pedagogical principles. The results show an offensive and more creative playing style with greater motor variability in MC than in GC matches. Study 4. Effect of scaling equipment on U-10 tennis players serve during match-play: A nonlinear pedagogical approach. The objective was to study in depth the serve, to know which elements are key so that the court-size and net height are not a limiting factor for learning. This require comparing the serves performed in GC and MC. The players during the MC tournament improved theirs tactical-technical variability, when they were winning. Conclusions The effect of competition on biomarkers linked to physiological and cognitive stress, should be further investigated with a major sample to know more accurately, the real influence on under-10-year-old players’ well-being. The current competition rules do not favor motor and behavioral variability, to invite under-10-year-old players to explore new creative solutions. Therefore, it is necessary to redesign the GC competition.