Author(s): HAYASHI, Y., ONIZAWA, Y., TAI, K., TAKAHASHI, K., KUBOTA, M., Institution: HOSEI UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1805

INTRODUCTION:
This study examined, using a cross-sectional design, the association between coordination ability related to force production and timing control in fundamental motor actions and accumulated sport and physical activity experience up to late childhood. The purpose was to clarify how the quality, quantity, and developmental timing of relevant experiences relate to coordination development and to provide preliminary evidence informing primary physical education curricula.
METHODS:
Children aged 9–11 years completed a performance test including a basketball dribbling task (dribbling test) evaluating hand and upper-limb motor control during ball handling. A questionnaire assessed habitual sport and physical activity experience during early childhood (0–6 years) and early school age (7–10 years), including 1) participation experience, 2) number of activity types, 3) duration of engagement, and 4) activity volume (duration × intensity). Within an exploratory model selection framework, the dribbling score and five key movement components were treated as dependent variables. All possible regression models with eight explanatory variables (255 models) were estimated. Models were compared using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), and the minimum AIC defined the optimal model.
RESULTS:
AIC comparison indicated that overall dribbling performance was best explained by early childhood 2) number of activity types and 4) activity volume (R² = .038), although explanatory power was modest. For the upper-limb action of “pushing the ball,” the optimal model included early childhood duration of engagement and, during early school age, 1) participation experience, 2) number of activity types, and 4) activity volume. For “controlling the rebounding ball,” required for stable dribbling, the optimal model included early childhood 2) number of activity types (β = 0.28, p < .001) and 3) duration of engagement (β = 0.20, p = .007), both positively associated.
CONCLUSION:
Dribbling performance was not determined solely by longer exposure to early physical activity. Although activity volume contributed to optimal models, volume alone was insufficient to explain coordinative performance. Instead, varied early movement experiences were linked to refined upper-limb coordination required for effective ball control. These results support providing diverse movement opportunities before primary school as a foundation for later skill development.