Author(s): CROGNALE, D., LEINEN, P., BAUMANN, T., Institution: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, Country: IRELAND, Abstract-ID: 2197

INTRODUCTION:
Fast response times are an essential skill required across various actions and sports. Sports are categorized based on the degree of interaction with the environment and the demand for quick responses. Open-skill (OS) sports such as volleyball and tennis are highly reactive, while closed-skill (CS) sports like swimming or running are characterized by a predictable and repetitive environment. For instance, a goalkeepers ability to save a penalty heavily relies on rapid movement once the direction of the shot is recognized and processed. However, there is no consensus on the extent to which response times differ between these groups. Therefore, this study aims to investigate differences in visual motor response times among high-level and professional athletes in OS and CS sports using the BATAK Pro™.

The BATAK Pro™ is a reaction time apparatus designed for standardized reaction time assessments in a controlled environment. It consists of a board with a series of illuminated targets arranged in a grid pattern. These targets light up randomly, and the participants task is to quickly and accurately touch or hit each target as it lights up.
METHODS:
Sixty-three professional/high-level athletes (26 female; 37 male) competing in the highest tier/level of their respective OS or CS sport were recruited for the study (age = 21.35 ± 3.49 years). OS sports included martial arts, tennis, table tennis, badminton, basketball, volleyball, rugby, and soccer. CS sports included athletics, swimming, cycling, triathlon, rowing, and gymnastics. Height, wingspan, and weight were also recorded to account for limb length and reach.

All athletes performed two pre-set protocols on the BATAK Pro™, including two practice and eight test trials for each protocol. The average scores, calculated from the number of targets struck (Accumulator) and the rate of completing 50 targets (Mirror Race), were used for analysis. The variables wingspan, height, years of sport experience, and training volume were tested for moderating effects.
RESULTS:
A two-way independent ANOVA (2 x 2) was performed to analyze the effect of sports categories (OS vs. CS) and participants (male vs. female) on each of the demographic variables: age, weight, height, wingspan, experience, and training volume. Two additional ANOVAs were subsequently performed for the two Batak Pro protocols employed.

There was no significant difference (p > .05) in response times (mean OS 49.9s vs. CS 49.9s) and number of targets struck between OS (mean: 74.7 targets) and CS (mean: 75.5 targets) athletes. Males performed superiorly in both protocols, partially explained by greater height and wingspan (p < .001).
CONCLUSION:
The findings provide further evidence that differences in response time of OS and CS athletes do not transfer to a general reactive context using a movement-oriented response apparatus. The remaining variance and the source of response differences in males and females require further investigation.