The Oldenburg observation sheet for Table Tennis Technique (O3T) as a tool for talent identification and development: a reliability, validity and feasibility study
Abstract
Background: The assessment of technical skills as part of a multidimensional approach for talent identification and development in table tennis appears promising. The O3T was developed to assess young table tennis players’ technical skills in a highly representative match situation. In this study, two expert coaches (highest coaching license, 25+ years of professional experience) used the O3T to assess the technical skills of 24 young Dutch table tennis players (9 girls, 15 boys; <12 years) based on video recordings. Results: Results for variables ‘technical quality’, ‘serve quantity’ and ‘stroke quantity’ were analyzed to assess the O3T’s reliability (both inter- and intra-rater), construct validity and feasibility. Bland-Altman-plots and ICCs showed sufficient general reliability with acceptable measurement errors. Variable ‘technical quality’ showed a moderate relationship (r = .44) with overall table tennis performance at T0 in combination with an increasing trend over time, this way indicating high validity. Finally, the O3T proved to be highly feasible with some possibility to improve based on a feasibility questionnaire. Conclusions: Overall, this study presents good prospects for the O3T’s measurements properties. In future, the O3T should be used by coaches in various (talent) contexts to further improve its design and to show its added value for talent activities. Furthermore, this approach could be transferred to other performance aspects and sports.
References
Abernethy, B. (2008). Introduction: Developing expertise in sport-how research can inform practice. In D. Farrow, J. Baker, & C. MacMahon (Eds.), Developing Sport Expertise: Researchers and Coaches Put Theory into Practice (pp. 1-14). Routledge.
Ak, E., & Koçak, S. (2010). Coincidence-anticipation timing and reaction time in youth tennis and table tennis players. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 110(3), 879-887.
Akpinar, S., Devrilmez, E., & Kirazci, S. (2012). Coincidence-anticipation timing requirements are different in racket sports. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 115(2), 581-593.
Anderson, D. I., Magill, R. A., & Thouvarecq, R. (2012). Critical periods, sensitive periods, and readiness for motor skill learning In N. J. Hodges & A. M. Williams (Eds.), Skill acquisition in sport: research, theory and practice (pp. 237-254). Routledge.
Baker, J., Cobley, S., & Schorer, J. (2011). Talent Identification and Development in Sport: International Perspectives Routledge.
Baker, J., Cobley, S., & Schorer, J. (2021). Talent Identification and Development in Sport: International Perspectives (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Baker, J., Cobley, S., Schorer, J., & Wattie, N. (2017). Routledge handbook of talent identification and development in sport. Taylor & Francis.
Baker, J., Wilson, S., Johnston, K., Dehghansai, N., Koenigsberg, A., de Vegt, S., & Wattie, N. (2020). Talent Research in Sport 1990-2018: A Scoping Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 607710-607710. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.607710
Bowen, D. J., Kreuter, M., Spring, B., Cofta-Woerpel, L., Linnan, L., Weiner, D., Bakken, S., Kaplan, C. P., Squiers, L., & Fabrizio, C. (2009). How we design feasibility studies. American journal of preventive medicine, 36(5), 452-457.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for behavioural sciences. Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.
de Vet, H. C., Terwee, C. B., Knol, D. L., & Bouter, L. M. (2006). When to use agreement versus reliability measures. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 59(10), 1033-1039.
DeBosscher, V., Bingham, J., Shibli, S., Van Bottenburg, M., & DeKnop, P. (2008). Sports policy factors leading to international sporting success: An international comparative study. In: Meyer & Meyer.
Deutsch, K. M., & Newell, K. M. (2005). Noise, variability, and the development of children’s perceptual-motor skills. Developmental Review, 25(2), 155-180.
Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Jordet, G., Coelho-E-Silva, M. J., & Visscher, C. (2011). The marvels of elite sports: how to get there? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(9), 683-684. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2011-090254
Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Visscher, C., Lemmink, K. A., & Mulder, T. (2007). Multidimensional performance characteristics and standard of performance in talented youth field hockey players: a longitudinal study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(4), 481-489. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410600719945
Elling, A., Van Hilvoorde, I., & Van Den Dool, R. (2014). Creating or awakening national pride through sporting success: A longitudinal study on macro effects in the Netherlands. International review for the sociology of sport, 49(2), 129-151.
Faber, I., Bustin, P. M., Oosterveld, F. G., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., & Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, M. W. (2016). Assessing personal talent determinants in young racquet sport players: a systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(5), 395-410. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2015.1061201
Faber, I., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Faber, N. R., Oosterveld, F. G., & Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, M. W. (2016). Can perceptuo-motor skills assessment outcomes in young table tennis players (7–11 years) predict future competition participation and performance? An observational prospective study. PLOS one, 11(2), e0149037.
Faber, I. R. (2016). Diamonds in the rough. Searching for high potential in youth table tennis players [Sl: sn]].
Faber, I. R., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Oosterveld, F. G., Twisk, J. W., & Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, M. W. (2017). Can an early perceptuo-motor skills assessment predict future performance in youth table tennis players? An observational study (1998–2013). Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(6), 593-601.
Faber, I. R., Koopmann, T., Büsch, D., & Schorer, J. (2021). Developing a tool to assess technical skills in talented youth table tennis players—a multi-method approach combining professional and scientific literature and coaches’ perspectives. Sports Medicine - Open, 7(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00327-5
Faber, I. R., Nijhuis-Van Der Sanden, M. W., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., & Oosterveld, F. G. (2015). The Dutch motor skills assessment as tool for talent development in table tennis: a reproducibility and validity study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(11), 1149-1158.
Friedrich, W., & Fürste, F. (2015). Tischtennis-verstehen, lernen, spielen: ein Tischtennis Lehrbuch. Wolfgang Friedrich.
Glazier, P. S. (2017). Could sports biomechanics provide the missing pieces to the talent identification and development puzzle? In J. Baker, S. Cobley, J. Schorer, & N. Wattie (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of talent identification and development in sport. Taylor & Francis.
Grix, J., & Carmichael, F. (2012). Why do governments invest in elite sport? A polemic. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 4(1), 73-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2011.627358
Hopkins, W. G. (2000). Measures of reliability in sports medicine and science. Sports Medicine, 30(1), 1-15.
Huber, D., Kohl, M., Weyers, N., & Lüsebrink, I. (2009). Tischtennis: RTK Tischtennis (Rahmentrainingskonzeption für Kinder und Jugendliche im Leistungssport). . Limpert.
Huijgen, B. C., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Lemmink, K. A., & Visscher, C. (2012). Multidimensional performance characteristics in selected and deselected talented soccer players. European Journal of Sport Science, 14(1), 2-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2012.725102
Johnston, K., Wattie, N., Schorer, J., & Baker, J. (2018). Talent identification in sport: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(1), 97-109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0803-2
Kannekens, R., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., & Visscher, C. (2011). Positioning and deciding: Key factors for talent development in soccer. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 21(6), 846-852. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01104.x
Katsikadelis, M., Pilianidis, T., & Mantzouranis, N. (2014). Test-retest reliability of the “table tennis specific battery test” in competitive level young players. European Psychomotoric Journal, 6, 3-11.
Kolman, N. S., Kramer, T., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Huijgen, B. C., & Visscher, C. (2019). Technical and tactical skills related to performance levels in tennis: A systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 37(1), 108-121.
Koopmann, T., Faber, I., Baker, J., & Schorer, J. (2020). Assessing Technical Skills in Talented Youth Athletes: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01299-4
Mokkink, L. B., Terwee, C. B., Patrick, D. L., Alonso, J., Stratford, P. W., Knol, D. L., Bouter, L. M., & de Vet, H. C. (2010). The COSMIN study reached international consensus on taxonomy, terminology, and definitions of measurement properties for health-related patient-reported outcomes. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 63(7), 737-745.
Morrow Jr, J. R., Mood, D., Disch, J., & Kang, M. (2015). Measurement and Evaluation in Human Performance, 5E. Human kinetics.
Prinsen, C. A., Mokkink, L. B., Bouter, L. M., Alonso, J., Patrick, D. L., De Vet, H. C., & Terwee, C. B. (2018). COSMIN guideline for systematic reviews of patient-reported outcome measures. Quality of Life Research, 27(5), 1147-1157.
Robertson, S., Kremer, P., Aisbett, B., Tran, J., & Cerin, E. (2017). Consensus on measurement properties and feasibility of performance tests for the exercise and sport sciences: a Delphi study. Sports Medicine - Open, 3(1), 1-10.
Sève, C., Saury, J., Theureau, J., & Durand, M. (2002). Activity organization and knowledge construction during competitive interaction in table tennis. Cognitive Systems Research, 3(3), 501-522.
Silva, A., Monteiro, D., & Sobreiro, P. (2020). Effects of sports participation and the perceived value of elite sport on subjective well-being. Sport in Society, 23(7), 1202-1216. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2019.1613376
Table Tennis Canada. (2015). Long Term Athlete Development. Table Tennis 4 Life. Table Tennis Canada. .
Vaeyens, R., Güllich, A., Warr, C. R., & Philippaerts, R. (2009). Talent identification and promotion programmes of Olympic athletes. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27(13), 1367-1380.
Van Biesen, D., Mactavish, J., Pattyn, N., & Vanlandewijck, Y. (2012). Technical proficiency among table tennis players with and without intellectual disabilities. Human Movement Science 31(6), 1517-1528.
Weir, J. P. (2005). Quantifying test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient and the SEM. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 19(1), 231-240.
Copyright (c) 2022 International Journal of Racket Sports Science
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.