Shooting Speed Differences between Playing Positions in Top Level Handball

Abstract

Scoring the goal in handball is performed by shooting action. Shooting speed is one of the most important attacking elements that influences successful performance in handball. Anyhow, there is a lack of scientific data considering shooting speed between different playing positions. The main aim of this study was to determine differences in shooting speed between playing positions in top level male handball players. Data used in this study was collected from official match reports of European handball championship held in Austria, Norway and Sweden 2020. Seven hundred and eighty-four (784) shoots were analyzed and variables included were shooting speed and playing position. Shooting speed was collected with iBall (SELECT, Denmark), with a built-in chip that tracks and distributes data in real time (Kinexon, Germany). Differences between playing positions were calculated with Kruskal-Wallis test. Significant difference in shooting speed was noticed between playing positions (Chi-Square=67.34). Post-hoc analysis revealed that line positions (wings and pivots) shoot significantly slower than outfield positions. No differences were noticed between wings and pivots, nor between left, right and center back. On the first sight, results of the study are biomechanically contradictable since faster shoots are from longer distances. Anyway, results could be easily explained if game dynamic is analyzed. Namely, line shoots are executed from narrow angle situations which more often require creative and wise, than strong shooting performance.