AGILITY IN PRIMARY EDUCATION STUDENTS: DIFFERENCES BY AGE AND GENDER

Agility was assessed in 110 children (63 boys and 47 girls) divided into two groups: (a) Group 1 (G(1)) (n = 53): first year student in primary education (age: 6.3 +/- 0.6 years) and (b) Group 2 (G(2)) (n = 57): fourth year students in primary education (age: 9.5 +/- 0.4 years). A modified version of MAT (28) was used to determine agility: MAT(2). The purposes of the study were to assess the agility level of the two groups, verify the influence of age and gender in agility performance at an early age and determine the reliability and reproducibility of MAT(2). Good reliability values were found in MAT(2). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between general results of G(1) (9.76 +/- 0.90 s) and G(2) (8.29 +/- 0.80 s). No significant results were found according to gender in G(1) but if in G(2) (p < 0.05).