Analyzing the velocity and Distance Traveled in Wheelchair Basketball to Determine Factors of High Performance

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to investigate the players' distance traveled and speed in a wheelchair basketball game and to search for the perspectives of scientific support to obtain the basic data of the players' physical fitness level necessary for high performance in the game. The match filmed for this study was the final of the Wheelchair Basketball Asian Friendship Match Final (Japan vs. Korea, 2005). A Hi-Vision video camera was set at the highest point of the audience seating where we could view the whole court. Two-Dimensional DLT (Direct Linear Transformation) method was used to obtain positional changes of all the players who participated in the game. The results showed that the distance covered by two players who played throughout the game was 5528m and 5745m. The distance covered in each quarter increased, and peak speed tended to decrease as the quarters advanced. Physical abilities to keep moving throughout the game period and to maintain the peak speed would be very important in any game situation. The data obtained in this study are useful for evaluation of the ability both of individual players and of the team.