Anthropometric characteristics of male rink hockey goalkeeper’s according to their competitive level

Objective: Evaluate the anthropometric characteristics of male rink hockey goalkeepers, and to compare the variation according to their competitive level (international vs. non-international). Methods: Body mass, stature, sitting height, arm span, waist and hip circumferences and four skinfold measurements (triceps, medial calf, subscapular and supraspinale) of international (n = 12) and non-international (n = 23) goalkeepers were taken. Body mass index (BMI, weight/height2), the sum of four skinfolds, the sitting height/stature ratio, waist/hip ratio and the relative arm span were also calculated. Results: International rink hockey goalkeepers have lower values of subcutaneous adiposity for the sum of the four skinfolds (P = 0.042; d = 0.76) particularly in the triceps (P = 0.016; d = 0.87) and are taller than non-international goalkeepers (+3.8 cm [2.2%]; 180.5 ± 7.0 vs. 176.6 ± 4.8 cm; t = 1.920; P = 0.064; d = 0.65). Conclusion: The findings could indicate that stature and body fat may have important implications for scouts regarding the selection process and coaches that work with players on developing performance. Future research should investigate the extent to which different anthropometric measures influence performance in rink hockey goalkeepers.