Morphometric characteristics of the athlete's body and the fractional somatotype can be used as guiders and markers of the chosen sport and method of training. The results emphasize the necessity for a specific somatotype to reach a high profile in the selected area of sport and thus support morphometric oriented studies. Further studies could elucidate differentiation by age and sex.

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Development of skill in young soccer players relies on progressive improvement in different professionally important sensorimotor cognitive abilities. Development of seven leading abilities was based on the results of 23 tests provided for experimental and control groups. 600 elite young soccer players of both sexes, ages 11 to 19 years, were assessed over a period of 4 years. Experimental groups were given different exercises to aid development of selected abilities. At the end of the monitoring period, the experimental groups demonstrated a significant improvement in contrast to the control groups, and the greatest improvements in different test performances were observed in the 11- to 13-year-olds. The test-retest ata show the testing process to be reliable. The study provides standard pedagogical models and data for trainers, coaches, and researchers working with young soccer players. Future research on talent identification and selection should adopt amultidimensional approach.

The study introduced a novel precise method for measurement and calculation of upper arm mass and to assess the difference between masses of upper limbs on the dominant and non-dominant sides of the body of right-handed participants. Forty healthy untrained male (n = 20; M age = 20.8 yr., SD = 1.2) and female (n = 20; M age = 20.7 yr., SD = 1.3) participants without a history of upper-extremity pathology participated. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected during arm motion. The mass of each arm was calculated. Each participant performed 20 movements with each arm. Most often the dominant arm was more massive than the non-dominant in both sex groups; however, mass was more symmetric for female participants than for male participants. Regression equations related to total body mass were calculated for each arm independently.

The global burden of stroke is increasing. Many stroke survivors live with significant impairment; the care and support they and their families require is complex. Literature indicates some evidence to support the routine provision of information to stroke survivors and their families, but the best way to provide information is unclear. We undertook a mixed methods descriptive survey to ascertain information needs of stroke families through identifying current practice and resources, the appropriateness, accessibility, timeliness and information gaps. The survey, which is embedded in a longitudinal research programme titled 'Stroke Families Whānau Programme', was used to gain an understanding of family members' (n=19) and practitioners' (n=23) opinions on information provision post-stroke. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected via face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data; content analysis was used for qualitative data. We found that for families, access to information was variable, both in quality and timeliness. Most described being overwhelmed initially with information they could not absorb; then later floundering as they had to find their own way through the maze. Few could recall information that focused specifically on them as family members. Health professionals described a range of resources and practices used to provide information. They identified barriers to effective provision of information, including language and other communication barriers, time constraints and workload issues. Most did not assess health literacy levels or consider family needs to be separate to or different from the stroke survivor's. We concluded that access to appropriate information post-stroke was problematic for most families and was compounded by the nature of the experience; shock following the sudden onset and adjusting to changed family dynamics. Health professionals recognised the limitations of resources, time, and funding alongside the need for timely, quality education for families post-stroke, however, a gap was identified between health professionals' theoretical understanding of best practice in information provision and their actual practice.