Abstract:

The purpose of this study to examine the temporal changes of the precompetitive anxiety (state and trait) levels of the male players in the Youth and Junior Handball National Team. 14 male players (aged 18.86±0.86) from Youth National Team and 20 male players (aged 17.35±0.59) from Junior National Team participated in this study. Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to determine their anxiety levels. Youth National Team players completed the STAI on different four occasions (5 days, 1 day, 2 hrs and 30 min.) prior to the first competition in the International Israel Tournament. Junior National Team players also completed the STAI four times (3 days, 1 day, 1 hrs and 30 min.) prior to the first competition in the International Ankara Tournament. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA in repeated measures and Tukey test were used to analyse the data.Young players’ state anxiety levels prior to the first competition (5 days, 1 day, 2 hrs and 30 min.) were respectively 38.29±5.09, 38.86±4.07, 39.07±4.46, 38.86±4 and their trait anxiety levels were respectively 44.07±3.50, 43±3.28, 41.29±4.03 (they didn’t complete Trait Anxiety Inventory 30min. before the competition). Junior players’ state anxiety levels prior to the first competition (3 days, 1 day, 1 hrs and 30 min.) were respectively 42.50±4.20, 44.10±4.12, 44.95±5.24, 43±4.36 and their trait anxiety levels were respectively 45.95±3.63, 46.15±5.27, 45.20±4.92 (they didn’t complete Trait Anxiety Inventory 30min. before the competition ). Findings showed that there was significant difference among Young players’ trait anxiety levels (p<0.05), but no significant difference among their state anxiety levels. This difference results from the trait anxiety levels which were measured 5 days and 2 hours before competition. It was found that there was significant difference among Junior players’ state anxiety levels (p<0.05), but no significant difference among their trait anxiety levels. This difference results from the state anxiety levels which were measured 3 days and 1 hours before competition. It can be concluded that trait anxiety levels of the Youth National Team players’ decreases as the competition approaches and state anxiety levels of Junior National Team players’ increases as the competition approaches