Motor skills differences by gender in early elementary education students

The aims of the present study were to analyse the gender differences in balance, catching, aiming and change of direction ability (CODA) in elementary education students and to determine the relationship among these motor skills. Balance, catching, aiming and CODA were assessed in 197 elementary education students (6-8). Girls presented higher values in static and dynamic balance tests. However, boys obtained better results in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) aiming test and in the Modified Agility Test (MAT). It also seems that the age affects the gender difference, as gender differences in CODA did not appear until older ages (>7 years). Moreover, the results showed a significant moderate correlation between some tests. Gender could be a differentiating factor in the motor competence of elementary education students. The moderate associations found among different skills showed that, despite they are considered as independent, there is as association between them.