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Short scientific article                       DOI: https://doi.org/10.35469/ak.2021.306
received: 2021-12-20                        UDC: 796.322
TEACHING FEINTS TO HANDBALL BEGINNERS - 
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
 David HENIGMAN1, Katarina OHNJEC2
1RK Team Klaksvik, Faroe Islands
2University of Zagreb, Faculty of Kinesiology, Zagreb, Croatia
Corresponding author:
Katarina OHNJEC
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Kinesiology, Horvaćanski zavoj 15, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Phone: +385 1 365 86 66
e-mail: katarina.ohnjec@kif.hr
ABSTRACT
The aim of this preliminary research was the evaluation of a two-month program for 
improvement of the single forward feint to the left with passage to the right, and single 
forward feint to the right with passage to the left by “shifting” the opponent’s hand. Six-
teen young male handball players aged 9.64 ± 0.87 years participated in this study. The 
program was implemented over two months, during which 18 training sessions (35%) 
were conducted for the improvement of feint skills, from 52 training sessions overall. 
An initial video recording was made at the beginning of the period, and a final one at 
the end. Videos were analyzed by three experts, using a grading list and detailed grad-
ing criteria. The basic parameters of descriptive statistics were determined for both 
variables. The metric characteristics of the expert estimation contribution were ana-
lyzed through measures of reliability (Cronbach’s α) and homogeneity (average item 
inter-correlation). The non-parametric (Wilcoxon t-test) method was used to analyze 
changes in the levels of feint performance at different times. The results indicate satis-
factory reliability and homogeneity of the tests (α1=0.90; r1=0.80; α2 =0.86; r2=0.87). 
Through insight into the results, a significant difference was spotted between the initial 
and final states of both motor skills acquisitions (T1 = 114.5, p= 0.01; T2 =7.00; p= 
0.01). The limiting factors of the study may be the sample size, as well as the absence 
of a control group and of a validated evaluation of the instrument.
Keywords: motor skills, teaching methods, single feint, work program
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UČENJE »FINT« PRI ROKOMETAŠIH ZAČETNIKIH – 
PRELIMINARNI REZULTATI
IZVLEČEK
Cilj te začetne raziskave je bila ocena dvomesečnega programa za izboljšanje izva-
janja enojnega lažnega koraka v levo s prehodom po desni ter enojnega lažnega koraka 
v desno s prehodom po levi in »odmikom« nasprotnikove roke. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 
šestnajst mladih rokometašev v starosti 9.64 ± 0.87 let. Program je trajal dva meseca, 
v tem času je bilo 18 od skupno 52 treningov (35 %) posvečenih izboljšanju izvajanja 
lažnih akcij oziroma t. i. fintiranja. Ob začetku izvajanja programa je bil posnet video, 
prav tako tudi ob koncu programa. Videoposnetka so analizirali trije strokovnjaki, ki 
so si pri ocenjevanju pomagali s podrobnim ocenjevalnim seznamom in kriteriji. Za 
obe spremenljivki smo določili osnovne parametre opisne statistike. Metrične vrednosti 
strokovnih ocen smo analizirali z vidika zanesljivosti (Cronbachov alfa) in skladno-
sti (povprečne interkorelacije med postavkami). Spremembe na ravni izvajanja lažnih 
akcij na različnih časovnih točkah smo analizirali z neparametrično metodo (Wilcoxo-
nov test z rangi). Rezultati so pokazali zadovoljivo zanesljivost in skladnost preizkusov 
(α1=0.90; r1=0.80; α2 =0.86; r2=0.87). Pregled rezultatov je pokazal pomembno razli-
ko med začetnim in končnim stanjem pri usvajanju obeh motoričnih sposobnosti (T1 = 
114.5, p= 0.01; T2 =7.00; p= 0.01). Omejitve raziskave so velikost vzorca ter odsotnost 
kontrolne skupine in validacije instrumenta.
Ključne besede: motorične spretnosti, učne metode, enojni lažni korak, delovni 
program
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INTRODUCTION
Since knowledge and skills can be taught and acquired in different ways, it is the 
task of a trainer, coach, or teacher to find the best one to achieve the defined goals. The 
modern handball game shows progress in this respect, as obligatory improvement of 
coaching competencies is being introduced in all aspects of teaching. 
Despite the diversity of children’s training programs, the role and the importance of 
playing the game is still a top priority in children’s handball training sessions (Foretić, 
Burger, Rogulj, 2011). A game-focused approach could be an effective method when 
teaching team sports in which tactical solutions and decision-making periods on the 
court or in the field are rather short, as well as the periods of scoring in offensive and 
defensive games (Chatzipanteli, Digelidis, Karatzoglidis, & Dean, 2016; Hrynchenko, 
Tykhonova, Karpunets, & Chupryna, 2021).
Younger schoolchildren (6‒10 years) take their first steps in organized handball 
training playing mini handball in handball schools. Mini handball is adapted for young-
er schoolchildren in many aspects: reduced playing field, soft small ball, a lower num-
ber of players on the team (4 plus the goalkeeper), shorter duration, the way of playing 
through individual tactical action in offences and defense, etc... For children included in 
this type of training activity, it is very important that their needs for security, belonging, 
and affection are met, as addressed by Milanović (2013), as well as their self-respect 
and self-actualization, which might be even more important than gaining motor knowl-
edge and developing skills. The coach has a key role in creating such an environment. 
Often, a problem occurs because trainers treat children as if they are older than their 
actual age. Numerous authors have explained that the development of children has its 
principles and dynamics related to the specific developmental stages, which then, in 
turn, determine the pursued objectives (Balyi, Way & Higgs, 2013; Côté & Vierimaa, 
2014; Lloyd et al., 2015). In this sense, creating and implementing a syllabus that is 
appropriate for a child’s age and will, at the same time, foster high quality sports devel-
opment, is a challenging task for handball coaches and teachers of beginners.
A shift from mini handball to team handball is not a simple process since the activ-
ity in question is complex. The game in the attack according to the playing positions in 
handball differs significantly from the free play throughout the field in mini handball. 
After playing defense individually in mini handball, it is necessary to learn how to 
function in an organized defending system. Focus on ball handling is more prominent 
than focusing on game stops due to body contact (‘a foul’). To be more successful in 
the long run when playing defense, young handball players should begin learning new 
moving structures such as defense configurations 3:3 (zone formation) or 3+3 (com-
bined formation) (Kanjugović, Ohnjec, Žnidarec Čučković, 2013). Malić and Dvoršek 
(2011) suggest that young players at that age should develop some basic elements of 
handball technique such as catching and passing, different shooting methods, as well 
as landing and using feints, whereas very detailed specialization is not yet desirable. 
The emphasis is on learning mostly technical, rather than tactical elements, so learning 
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feints and acquiring a habit of moving without the ball into an open area is extremely 
important to be able to deal with the situations in the game.
To teach methods of physical education and sport (PES) in classes, a teacher or a 
coach traditionally demonstrates certain elements and instructs the students on how 
to execute movements. This methodology has the theoretical basis in the cognitive 
approach, where the mind is the center of learning an activity (Raiola, 2017). The be-
haviorist and cognitivist theories suggest an exact and single solution model of a motor 
problem, and therefore are prescriptive in their nature (Raiola, 2017). Papić and Papić. 
(2014) mention the importance of adapting teaching methods to the children’s needs 
and abilities by creating situations that enable a child to learn independently, without 
imitating a coach, and consequently without the need to be constantly corrected. 
The aim of this study was the evaluation of a two-month program for improvement 
of a single forward feint to the left with passage to the right, and of a single forward 
feint to the right with passage to the left by “shifting” the opponent’s hand. 
METHODS
Sample
The sample consisted of 16 young handball players aged 8 to 11. All study partici-
pants were in their first year of actively competing in the national league for boys of 
their age. The parents of all the participants signed the program participation approval 
forms. The study used two variables for the evaluation of specific motoric skills: 
1. a single forward feint to the left with passage to the right (FL), and 
2. a single forward feint to the right with passage to the left by “shifting” the op-
ponent’s hand (FR). 
Training program
The program was part of a regular training process (a total of 52 trainings) for two 
months. 18 sessions (35%) were focused on teaching feinting and structured exercises 
focused on repeating the new pattern of movement in the set conditions, then in situ-
ational exercises and during games of handball. The features of the feint teaching pro-
gram included (Henigman & Ohnjec, 2021):
1.  the learning of the two technical elements in a 50:50 ratio,
2.  the use of the kidGRID sports equipment, a version of agility ladder (Papić & 
Papić, 2014) – a set for an independent learning of a movement,
3.  repetition of a movement pattern in a real situation – after performing a moving 
structure by running through the kidGRID agility ladder; and after passing a pas-
sive hurdle immediately afterwards, a player was asked to implement this new 
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motor skill in the actual court situation by confronting an opponent in an attempt 
to score.
4.  speed of performance – by adding a defending player who chased the attacker, 
the exercise was performed at almost maximum speed. 
5.  development of creativity – when confronting the opponent, the player had to 
perform a feint. However, this did not have to be the exact one performed on the 
agility grid since the player had to adapt to the real situation on the court. 
It is important to add that after the application of the exercise, in every training ses-
sion a game of handball was played.
An initial video recording was made at the beginning of the program, and a final 
one at the end. Four videos were analyzed by three experts using a grading list and 
detailed grading criteria. (grade 1 - inability to perform a feint, the player cannot catch 
the passed ball; grade 2 - the player breaks game rules when performing a feint – by 
walking, double dribbling or fouling the defending player; grade 3 - performing a feint 
in accordance with the game rules but with no accentuated change in movement direc-
tion; grade 4 – technically well but too slowly performed faint; grade 5 – technically 
well and swiftly enough performed feint). The criteria for the evaluation by the experts 
were formed according to a study conducted on students (Gruić, 2011) and adapted to 
the population of beginning handball players. The experts were coaches who had com-
pleted professional and university studies in kinesiology, licensed handball coaches, 
and coaches who have experience working with younger age athletes.
Statistical analysis
The basic parameters of the descriptive statistics were determined for both vari-
ables. The metric characteristics of the expert estimation contribution were analyzed 
by using measures of reliability (Cronbach’s α) and homogeneity (average item inter-
correlation). The non-parametric Wilcoxon t test was used to analyze changes in the 
levels of feint performance at different times. 
RESULTS
Table 1 shows the basic metric characteristics of the expert estimation contribution 
when applying measures of reliability (Cronbach’s α) and homogeneity (average item 
inter-correlation). 
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Table 1. Measures of internal agreement of expert evaluation criteria
I F xα xr
FL Cronbach’s α 0.93 0.87 0.90
Average item inter-correlation r 0.85 0.75 0.80
FR Cronbach’s α 0.88 0.84 0.86
Average item inter-correlation r 0.99 0.75 0.87
The results indicate a satisfactory reliability and homogeneity of the tests (α1=0.90; 
r1=0.80; α2 =0.86; r2=0.87). A somewhat lower reliability of the single forward feint 
to the right with passage to the left by “shifting” the opponent’s hand tests (0.86) could 
be accounted for by a higher complexity of the feint, which subsequently caused more 
disagreement among the assessors.
The average values and standard deviations of the skill levels graph (Figure 1) dem-
onstrate a total average improvement of both motor structures. An average grade of the 
basic feint rose from 2.88 to 3.52, and from 1.84 to 2 in the case of the more complex 
structure. 
Figure 1. Average values and standard deviations of the level of knowledge in the initial 
and final states.
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The table of Wilcoxon t-test results (Table 2) indicates a significant difference be-
tween the initial and final states of learning for both motor skills. 
Table 2. Wilcoxon t-test 
Pair of Variables T Z p-value
FL_IN & FL_F 114.50 3.28 0.00
FR_IN & FR_F 7.00 4.46 0.00
* FL_IN - a single forward feint to the left with passage to the right - initial measurement
FL_F - a single forward feint to the left with passage to the right - final measurement
FR_IN - a single forward feint to the right with passage to the left by “shifting” the opponent’s hand - initial 
measurement
FR_F - a single forward feint to the right with passage to the left by “shifting” the opponent’s hand - initial 
measurement
DISCUSSION
This preliminary study presents the effects of a two-month training program of 
teaching the two types of feints to handball beginners. Initial grading values, for the 
simple feint to the left with a passage to the right – basic feint (2.88), are slightly higher 
than for the feint to the right (1.84). An explanation for this could be in the “natural” 
way of performing the basic feint and its more frequent spontaneous application in the 
training process. The maximum grade in initial testing of the basic feint was 5, and 
minimum 1. After the training program was applied, the number of maximum grades 
increased, and the lowest grade was 2. Lower grades in the single forward feint to the 
right with passage to the left by “shifting” the opponent’s hand assessment tests at both 
time points might be due to the more complex structure of this feint in comparison 
with the basic one. The level of coordination may be responsible for the success of 
this feint. In team-handball, optimal movement coordination is a main determinant of 
success in throwing performance (proximal-to-distal sequencing, upper body rotation, 
adaptations to different situations), jumping performance (block, jump throw, with one 
leg or both legs, with or without run-up) and specific agility (in offense and defense, 
short accelerations, changes in direction) (Wagner, Finkenzeller, Würth & Von Duvil-
lard, 2014). When comparing the initial and final assessment results, the average grade 
for the simple feint with the passage to the right - basic feint, increased by 0.64 (from 
2.88 to 3.52), while the difference between the average grade in the initial (1.84) and 
final tests (2.84) of the second feint passage was 1.00. Because of the young age and 
inexperience, the subjects made many technical mistakes that included dropping the 
ball, untimely run-up, or taking too many steps when performing the elements. In the 
initial measurement, the rate of performance with technical errors was 33% for the first 
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feint and 91% for the second. In the final measurement, the rate for performance with 
technical errors observed dropped to 17% for the first feint and 38% for the second. 
Although this resulted in relatively lower average grades, the program implemented 
on the given sample, nevertheless, confirmed that the ball feinting motor skills can 
be significantly improved in two months. T“he increase of the average grade in both 
skills (FL 2.88‒3.52, FR 1.84‒2.84), as well as statistically significant differences es-
tablished between the initial and final performance of both body feints demonstrate 
the progress in the subjects’ performance of the feints after the implementation of the 
training program. Fasold, Houseman, Noel, and Klatt (2020) presented similar results 
when researching specific handball skill acquisition using different instruction methods 
(step-by-step and analogy instructions). They concluded that both coaching strategies 
improved the young athletes’ performances of the task at which they were relatively 
unexperienced (i.e., body feint). 
CONCLUSION
Based on the results of this preliminary study, the conclusion is that the subjects 
improved their knowledge and skills after the applied training program. The limiting 
factors of the study might be the small sample size used, the absence of a control group, 
and the lack of a validated evaluation of the instrument. Due to the complexity of the 
assessment of technical elements in handball, it is not easy to include the whole of the 
application possibilities of these skills in situational conditions. Therefore, one of the 
recommendations for some future research is to find a way to establish a statistically 
relevant connection between the program for acquiring or improving a certain element, 
and its situational application in the game. The results of this preliminary study might 
also be encouraging, and inspire the coaches of young athletes, to both create new pro-
grams as well as to evaluate their efficiency. 
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