# Special Issue \"Advances in Performance Analysis and Technology in Sports\"
## 3 Overview of the Contributions  
The Special Issue opens with a study by [PERSON] et al., titled \"Exploring the Relationship between Anaerobic and Morphological Characteristics and Competition Success in Young Male Slovenian Judo Athletes\". This cross-sectional research evaluated the anaerobic performance of U18 and U20 Slovenian judokas using the upper body Wingate test and investigated its relationship with body composition and competitive results. Although no significant correlation was found between anaerobic or morphological parameters and competition ranking, the authors identified notable associations between skeletal muscle mass and anaerobic capacity. The findings underscore the multifactorial nature of judo performance and suggest the need for individualized training focused on strength and anaerobic power development in youth athletes. Importantly, the study contributes valuable reference data for normative assessments of young judokas and highlights methodological considerations when comparing youth to senior normative tables [5]. In the second contribution, [PERSON] et al. present the \"RunsGuard Framework: Context Aware Cricket Game Strategy for Field Placement and Score Containment\". This study addresses the growing need for intelligent, data-driven decision-making in cricket by introducing an integrated framework that processes ball-by-ball text commentary, extracts player-specific performance insights, and recommends optimal field placements. Utilizing natural language processing and machine learning techniques, the framework identifies player strengths and weaknesses, contextualizes delivery data, and develops tailored bowling and fielding strategies. Simulations demonstrated the model's efficacy, showing a reduction in scoring by up to 37.7% in selected innings. The framework bridges the gap between unstructured commentary data and practical tactical planning, offering significant potential for coaches and analysts aiming to optimize in-game decision-making in cricket [6]. The third article, authored by [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON], is titled \"Improving Agility and Reactive Agility in Basketball Players U14 and U16 by Implementing Fitlight Technology in the Sports Training Process\". This experimental study evaluates the impact of integrating Fitlight technology into agility training for junior basketball players. Across 18 weeks, U14 and U16 athletes in the experimental group participated in sessions using Fitlight--a tool based on visual stimuli--to enhance coordination, reaction time, and multidirectional movement skills. The authors conducted six standardized and reactive agility tests, both with and without a basketball, and reported significant improvements in the experimental group compared to controls, with large effect sizes ([PERSON]'s d > 0.8). These results support the efficacy of technology-assisted training in youth sports and provide a replicable methodology for coaches seeking to modernize performance enhancement programs in basketball [7]. The fourth article, \"The Effect of Situational Variables on Women's Rink Hockey Match Outcomes\" by [PERSON] et al., addresses a notable gap in the literature by focusing on female athletes in a traditionally underrepresented sport. Drawing on data from 840 matches in Spain's top-tier women's rink hockey league (OkLiga), the authors developed a predictive logistic model to assess how match outcomes are influenced by five situational variables: match location, team level, opponent level, scoring first, and halftime score. The study found that the most influential predictor was match status at halftime, followed by opponent and team level, with match location exerting a modest effect. Interestingly, scoring the first goal did not significantly impact match outcomes. These findings not only offer a novel model for performance prediction in female team sports but also provide actionable insights for coaches to tailor tactical decisions based on game scenarios [8].