## 2 Materials and Methods
### General Tests
Subjects started in a standing position with their preferred foot (tiptoe) behind the starting line (a painted line, a half meter behind the start timing gate, as shown in Figure 1A), followed by a maximal acceleration forwards at maximal effort until reaching the first cone (placed 5 m from the starting line) with their right hand, followed by side-steps to the left, reaching the second  
Figure 1: Schematic diagram of the (**A**) 20 m sprinting test, the modified \(t\)-test, the repeated sprint ability (RSA) test, the single-leg three and standing long jump test, as well as the (**B**) team hand game-based performance test (GBPT). cone (placed 2.5 m left from the first cone) with their left hand, followed by side-steps to the third cone on the right side (placed 5 m right from the second, respectively, 2.5 m right from the first cone), reaching with their right hand, back to the first cone, reaching with their left hand, and sprinting backwards to the starting line (painted line). During the side-steps, cross-over steps were not allowed, and the subjects must look forwards during the whole test. To measure the total \(t\)-test time, we used a light beam (Micro Gate Witty, Micro Gate, Bolzano, Italy) placed at the start (finish) line. In the RSA test, the subjects started in a standing position with their preferred foot a half meter behind the start timing gate (Figure 1A) and sprinted forwards to a painted line (change-in-direction line) at 15 m, followed by a fast 180\({}^{\circ}\) change-in-direction (one foot must touch the line) and sprinted back forwards to the start (finish) line. To measure the sprinting time, we used the same light beam (Micro Gate Witty, Micro Gate, Bolzano, Italy) as in the modified \(t\)-test, placed at the start (finish) line. The RSA test consisted of six 2 \(\times\) 15 m sprints, with 20-s intervals between each start. This break was controlled and timed by the test leader, while an acoustic countdown (\"3, 2, 1, go\") was used to start on time. The mean (RSA\({}_{\text{mean}}\)) and best (RSA\({}_{\text{best}}\)) time of the six sprints as well as the RSA fatigue index (RSA\({}_{\text{index}}\)) was calculated to determine the RSA. \[\text{RSA}_{\text{index}}=\left(\frac{\text{RSA}_{\text{mean}}}{\text{RSA} _{\text{best}}}\times 100\right)-100\]  
The 1 RM for the bench press, bench pull, front squat, and deadlift was used as a measure of dynamic strength, whereas the subjects progressively increased (around 10% of the 1 RM, starting with 80% of the 1 RM from the last test) their resistance across four heats until 1 RM was reached in the final heat. Consequently, they performed five heats in total, consisting of a warm-up heat (50% of 1 RM from the last test) and the four measuring heats. The bench press was performed lying horizontally (face up) on the bench with the feet planted on the floor. The subjects grasped the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. After removing the barbell from the rack, the barbell was lowered until touching the chest. Without bouncing the barbell from the chest, the barbell was lifted in a self-determined tempo. The bench pull was performed lying horizontally (face down) on the bench with the arms extended below the bench. Like in the bench press, the subjects took a shoulder-width overhand grip on the barbell and pulled the barbell up until the barbell contacted the bottom of the bench. Once the barbell contacted the bench, the subjects lowered their weight in a controlled manner back to the starting position. In the front squat, the barbell was held in the front of the chest. The squats were performed to a knee angle of 90\({}^{\circ}\) and were controlled by the test leader using a set bar (in the lowest position, the barbell had to touch the set bar). Trials in which the subjects failed to reach the knee angle of 90\({}^{\circ}\) were considered unsuccessful. The front squat was finished when the barbell was lifted to the starting position.