###### Abstract  
The main aim of this research is to analyse the kinematic model of two different variations of executing the jump shot, one performed after one step in the preparation phase and the other performed after a three-step preparation phase (run-up). Respondents (N = 27) are female Croatian national handball team players (U17 and U19). After basic anthropometric and morphological measurements, along with the warmup, respondents proceeded to shoot with one- and three-step shots directed at targets in the upper and lower opposite corner of the goal. A significant difference was found in all measured kinematic parameters between one- and three-step jump shots: hand velocity (\(p\) < 0.001 for the upper opposite (UO) and \(p\) < 0.001 for the lower opposite target (LO)); hand height reached (\(p\) < 0.05 UO and \(p\) < 0.01 LO); jump height (\(p\) < 0.001 UO and \(p\) < 0.001 LO); shoulder velocity (\(p\) < 0.001 UO and \(p\) < 0.001 LO); and ball velocity (\(p\) < 0.05 UO and \(p\) < 0.01 LO). Coaches should incorporate specific jump shots after one step to automate this movement and produce the best shooting technique, which will allow them to have smaller differences or no differences between techniques with three-steps and one-step jump shots. Consequently, this will lead to better performance indicators which consist of shooting on target from various positions in the field. team handball; shot performance; performance indicators; movement analysis +
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influenced by the movements of the defensive players. The aim of each attack is to try to ensure the optimal position for a shooter. This is achieved by using fast movements on the field in combination with various changes in the movement direction of the body, with or without the ball. It has been estimated that team handball players make approximately 48,000 throws in a season at a median throw speed of 130 km/h [10], and from the wide variety of techniques used for shooting, the most common throw is a jump shot. It is considered that from the overall number of throws during the game, 73-75% are jump throws [11]. [PERSON] et al. [12] have analysed the number of steps which players use before shooting at the goal. The authors provide that players use zero steps in 17.3%, one step in 26.4%, two steps in 31%, three steps in 22%, and more than three steps (rules violation-but not sanctioned by referees) in 2.3% of shots at the goal. This data shows that a one-step jump shot is very important in the handball match. Although there is not any concrete research about it, the aim of this research will show if this shot technique is neglected during the training of handball players. Most of the research concentrates on the three-step jump shot, which is believed as most common in handball, but the numbers above show different. The basic jump shot in team handball involves the execution of a vertical jump of the contralateral leg following a three-step run-up [13]. However, since the overall game of handball is developing constantly and rapidly in various segments, so is the performance of the jump shot. What is identical in each performance technique of the jump shot is that this way of shooting combines moving actions of cyclic and non-cyclical types, and those are running, jumping, and throwing. It has to be emphasised that the data regarding the precision of handball players are scarce, especially when discussing younger categories. Nevertheless, the success of shots, expressed as the goal shot efficiency or as the percentage of successful throws from the entire number of shots, is one of the most important factors that directly influence the results or outcomes of matches. Several researchers have studied the relationship between the velocity of movement of the upper limb and throwing on-the-spot shot or jump shot performance in handball [14, 15]. Furthermore, several studies suggest that jump height achieved during throws may also be considered one of the important determinants of successfully performed jump shots.