Athlete Monitoring in Handball (ATHMON HB): Relationship Between Well-Being and Match Performance in Elite Male Handball Players

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between well-being and match performance in elite team handball. METHODS: Eighteen male handball players competing in the first German national league were investigated over an entire season (September 2023 to June 2024). On matchdays, well-being was assessed in the morning with a customized, nonvalidated questionnaire, consisting of three 5-point Likert-type items ("physical condition," "mental freshness and energy level," and "sleep and recovery"). Team performance was evaluated based on the points scored in each match. Individual performance was assessed using a novel approach with 4 data aggregates of positive and negative offense and defense playing actions, on which the Handball Performance Index (version 2.0; official individual match performance metric in the Handball-Bundesliga) is based. Cumulative link models for ordinal regression and linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the relationship between well-being, match type (home vs away), and both team and individual performance. RESULTS: "Sleep and recovery" ratings were lower prior to away matches (p < .001). Interaction effects revealed that physical and mental well-being influenced match outcomes ("physical condition" × "match type": P = .019, "mental freshness and energy level" × "match type": P = .001), with a weaker effect in away matches. No significant effects were observed on individual performance metrics. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to investigate the complex relationship between athlete well-being, contextual factors (home vs away matches), and performance in elite team handball. However, it is important to consider the study's limitations regarding validity, applicability, and transferability.