Do we drop the ball when we measure ball skills using standardized motor performance tests?

Background. Ball skill performance changes over time during childhood and
depends on the child’s physical and psychological characteristics, environmental
opportunities, and task constraints.
Aim. To examine whether different standardized ball skill-items measure similar
constructs and whether results differentiate among age groups.
Methods. 250 children (6-10years) were administered the Movement Assessment Battery for children 2nd edition (MABC-2), the subtest upper-limb coordination of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2nd edition (BOT-2), tennis ball throw of the Fitness Test Battery (FTB) and ball skills and overhead-throw of the Performance and Fitness test (PERF-FIT).
Results. Correlations between scores of BOT-2, FTB and PERF-FIT ranged from
fair to moderate, but correlations were low with the MABC-2. Principal
component analysis retrieved three components: the first component contained
catch, dribble, bounce and throw items (MABC-2, BOT-2-SF, PERF-FIT,
respectively); the 2nd contained throwing for distance (PERF-FIT and FTB); the
third aiming (MABC-2). Most ball skills scores differed significantly between 6-
7 and 7-8 years, less between 8-9 years; the PERF-FIT discriminated best
between age groups.
Conclusion. Most ball skill-items in motor tests exist of a comparable construct
of throw, dribble, bounce and catch. Aiming tasks belong to a separate category.
Throwing for distance forms a different construct that needs explosive power