**1. Introduction**

In the sportive competitions elite and not elite athletes have a demand for significant results. Therefore, the use of scientific methods is a current practice, in the sense of helping in the development of the sport performance and consequently in the sport results of these athletes. The characteristics that constitute the variables of the anthropometric profile of an athlete may be reflected in a way that he/she may play a determining role in his/her sporting potential within the chosen modality, which may lead to success [1]. Thus, the stature for athletes of the beach volleyball, can be important to contribute in the defensive and offensive actions of the modality, it is necessary, however a verification of the anthropometric profile to establish standards with relation to the modality [2]. We can affirm that the anthropometric profile of an athlete can influence in its more adequate sport performance for that modality [2]. However, anthropometric parameters are not the only determining variable in beach volleyball, as there are also cognitive factors in all its parameters, decision making, attention levels, working memory, which are fundamental in a sport with a great variability and impressibility [3–6]. The neurocognitive mechanisms in sport and the motor skills developed involve several neural processes, in addition to the learning of sport techniques. There are four elements that stand out with the development and neural adaptations of elite athletes [7]. (1) neural efficiency, which in turn is linked to a smaller amplitude in relation to the neuroelectric activity, causing a lower brain energy expenditure (2) referring to a larger cortical expansion, which is linked to motor and sensorial skills (3) specialized processing occurs in specific brain regions, which are developed through sports experiences lived by athletes, which induces the automation of neuroelectric connections (4) internal models, which cause the athlete to mentally simulate sports situations to which he/she will be submitted [7, 8]. These adaptations, for the most part, are considered to be motor areas, in brain regions that aid sport development, especially the cognitive engagement that is involved in sporting actions [9]. Cognitive processes trigger the so-called decision-making, being this decision-making composed of underlying elements such as attention, memory, perception and anticipation [6, 10] these cognitive factors are linked to sport. So the performance of the athlete to which he is dedicated will always depend on his physical and cognitive actions [11]. Elite athletes when compared to non-elite athletes, in several review studies demonstrate superior cognitive performance in specific situations of their sports [12]. Based on the perspective that these elements have repercussions on the performance of these individuals and on their sporting performance, the following objective of the study arises: to compare the variables of anthropometric profile and cognitive performance, between elite and non-elite athletes of the sport of beach volleyball?

*Comparison of Anthropometric Profile and Cognitive Performance of Elite and Non-Elite Beach... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98971*
