Variations of the Locomotor Profile, Sprinting, Change-of-Direction, and Jumping Performances in Youth Soccer Players: Interactions between Playing Positions and Age-Groups

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Silva A. F., Alvurdu S., Akyildiz Z., Badicu G., Greco G., Clemente F. M.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, vol.19, no.2, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 19 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3390/ijerph19020998
  • Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Geobase, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Keywords: football, athletic performance, physical fitness, exercise test, INTERMITTENT FITNESS TEST, TALENT IDENTIFICATION, PHYSICAL-FITNESS, MATCH, ELITE, SPEED, RELIABILITY, DEMANDS, ACCELERATION, MATURATION
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (i) analyze the variations of locomotor profile, sprinting, change-of-direction (COD) and jumping performances between different youth age-groups; and (ii) test the interaction effect of athletic performance with playing positions. A cross-sectional study design was followed. A total of 124 youth soccer players from five age-groups were analyzed once in a time. Players were classified based on their typical playing position. The following measures were obtained: (i) body composition (fat mass); (ii) jump height (measured in the countermovement jump; CMJ); (iii) sprinting time at 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25- and 30-m; (iv) maximal sprint speed (measured in the best split time; MSS); (v) COD asymmetry index percentage); (vi) final velocity at 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (V-IFT); and (vii) anaerobic speed reserve (ASR = MSS - V-IFT). A two-way ANOVA was used for establishing the interactions between age-groups and playing positions. Significant differences were found between age-groups in CMJ (p < 0.001), 5-m (p < 0.001), 10-m (p < 0.001), 15-m (p < 0.001), 20-m (p < 0.001), 25-m (p < 0.001), 30-m (p < 0.001), V-IFT (p < 0.001), ASR (p = 0.003), MSS (p < 0.001), COD (p < 0.001). Regarding variations between playing positions no significant differences were found. In conclusion, it was found that the main factor influencing changes in physical fitness was the age group while playing positions had no influence on the variations in the assessed parameters. In particular, as older the age group, as better was in jumping, sprinting, COD, and locomotor profile.