Longitudinal development of match-running performance in elite male youth soccer players

Saward, C. ORCID: 0000-0001-9363-3410, Morris, J.G. ORCID: 0000-0001-6508-7897, Nevill, M.E. ORCID: 0000-0003-2498-9493, Nevill, A.M. and Sunderland, C. ORCID: 0000-0001-7484-1345, 2016. Longitudinal development of match-running performance in elite male youth soccer players. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 26 (8), pp. 933-942. ISSN 0905-7188

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Abstract

This study longitudinally examined age-related changes in the match-running performance of retained and released elite youth soccer players aged 8-18 years. The effect of playing position on age-related changes was also considered. Across three seasons 263 elite youth soccer players were assessed in 1-29 competitive matches (988 player-matches). For each player-match, total distance and distances covered at age-group-specific speed zones (low-speed, high-speed, sprinting) were calculated using 1 Hz or 5 Hz GPS. Mixed modelling predicted that match-running performance developed non-linearly, with age-related changes best described with quadratic age terms. Modelling predicted that playing position significantly modified age-related changes (p<0.05) and retained players covered significantly more low-speed distance compared to released players (p<0.05), by 75 ± 71 m.h-1 (mean ± 95% CI) (effect size ± 95% CI: 0.35 ± 0.34). Model intercepts randomly varied, indicating differences between players in match-running performance unexplained by age, playing position or status. These findings may assist experts in developing training programmes specific to the match-play demands of players of different ages and playing positions. Although retained players covered more low-speed distance than released players, further study of the actions comprising low-speed distance during match-play is warranted to better understand factors differentiating retained and released players.

Item Type:	Journal article
Alternative Title:	Match-running performance in youth soccer [running head]
Publication Title:	Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
Creators:	Saward, C., Morris, J.G., Nevill, M.E., Nevill, A.M. and Sunderland, C.
Publisher:	John Wiley & Sons
Date:	August 2016
Volume:	26
Number:	8
ISSN:	0905-7188
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1111/sms.12534 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 10:11
Last Modified:	27 Apr 2022 12:44
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/9182

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