Open AccessRunning Performance and Hormonal, Maturity and Physical Variables in Starting and Non-Starting Elite U14 Soccer Players During a Congested Match Schedule
Author(s) -
Vinícius Zanetti,
Marcelo Saldanha Aoki,
Paul S. Bradley,
Christopher Carling,
Thomas Kisil Marino,
Alexandre Moreira
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of human kinetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.735
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1899-7562
pISSN - 1640-5544
DOI - 10.2478/hukin-2021-0096
Subject(s) - schedule , computer science , maturity (psychological) , elite , match play , simulation , operations research , operations management , mathematics , psychology , medicine , physical therapy , engineering , developmental psychology , operating system , political science , politics , law
This study examined changes in match running performance (MRP) in Under-14 soccer players (13.5 ± 0.7 yrs) during a congested match schedule (CMS) (4 matches played within a 5-day period). It also examined the difference in salivary testosterone (sT) concentration, somatic maturation, jumping tests, and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) between the players selected to play (SLG; group who participated in all matches) and players non-selected to play (NSG). A significant difference was observed for the frequency of decelerations (DEC) across matches (match 4 vs. matches 1, 2 and 3; p = 0.05; partial ƞ 2 = 0.20). No difference between matches was observed for total running distance (TRD), high-speed running distance (HSRD), and frequency of accelerations (ACC) (p > 0.05). A wide range for within-player coefficient of variation (CV) values was observed for all MRP variables (range: 10.5 = TRD to 30.6 = HSRD). No difference between SLG and NSG for any of the assessed variables was observed (p > 0.05). The findings suggest that DEC was the most pertinent variable for monitoring changes in MRP during the CMS. In addition, at an elite youth soccer level, the biological maturity and fitness might not influence selection to play.