Abstract
1/2022
vol. 39
Original paper
How does curve sprint evolve across different age-categories in soccer players?
- FSI Sport Research Lab, Granada, Spain
- Department of Sports and Computer Science, Section of Physical Education and Sports, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
- Associate Graduate Program in Physical Education, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Brazil
- Núcleo de Performance Retrô, Retrô Futebol Clube Brasil, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Faculty of Education, Psychology and Sport Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), University Institute of Maia (ISMAI), Maia, Portugal
Biol Sport. 2022;39(1):53–58.
Online publish date: 2021/03/01
Research has shown that soccer players regularly execute curved sprints during matches. The purpose of this study was to determine the age-related effects on curve sprint (CS) performance to both sides, asymmetry, and association with linear sprint (LS). Eighty-four soccer players (aged 16.1 ± 1.6 categorized in U15, U17, and U20) were recruited, who performed CS and LS tests. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and effect size (ES) were used to compare CS performance between age categories, and relationships between physical performance measures were calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The main findings of this study were that: 1) there were significant differences in the “good” side CS among age groups (p < 0.001; ES from moderate to large), but not in the “weak” side CS, 2) curve asymmetry was significantly higher in U20 than U15 (p < 0.05; ES large) and U17 players (p < 0.05; ES moderate), and 3) relationships between CS and LS times decreased with age (from significant and very large [p < 0.001] to non-significant and smallmoderate [p > 0.05]). This study highlights the importance of assessing and training CS in different age categories, an action that becomes less correlated with LS as age increases, with the aim of mitigating the increase in asymmetries as a result of the specialization process, focusing interventions mainly on improving the CS “weak” side.
Keywords
Acceleration, Performance, Testing, Team sports, Skill
Integrated with
