Training elite youth soccer players: area per player in small-sided games to replicate the match demands.

The aim was to determine the area per player (ApP, m2 × player) in small- or large-sided games to replicate the official match demands in elite youth soccer players. Two hundred and twenty-eight players (U15 = 36, U16 = 48, U17 = 49, U18 = 37 and U19 = 58) were monitored during both training (12 183 individual samples) and matches (683 individual samples) across five seasons. Relative (m × min-1) total (TD), high-speed running (HSR), very high-speed running (VHSR), sprint and acceleration/deceleration (Acc/Dec) distance were collected. Between-category and between-position comparisons were performed. Area per player was moderately correlated (P < 0.05) with TD (r = 0.401), large (r = 0.621) with HSR, and very largely with VHSR (r = 0.744) and sprint (r = 0.723). An inverse small (r = -0.232; P = 0.039) correlation for Acc/Dec was found. The area per player to replicate the match demands was 158 ± 18, 182 ± 32, 197 ± 37, 212 ± 42 and 156 ± 25 m2 × player for TD, HSR, VHSR, sprint and Acc/Dec, respectively. Moderate to very large (ES: 0.79 to 4.66) differences in the area per player across metrics were observed, with sprint > VHSR > HSR > TD = Acc/Dec. Trivial to very large (ES: 0.01 to 2.67) between-category differences in area per player across the same metric were found, with U15 and U16 requiring a larger area per player than other age categories. These findings may help practitioners to recreate the desired external load outcomes with regards to positional match-play demands using specific area per player in small- or large-sided games in youth elite soccer players from U15 to U19.

Position-Specific Physical Workload Intensities in American Collegiate Football Training.

ABSTRACT: MamonJr, MA, Olthof, SBH, Burns, GT, Lepley, AS, Kozloff, KM, and Zernicke, RF. Position-specific physical workload intensities in American collegiate football training. J Strength Cond Res 36(2): 420-426, 2022-Quantifying player training loads allows football coaching staff to make informed adjustments to the volume and intensity of training. Physical workload intensity in American football practices have not been extensively quantified. The current study examined physical workload intensities across positions in American collegiate football during training. Data from player tracking technology (Catapult Vector) were collected from 72 American football players (National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I) during in-season practices. Players were involved in individualized skill (indy), team playbook (team), and special team (ST) drills during practice and analyzed for their specialist offensive or defensive role (e.g., linebacker or wide receiver). Player running (i.e., high-speed running and sprint) and accelerations (i.e., high-intensity PlayerLoad and high-intensity inertial movement analysis) per minute were of interest. Drill type and practice day had significant effects on all workload intensity metrics (p < 0.01), but not position. Greater running intensities were seen in ST drills compared with other drill types. Tuesday practice sessions had greater overall intensities compared with other days. Interaction effect of position and drill type was significant (p < 0.001) for all intensity metrics, indicating that position groups exhibited unique workload responses to the drill types. Drill type and practice day interaction effect was significant for all intensity metrics (p < 0.01). The findings may be informative for coaches to tailor physical workloads of practice drills for positional roles in preparation for games and practices. Player tracking technology can add value for strength and conditioning coaches to adjust training programs based on position-specific on-field demands of players.

Biomechanical Loads and Their Effects on Player Performance in NCAA D-I Male Basketball Games.

Basketball games and training sessions are characterized by quick actions and many scoring attempts, which pose biomechanical loads on the bodies of the players. Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) capture these biomechanical loads as PlayerLoad and Inertial Movement Analysis (IMA) and teams collect those data to monitor adaptations to training schedules. However, the association of biomechanical loads with game performance is a relatively unexplored area. The aims of the current study were to determine the statistical relations between biomechanical loads in games and training with game performance. Biomechanical training and game load measures and player-level and team-level game stats from one college basketball team of two seasons were included in the dataset. The training loads were obtained on the days before gameday. A three-step analysis pipeline modeled: (i) relations between team-level game stats and the win/loss probabilities of the team, (ii) associations between the player-level training and game loads and their game stats, and (iii) associations between player-level training loads and game loads. The results showed that offensive and defensive game stats increased the odds of winning, but several stats were subject to positional and individual performance variability. Further analyses, therefore, included total points [PTS], two-point field goals, and defensive rebounds (DEF REB) that were less subject to those influences. Increases in game loads were significantly associated with game stats. In addition, training loads significantly affected the game loads in the following game. In particular, increased loads 2 days before the game resulted in increased expected game loads. Those findings suggested that biomechanical loads were good predictors for game performance. Specifically, the game loads were good predictors for game stats, and training loads 2 days before gameday were good predictors for the expected game load. The current analyses accounted for the variation in loads of players and stats that enabled modeling the expected game performance for each individual. Coaches, trainers, and sports scientists can use these findings to further optimize training plans and possibly make in-game decisions for individual player performance.

A Match-Derived Relative Pitch Area Facilitates the Tactical Representativeness of Small-Sided Games for the Official Soccer Match.

Olthof, SBH, Frencken, WGP, and Lemmink, KAPM. A match-derived relative pitch area facilitates the tactical representativeness of small-sided games for the official soccer match. J Strength Cond Res 33(2): 523-530, 2019-Small-sided games (SSGs) are a promising training format in soccer to replicate (situations of) the official match across all age groups. Typically, SSGs are played on a smaller relative pitch area (RPA; i.e., <150 m) than the match (320 m RPA), which results in different tactical demands. To create a more precise replication of tactical match demands in SSGs with less than 11 players per team, a match-derived RPA (320 m) may be considered because this affords a similar playing area per player. In addition, subgroup analysis is necessary to deal with the different number of players in match and SSGs. Therefore, this study aims to investigate tactical demands of matches and various SSGs-with a different number of players and played on 320 m RPA-in talented youth soccer players. Twelve elite soccer teams in 4 age categories (under-13, under-15, under-17, and under-19) played official matches and 4 vs. 4 + goalkeepers (GKs), 6 vs. 6 + GKs, and 8 vs. 8 + GKs. Positional data were collected to calculate tactical variables (interpersonal distances, length, width, and surface areas) for all players and for 2- and 4-player subgroups. Corresponding tactical variability (coefficients of variation expressed as percentages) was determined for all players. Results demonstrated that in each age category, with an increase in number of players, team distances increased and tactical variability decreased. Subgroup analyses revealed similar team distances in matches and SSGs with the exception of larger interpersonal distances in 4 vs. 4 + GKs than the match in under-13, under-15, and under-17. Match-derived RPA in SSGs facilitates the tactical representativeness for the match. Soccer coaches can use such SSGs for an optimal tactical match preparation.

When Something Is at Stake: Differences in Soccer Performance in 11 vs. 11 During Official Matches and Training Games.

Olthof, SBH, Frencken, WGP, and Lemmink, KAPM. When something is at stake: Differences in soccer performance in 11 vs. 11 during official matches and training games. J Strength Cond Res 33(1): 167-173, 2019-11 vs. 11 training games are used to mimic the official match, but differ in playing duration and a consequence of winning or losing. Anxiety levels, crowd pressure, and the intention to win are examples of constraints present in the match, but absent or less prevalent in training. The aim is, therefore, to compare soccer performance in official matches with 11 vs. 11 training games. Six elite youth soccer teams played 5 official matches and 15 training games. Soccer performance, defined as a combination of game characteristics (game duration, transitions, and ball possession duration) and physical (distance covered, high-intensity distance, and sprints), technical (passing), and team tactical performance (inter-team and intra-team distances) and corresponding interaction patterns, was determined with video footage and positional data (local position measurement system). Soccer performance in official matches differed from similar training games, in a way that players covered more distance, sprinted more often, but game pace was lower and players made more mistakes. In addition, team width was smaller and length-per-width ratio larger and teams were tighter coupled in official matches. 11 vs. 11 training games can be used to mimic the match, in particular the team tactical performance. Coaches could increase physical and technical representativeness of training games by raising the stakes and increasing the consequence of winning or losing.

Match-derived relative pitch area changes the physical and team tactical performance of elite soccer players in small-sided soccer games.

Small-sided games (SSGs) are used in training sessions to prepare for full-sized matches. For the same number of players, smaller pitch sizes result in decreased physical performance and shorter interpersonal distances. A relative pitch area derived from the full-sized match results in larger pitch sizes and this may increase the fit between SSGs and full-sized matches. This study aimed to investigate SSGs with a traditional small pitch and a match-derived relative pitch area in youth elite soccer players. Four age categories (under-13, under-15, under-17 and under-19) played 4 vs. 4 plus goalkeepers on a small (40x30m, 120m2 relative pitch area) and large pitch (68x47m, 320m2 relative pitch area). The number of games per age category ranged 15-30. Positional data (LPM-system) were collected to determine physical (total distance covered, high intensity distance and number of sprints) and team tactical (inter-team distance, LPW-ratio, surface area, stretch indices, goalkeeper-defender distance) performance measures and tactical variability. On a large pitch, physical performance significantly increased, inter-team and intra-team distances were significantly larger and tactical variability of intra-team distance measures significantly increased. The match-derived relative pitch area is an important training manipulation and leads to changes in physical and tactical performance 4 vs. 4 plus goalkeepers.

The older, the wider: On-field tactical behavior of elite-standard youth soccer players in small-sided games.

PURPOSE: Young soccer players need excellent tactical skills to reach the top. Tactical behavior emerges through interactions between opposing teams. However, few studies have focused on on-field tactical behavior of teams with talented soccer players. Therefore, this study aimed to determine teams' tactical behavior during small-sided games in two age categories, Under-17 and Under-19. METHODS: Positional data of thirty-nine elite-standard soccer players were collected during twenty-four small-sided games to calculate longitudinal and lateral inter-team distances, stretch indices and length per width ratios. Corresponding interaction patterns and game-to-game variability were also determined. RESULTS: Under-19 showed a significantly larger lateral stretch index and a significantly lower length per width ratio compared with Under-17. Furthermore, teams of both age groups showed similar large proportions of in-phase behavior. Variability of tactical performance measures within and between games was similar for Under-17 and Under-19. CONCLUSIONS: Variability within games seems to be functional for attacking teams for creating goal-scoring opportunities. In conclusion, the main difference was that Under-19 adopted a wider pitch dispersion than Under-17, represented by a larger lateral stretch index and smaller length per width ratio. Coach instructions and training exercises should be directed at exploiting pitch width to increase the pursuit of goal-scoring.