Int J Sports Med 2014; 35(13): 1090-1094
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1375616
Training & Testing
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Long-term Soccer-specific Training Enhances the Rate of Physical Development of Academy Soccer Players Independent of Maturation Status

R. D. Wrigley
2   Blackburn Rovers FC, UK
4   Football Exchange Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
,
B. Drust
4   Football Exchange Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
,
G. Stratton
1   Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine Research Centre, Swansea University, UK
,
G. Atkinson
3   Health and Social Care Institute, Teesside University, UK
,
W. Gregson
4   Football Exchange Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 10 April 2014

Publication Date:
10 July 2014 (online)

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare 3-year changes in physical performance between junior soccer players selected for an elite academy and age-matched controls. The 3-year changes in indicators of the physical performance were quantified in 12–16-year-old Premier League Academy (n=27) and non-academy soccer players (n=18). Data were analysed with an age-group×competitive level general linear model, covariate-adjusted for initial performance level and change in maturation. Covariate adjusted mean±SD changes were greater (standardised effect size>0.7) for the academy players in terms of countermovement jump (7.3±2.6 vs. 5.4±2.5 cm), 10 m sprint (− 0.15±0.05 vs. − 0.10±0.04 s), 20 m sprint (− 0.30±0.16 s vs. − 0.15±0.13 s), agility (− 0.19±0.01 s vs. − 0.08±0.08 s), repeated sprint (− 0.60±0.26 s vs. − 0.41±2.1 s) and intermittent endurance capacity (1 128±406 vs. 315±370 m). These data indicate that a 3-year programme of training in an elite soccer academy is associated with greater changes in physical performance indicators independently from the initial performance level of the child and change in maturation over the same period of time.

 
  • References

  • 1 Baquet G, Van Praagh E, Berthoin S. Endurance training and aerobic fitness in young people. Sports Med 2003; 15: 1127-1143
  • 2 Chaovachi A, Manzi V, Wong del P, Caalali A, Laurencecelle L, Chamari K, Castagna C. Intermittent endurance and repeated sprint ability in soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 2663-2669
  • 3 Coelho-e-Silva MJ, Figueiredo AJ, Simoes F, Seabra A, Natal A, Vaeyens R, Philippaerts R, Cumming SP, Malina RM. Discrimination of u-14 soccer players by level and position. Int J Sports Med 2010; 31: 790-796
  • 4 Elferink-Gemser MT, Huijen BCH, Coelho-E-Silva M, Lemmink KAPM, Visscher C. The changing characteristics of talented soccer players – a decade of work in Groningen. J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 1581-1591
  • 5 Eston RG, Reilly T. (ed.) Anthropometry: Tests, Procedures and Data. Oxford: Taylor & Francis Group; 2001: 117
  • 6 Figueiredo AJ, Coelho e Silva MJ, Malina RM. Predictors of functional capacity and skill in youth soccer players. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2011; 21: 446-454
  • 7 Ford P, De Ste Croix M, Lloyd R, Meyers R, Moosavi M, Oliver J, Till K, Williams C. The long-term athlete development model: physiological evidence and application. J Sports Sci 2011; 29: 389-402
  • 8 Gil S, Ruiz F, Irazusta A, Gil J, Irazustra J. Selection of young soccer players in terms of anthropometric and physiological factors. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2007; 47: 25-32
  • 9 Gonaus C, Muller E. Using physiological data to predict future career progression in 14- to 17-year-old Austrian soccer academy players. J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 1673-1682
  • 10 Hammami MA, Ben Abderrahmane A, Nebigh A, Le Moal E, Ben Ounis O, Takka Z, Zouhal H. Effect of a soccer season on anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness in elite young soccer players. J Sports Sci 2013; 31: 589-596
  • 11 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Update – ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2014 update. Int J Sports Med 2013; 34: 1025-1028
  • 12 Krustrup P, Bangsbo J. Physiological demands of top-class refereeing in relation to physical capacity: effect of intense intermittent exercise training. J Spt Sci 2001; 19: 881-891
  • 13 Le Gall F, Carling C, Williams M, Reilly T. Anthropometric and fitness characteristics of international, professional and amateur male graduate soccer players from an elite youth academy. J Sci Med Sport 2010; 13: 90-95
  • 14 Malina RM. Skeletal age and age verification in youth sport. Sports Med 2011; 41: 925-947
  • 15 Malina RM, Coelho E, Silva MJ, Figueiredo AJ, Carling C, Beunen GP. Interrelationship among invasive and non-invasive indicators of biological maturation in adolescent male soccer players. J Sports Sci 2012; 29: 1-13
  • 16 Malina RM, Cumming S, Morano PJ, Barron M, Miller SJ. Maturity status of youth football players: a noninvasive Estimate. Med Sci Sport Exerc 2005; 1044-1052
  • 17 Malina RM, Ribeiro B, Aroso J, Cumming SP. Characteristics of youth soccer players aged 13–15 years classified by skill level. Br J Sports Med 2007; 41: 290-295
  • 18 Matos N, Winsley RJ. Trainability of young athletes and overtraining. J Sports Sci Med 2007; 353-367
  • 19 McNarry M, Jones A. The influence of training status on the aerobic and anaerobic responses to exercise in children: A review. Eur J Sports Sci 2012; iFirst article, 1-12
  • 20 Mirwald RL, Baxter-Jones AD, Bailey DA, Beunen GP. An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements. Med Sci Sport Exerc 2002; 34: 689-694
  • 21 Philippaerts R, Vaeyens R, Janssens M, Rentarghen BV. Longitudinal changes in isokinetics strength in relation to peak height velocity in youth soccer players. J Sports Sci Med 2007; Supplement 10: 57-61
  • 22 Reilly T, Brookes GA. Diurnal Variations: Physiological Cycles and Performance. Int J Sports Med 1986; 7: 358-362
  • 23 Senn S. Testing for baseline balance in clinical trials. Stats Med 1994; 13: 1715-1726
  • 24 Sokolowski B, Chrzanowska M. Development of selected motor skills in boys and girls in relation to their rate of maturation – a longitudinal study. Hum Mov 2012; 13: 132-138
  • 25 Thomas K, French D, Hayes PR. The effect of two plyometric training techniques on muscular power and agility in youth soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23: 332-335
  • 26 Vaeyens R, Malina RM, Renterghem BV, Bourgon JJ, Vrijens RM, Phillippaerts RM. A Multidisciplinary selection model for youth soccer: The Ghent Youth Soccer Project. Br J Sports Med 2006; 40: 928-934
  • 27 Valente-dos-Santos J, Coelho-e-Silva MJ, Simoes F, Figurirodo AJ, Leite N, Elferink-Gemser MT, Malina RA, Sherar L. Modelling developmental changes in functional capacities and soccer-specific skills in male players aged 11–17 Years. Paediatr Exerc Sci 2012; 24: 603-621
  • 28 Valente-dos-Santos J, Coelho-e-Silva JM, Severino V, Duarte J, Martins RS, Figueiredo AJ, Seabra AT, Philippaerts RM, Cumming SP, Elferink-Gemser M, Malina RA. Longitudinal study of repeated sprint performance in youth soccer players of contrasting maturity status. J Sports Sci Med 2012; 11: 371-379
  • 29 Vandendriessche JB, Vaeyens R, Vandorpe B, Lenior M, Lefevre M, Philippaerts RM. Biological maturation, morphology, fitness, and motor coordination as part of a selection strategy in the search for international youth soccer players (age 15–16 years). J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 1695-1703
  • 30 Vincent WJ. (ed.) Statistics in Kinesiology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2005
  • 31 Williams AM, Reilly T. Talent identification and development in soccer. J Sports Sci 2000; 18: 657-667
  • 32 Wrigley RD, Drust B, Stratton G, Scott M, Gregson W. Quantification of the typical weekly in-season training load in elite junior soccer players. J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 1573-1580