Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Repeated High-Acceleration
Ability (RHAA) bouts in elite youth football games using 10-Hz GPS devices and two
relative thresholds derived from players’ actual maximal acceleration. Thirty-six
outfield soccer players (age 14.9±0.6 years) participated in the study. Players wore
10-Hz GPS units during 41 official games. High accelerations were defined as efforts
commencing above a threshold corresponding to 70% (T70%) or 80% (T80%) of the average
5-m acceleration obtained during a 40-m sprint test; RHAA bouts were defined as ≥3
efforts with ≤45 s recovery between efforts. Results were analysed via generalised
linear mixed model and magnitude-based inferential statistics. On average, 8.0±4.6
and 5.1±3.5 bouts were detected in an entire game using T70% and T80%, respectively.
When all positions were analysed together, there was a very-likely small difference
in the number of RHAA bouts between first and second half for T70% and T80%, respectively.
RHAA bouts occur frequently in elite youth football, with small differences between
halves and between playing positions within the first or second half in most variables
assessed.
Keywords
acceleration - youth football - match analysis - high-intensity efforts - sprint
