Abstract
Increases in physical (e.g., high-intensity running and sprinting), technical (e.g., passing rate), and tactical (e.g., player density) aspects made elite level soccer more challenging within the past years. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether these evolutions are also been reflected in changes in anthropometric and fitness characteristics between former (2002 to 2005) and current (2012 to 2015) elite Austrian youth development center (U13 to U14) and soccer academy (U15 to U18) players. A battery of anthropometric, general and soccer-specific fitness tests was conducted annually at the end of each year. Independent t-test and Cohen’s d (ES) were calculated to compare the two four-year periods (2530 vs. 2611 players) at each age group separately. Current players were significantly faster in 20 m sprint (ES = 0.26–0.50) and reaction test (ES = 0.15–0.39, except for U18), but less flexible at sit-and-reach (ES = –0.19 to –0.55), in all age categories. Whereas height (ES = 0.26–0.32), body mass (ES = 0.11–0.18) and countermovement jump (ES = 0.24–0.26) increased significantly at youth development center level, current academy players performed superior at shuttle sprint (ES = 0.21–0.59), hurdles agility run (ES = 0.24–0.49), and endurance run (ES = 0.11–0.20). These changes over time in speed, change-of-direction ability, lower-body power, coordination, and endurance were attributed to modern training approaches (e.g., modified games and change-of-direction drills) and modifications in selection politics (e.g., coaches favor speed and decision-making skills).
Highlights
National soccer associations as well as professional clubs spend an increasing amount of money and time to identify, select and develop young soccer players (Williams and Reilly, 2000)
While no systematic changes over time were displayed for height (p > 0.12), current players were significantly lighter in U16 (–1.7 kg, ES = –0.22, p < 0.001) and U17 (–1.1 kg, ES = –0.16, p = 0.02), resulting in a decrease of Body mass index (BMI) (–0.3 to –0.5 kg m−2, ES = –0.18 to –0.29, p < 0.01; except for U18) compared to former players (Table 1)
Regarding the 5 × 10 m shuttle sprint, a significant performance increase (0.08 s, ES = 0.16, p = 0.001) was displayed for under 13 (U13) players, but no significant change (p = 0.87) over the decade was reported for U14 players
Summary
National soccer associations as well as professional clubs spend an increasing amount of money and time to identify, select and develop young soccer players (Williams and Reilly, 2000). Effective resource management, including early selection and subsequent talent promotion of a few players (Williams and Reilly, 2000; Vaeyens et al, 2008), and economical reward has led to the installation of national development programs and youth soccer academies around the world (Reilly et al, 2000; Darby et al, 2007). Periodically fitness testing has gained greater acceptance within the soccer academy setting (Paul and Nassis, 2015). Besides both monitoring performance improvements and comparisons to normative values, coaches are able to effectively adjust their training interventions to the players’ individual strengths and weaknesses (Svensson and Drust, 2005; Lidor et al, 2009). The academy-to-first-team transition requires an appropriate fitness level to cope with the increased physical training load and playing schedule in adult soccer (Finn and McKenna, 2010)
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