Improvement of Physical Performance Following a 6 Week Change-of-Direction Training Program in Elite Youth Soccer Players of Different Maturity Levels.

Urs Granacher,Mokhtar Chtara,Dorsaf Sariati,Hassane Zouhal,Omar Ben Ounis,Sabri Gaied Chortane,Anthony C. Hackney,Raouf Hammami,Ammar Nebigh,Nizar Souissi,Cain C. T. Clark

doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.668437

Abstract

Background: Change-of-direction (CoD) is a necessary physical ability of a field sport and may vary in youth players according to their maturation status.Objectives: The aim of this study is: to compare the effectiveness of a 6-week CoD training intervention on dynamic balance (CS-YBT), horizontal jump (5JT), speed (10 and 30-m linear sprint times), CoD with (15 m-CoD + B) and without (15 m-CoD) the ball, in youth male soccer players at different levels of maturity [pre- and post-peak height velocity (PHV)].Materials and Methods: Thirty elite male youth soccer players aged 10–17 years from the Tunisian first division participated in this study. The players were divided into pre- (G1, n = 15) and post-PHV (G2, n = 15) groups. Both groups completed a similar 6-week training program with two sessions per week of four CoD exercises. All players completed the following tests before and after intervention: CS-YBT; 5 JT; 10, 30, and 15 m-CoD; and 15 m-CoD + B, and data were analyzed using ANCOVA.Results: All 30 players completed the study according to the study design and methodology. Adherence rate was 100% across all groups, and no training or test-related injuries were reported. Pre-PHV and post-PHV groups showed significant amelioration post-intervention for all dependent variables (after test > before test; p < 0.01, d = 0.09–1.51). ANOVA revealed a significant group × time interaction only for CS-YBT (F = 4.45; p < 0.04; η2 = 0.14), 5JT (F = 6.39; p < 0.02; η2 = 0.18), and 15 m-CoD (F = 7.88; p < 0.01; η2 = 0.22). CS-YBT, 5JT, and 15 m-CoD improved significantly in the post-PHV group (+ 4.56%, effect size = 1.51; + 4.51%, effect size = 1.05; and -3.08%, effect size = 0.51, respectively), more than the pre-PHV group (+ 2.77%, effect size = 0.85; + 2.91%, effect size = 0.54; and -1.56%, effect size = 0.20, respectively).Conclusion: The CoD training program improved balance, horizontal jump, and CoD without the ball in male preadolescent and adolescent soccer players, and this improvement was greater in the post-PHV players. The maturity status of the athletes should be considered when programming CoD training for soccer players.

Highlights

Change-of-direction (CoD) is a necessary physical ability of a field sport athlete (Lloyd et al, 2013; Sattler et al, 2015; Hammami et al, 2018)
The analysis revealed a significant difference between groups for all anthropometric measurements, except Body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.13)
The present study indicated that the CoD training program may have triggered acute mechanisms that contribute to a better dynamic balance performance in post-peak height velocity (PHV) soccer players

Summary

Introduction

Change-of-direction (CoD) is a necessary physical ability of a field sport athlete (Lloyd et al, 2013; Sattler et al, 2015; Hammami et al, 2018). There is a lack of research in the pediatric athletic population, pertaining to the determinants of CoD performances in prepubertal and early pubertal athletes, while the recent Youth Physical Development (YPD) models (Lloyd et al, 2013; Granacher et al, 2016) accentuated the need for a structured and logical approach to developing different types of CoD during childhood and adolescence In this context, previous cross-sectional studies have examined the interaction between maturation and CoD development in both pre-peak height velocity (PHV) (Hammami et al, 2017; Negra et al, 2017) and post-PHV handball players (Hammami et al, 2018). Change-of-direction (CoD) is a necessary physical ability of a field sport and may vary in youth players according to their maturation status

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion