Abstract
This study describes the weekly variations of well-being ratings relative to fatigue (wFatigue), stress (wStress), delayed-onset muscle soreness (wDOMS), sleep quality (wSleep), and Hooper questionnaire (wHQ) throughout the season. In addition, the well-being variables for the playing position in different moments of the season were discussed. Twenty-one elite young soccer players U17 took part in this study. From the beginning of the pre-season, well-being status was monitored daily by the HQ method throughout 36 weeks, including four periods: (1) pre-season, (2) early-season, (3) mid-season, and (4) end-season. Players trained at least 3 times per week throughout the season. The main outcome was that, in weeks 33 and 28, the highest [wFatigue: 15.85 ± 3.38 arbitrary units (AU); wHQ: 48.86 ± 9.23 AU] and the lowest (wFatigue: 5.38 ± 1.88 AU; wHQ: 20.43 ± 5.49 AU) wFatigue and wHQ occurred, respectively, although the lowest level of wDOMS happened in week 28 (4.86 ± 2.15 AU), while the highest wDOMS was observed in week 5 (14.65 ± 4.16 AU). The highest wSleep (13.00 ± 2.12 AU) and wStress (11.65 ± 2.92 AU) were observed in weeks 8 and 34, respectively, while the lowest wSleep (5.81 ± 2.29 AU) and wStress (3.76 ± 0.94 AU) were marked in week 29 coincidentally. In the HQ between every weekday, except recovery day, and the day of the match (MD), considerable highest HQ was only revealed in 2 days after MD in contrast to overall team comparison. In the present study, we observed that the well-being changes between different phases of the season as well as between weeks and days of the week with the MD are significant. These results provide a great point of view for coaches and practitioners about well-being variations over a season in elite youth soccer level. As a result, coaches will be more aware about non-functional overreaching and taking measures to prevent it.
Highlights
Monitoring internal training load (TL) has been used extensively and well-discussed in sports, in team sports (Clemente et al, 2017; Nobari et al, 2020b)
The lowest wDOMS happened in week 28 (4.86 ± 2.15 arbitrary units (AU)); the highest wDOMS was observed in week 5 (14.65 ± 4.16 AU)
The low level of wDOMS happened in week 28, the highest wDOMS was observed in week 5
Summary
Monitoring internal training load (TL) has been used extensively and well-discussed in sports, in team sports (Clemente et al, 2017; Nobari et al, 2020b). Youth soccer players may experience different physical and physiological pressures related to their age-specific conditions that can cause premature injury or illness, that is why it is important to assess their monitoring training in these ages (Brink et al, 2010). Internal load defines the physiological influence of training (e.g., effects of heart rate, blood lactate concentrations, or rating perceived exertion). External load usually describes the physical effects of training on players (e.g., distances covered at different speed thresholds, accelerations, decelerations, or jumps) (Rebelo et al, 2012; Wrigley et al, 2012). HQ is a method based on self-analysis questionnaires involving the well-being ratings relative to fatigue, stress level, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and sleep quality/disorders (Hooper and Mackinnon, 1995)
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