Abstract
BackgroundAgility is a determinant component in soccer performance. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and sensitivity of a “Modified Illinois change of direction test” (MICODT) in ninety-five U-14 soccer players.MethodsA total of 95 U-14 soccer players (mean ± SD: age: 13.61±1.04 years; body mass: 30.52±4.54 kg; height: 1.57±0.1 m) from a professional and semi-professional soccer academy, participated to this study. Sixty of them took part in reliability analysis and thirty-two in sensitivity analysis.ResultsThe intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) that aims to assess relative reliability of the MICODT was of 0.99, and its standard error of measurement (SEM) for absolute reliability was <5% (1.24%). The MICODT’s capacity to detect change is “good”, it’s SEM (0.10 s) was ≤ SWC (0.33 s). The MICODT is significantly correlated to the Illinois change of direction speed test (ICODT) (r = 0.77; p<0.0001). The ICODT’s MDC95 (0.64 s) was twice about the MICODT’s MDC95 (0.28 s), indicating that MICODT presents better ability to detect true changes than ICODT. The MICODT provided good sensitivity since elite U-14 soccer players were better than non-elite one on MICODT (p = 0.005; dz = 1.01 [large]). This was supported by an area under the ROC curve of 0.77 (CI 95%, 0.59 to 0.89, p<0.0008). The difference observed in these two groups in ICODT was not statistically significant (p = 0.14; dz = 0.51 [small]), showing poor discriminant ability.ConclusionMICODT can be considered as more suitable protocol for assessing agility performance level than ICODT in U-14 soccer players.
Highlights
Agility is a common term that is used by strength and conditioning practitioners and is often considered the basic element of many sports and activities
The standard error of measurement (SEM) expressed as coefficient of variation (CV) of Illinois change of direction speed test (ICODT) and MICODT were within 1%
Results from the present investigation suggest that the MICODT is a reliable and valid change of direction speed (CODS) test that can discriminate between U-14 soccer players of varying playing abilities
Summary
Agility is a common term that is used by strength and conditioning practitioners and is often considered the basic element of many sports and activities. The term agility has been applied to describe any quick and effective combination of braking, changing direction, and accelerating again while maintaining motor control in either a vertical or horizontal direction in response to a stimulus (i.e., an opposing player’s movements, movement of the ball) [3,4]. In this context, in order to perform successfully, team sport players need to be good movers in different directions, and often, in confined spaces [5]. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and sensitivity of a ‘‘Modified Illinois change of direction test’’ (MICODT) in ninety-five U-14 soccer players
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