Football Academy Research Articles

The inter-tester reliability of the squeeze and bent-knee-fall-out tests in elite academy football players

ObjectivesTo evaluate the inter-tester reliability of two common tests for assessing hip and groin injuries, using a protocol closely reflecting normal clinical conditions. DesignSame-session, single-trial, inter-tester reliability study. SettingElite European football academy. ParticipantsTwo testers and fifty-eight football players aged 14–21 years. Main outcome measuresInter-tester reliability of the squeeze (in approximately 45° hip flexion) and bent-knee-fall-out (BKFO) tests, evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients (two-way mixed, single measure) and minimal detectable change. ResultsBoth tests demonstrated excellent inter-tester reliability. The intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.87–0.95) for the squeeze test, 0.91 (95% CI: 0.67–0.96) for the BKFO test on the right side and 0.92 (95% CI 0.87–0.95) for BKFO on the left side. The minimal detectable changes were 7.21 mmHg for the squeeze test, 0.95 cm and 0.75 cm for BKFO (right) and BKFO (left) respectively. ConclusionThe squeeze and the BKFO tests demonstrated excellent inter-tester reliability in elite academy football players, using a protocol reflective of normal clinical conditions.

Supporting adolescent athletes' dual careers: The role of an athlete's social support network

ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to, (a) understand the role of the social support network in facilitating adolescent athletes' dual careers in sport and education, and; (b) gain insights into the factors that may optimize the provision of such support. DesignA two-stage qualitative study. MethodIn stage one, four different sport and education settings in the UK were examined: A tennis academy, a football academy, a national field hockey squad, and a high-performance swimming squad. Interviews were conducted with two athletes and associated significant others from each setting. In stage two, nine current or former international athletes from a variety of sports and countries recalled their experiences of managing a dual career. Analysis was conducted following the procedures outlined by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014). ResultsOverall, athletes in stage one and two perceived that to maintain their dual careers, they were heavily dependent upon the support of significant others. The role of the support network was to recognize the demands of a dual career, anticipate problems, value education, minimize barriers, and create autonomy-supportive environments. Key factors to optimize such support were focusing on the whole person, providing integrated support, and fostering a culture that promotes continuing education. ConclusionsResults indicate that athletes require particular types of support within their home, at school, and in their sport context to be able to manage their dual career. However, a range of individual and group-level factors may influence the extent to which such support is available to athletes.

Stress among Talents in a Football Academy

Stress among Talents in a Football Academy

The boy behind the bravado: Player advanced safety and support in a professional football academy setting

In elite youth sport, the demands of high sporting performance, and the unpredictable and multifaceted changes during adolescence can significantly impact young athletes’ wellbeing. The City Player Advanced Safety and Support (City PASS) framework incorporates team psychological formulation to identify concerns about players (wellbeing, behavioural and performance) and share key information to develop a collective understanding of these concerns. This new knowledge is then used to develop action plans to manage these concerns. A common thread that emerged from City PASS panel reviews during the first six months concerned adolescent players displaying challenging behaviours. These challenging player behaviours were often considered to be fronts of ‘bravado’ that obscured the true underlying issues faced by the young person. Consequently, an intervention around equipping staff to recognise and manage the ‘Boy behind the bravado’, or the boy before the elite performer, through improved perspective-taking, was introduced to illustrate how insights gained from City PASS can be used to enhance player safety and support within a professional football academy setting.

Muscle strength characteristics of the hamstrings and quadriceps in players from a high-level youth football (soccer) Academy

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to investigate knee muscle strength characteristics in players from a high-level youth football Academy. In total, 110 players (aged 8–15 years) underwent muscle strength assessments carried out by a research physiotherapist using a computer-linked hand-held dynamometer. Results indicated that isometric hamstrings and quadriceps strength increased with age, whereas the isometric hamstring to quadriceps (H/Q) ratio decreased with age. A number of youth football players (n = 20; 18%; 95% CI: 11–27%) demonstrated isometric H/Q ratios of less than 0.60, as well as muscle strength asymmetries between limbs for the hamstrings (n = 40, 36%; 95% CI: 27–46%) and quadriceps (n = 51, 46%; 95% CI 37–56%), potentially increasing injury risk. This study provides new evidence that the isometric H/Q ratio reduces with advancing age during adolescence which may have important implications for junior athlete development and long-term injury prevention in football.

The micro-politics of organizational change in professional youth football: towards an understanding of the “professional self”

ABSTRACTOrganizational and managerial change plays a significant role in the employment and working lives of coaches in professional football. However, research that explores how individual coaches experience the change process is limited. The aim of this article is to explore the experiences of Ian (pseudonym), a professional football academy youth coach, during the process of organizational change. Data were collected through field notes, informal observations and meetings, formal academy team meetings, co-worker interviews, and four semi-structured in-depth participant interviews. Findings were analysed through a micro-political framework, with a focus on professional self-understanding. They reveal the importance of micro-political literacy in understanding the impact of organizational change on the participant’s working conditions and continued employment. It is proposed that an understanding of micro-politics, professional self-understanding, and micro-political literacy should be developed in formal coach education programmes to better prepare coaches for the realities of employment in professional football.

Declared Pedagogical Values of Coaches at Hungarian Football Academies

Abstract This paper is based on empirical research that was carried out in the total population of the coaches employed at Hungarian football academies (N=196). The main objectives of the investigation were to reveal the coaches’ opinions about some major pedagogical views and to discover whether they realize their declared pedagogical values or not. The methods for collecting the data were a self-administered questionnaire, analysis of documents, and semi-structured interviews. The results are presented according to the following sub-topics: The content and the structure of the coaches’ pedagogical values and the place of education in coaching effectiveness. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the disregard of pedagogical values can cause continuous harm to both the athletes and the coaches. The personality of young players suffering from educational and emotional neglect might develop in a one-sided manner. The effect of dysfunctional consequences with the coaches might prevent them from achieving their goals. In the worst case scenario, ignoring the young players’ education can hinder the realization of the coaches’ intended objectives and can result in unintended and adverse outcomes.

SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL VARIABLES WHICH CONTRIBUTE IN ATTRACTING CHILDREN TO FOOTBALL ACADEMIES FIELD STUDY ON LATE CHILDHOOD STAGE

This study is intended to identify the social, psychological and physical variables which contribute to kids’ admission to football academies at late childhood phase (values, model, professionalism, sport consciousness, happiness, challenge, ambition, skill, training & education). The sample of this paper is chosen randomly. It comprises 200 parents and 200 kids in late childhood phase. The researcher used the descriptive approach by means of using a questionnaire form for both parents and kids and distributing it randomly on a sample from some sport academies. Statistical means have been used to process data in order to reflect individual differences between average, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, chi-square, & weighted Average. The study has found a correlation with significance between children, parents, mothers, birth place, qualification and some questions to parents with the exception of one question only which doesn’t have any correlation with the five variables (do you see that your son’s practice of football as a profession a means of pride?). By calculating chi-square coefficient, the study has reached the following results: A statistically significant relationship between (children’s age, parents’ age, birth place and qualification) with the following questions: (does father motivate son to join sports academy?) as the value of calculated chi-square is higher than tabular chi-square at significance level of 0.05, and that the value of calculated chi-square for the same question is 59.71 at significance level 0.05 which is higher than tabular value; (does mother motivate her son to join sports academy?) as the value of calculated chi-square is higher than tabular chi-square at significance level 0.05, and that the value of calculated chi-square for the same question was 13.99 at significance level 0.05 which is higher than tabular value; (do you agree that your son practice football as his basic profession?) as the value of calculated chi square is higher than tabular chi2 at significance level 0.05 and that calculated chi-square for the same question was 3.38 at significance level 0.05 as it was 0.066 which is smaller than the tabular value, however, it is accepted at significance level 0.10 and, (Are you a member at the club of the academy?) as the value of calculated chi-square is higher than tabular chi-square at significance level 0,05 and that the value of calculated chi-square for the same question was 38.72 at significance level 0.05 which is higher than tabular value. Calculating the chi-square coefficient, the study comes to the following: there is a correlation between birth location and qualification, since difference of governorate and birth location creates differences between governorates, as each governorate has its own habits and beliefs. The previous frequency tables exposes that Cairo and Giza are on top of governorates including football academies. Regarding qualification, the post-graduate educated parents ratio reaches 25% of the sample, while the university-educated parents represents 60% and the middle-educated parents is 155 and they are all totally aware of the necessity to encourage their children to learn football, seeking money and fame from that, being professionals and travelling abroad which is finally better than education. Lights, fame, players’ news, and their selling prices have become more important than a child’s learning of writing and reading, benefitting from the internet or reading scientific stories. The most interesting, is that parents have no objection to that, and they don’t object it to become their kids’ main job. Results also indicate that the probable mean for fathers’ encouraging their children reaches 96.33% while mothers’ ratio is 72.67% and that convenience level of children practicing soccer as a main career is 75.33 for both sexes. These results show that children are increasingly joining soccer academies and parents are seeking to train them to be under supervision of stars of football which makes it easy to become professional.

The elite player performance plan: the impact of a new national youth development strategy on injury characteristics in a premier league football academy

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to investigate the injury incidence and patterns in elite youth football at a category 1 Premier League Academy before and after the introduction of a new development strategy, the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP). A prospective study was performed over six consecutive seasons encompassing three years before and after the introduction of the EPPP. The findings revealed a most likely moderate increase in total exposure per player per season when the post-EPPP football exposure (640.86 ± 83.25 hours per player per year) was compared with the pre-EPPP football exposure (539.08 ± 71.59). The total injury incidence pre-EPPP was 3.0/1000 hours compared to 2.1/1000 hours post-EPPP (rate ratio 1.43). 6% of all injuries were re-injuries (20.24 ± 33.43 days) but did not result in a substantially longer absence (16.56 ± 15.77 days). The injury burden decreased for the U12-U15 from pre- to post-EPPP, whereas the injury burden increased for the U16-U18 (respectively 125 and 47% higher). These findings suggest that following the introduction of the EPPP there has been a reduction in injuries in the younger age groups U12-U15 but in the older age groups U16-U18 there has been an increase in the severity of the injuries sustained at this club.

Hip and groin injury management in English youth football: a survey of 64 professional academies

ABSTRACTObjective: The purpose of this study was to determine the strategies used in English football academies to manage hip/groin injury.Methods: Eighty-six academies were invited to complete an online survey based on three themes related to hip/groin injury: (1) prevention, (2) screening and (3) return-to-play (RTP).Results: Sixty-four (74%) academies responded, of which fifty-two (81%) regularly conducted hip/groin injury prevention exercises, most commonly core/abdominal related, while only half of academies used high-load eccentric exercises. Fifty-three (83%) utilised screening measures for hip/groin injury, with adductor-strength testing commonly used in 40 (77%) academies, whilst patient-reported outcome measures were used infrequently (6%). Fifty (78%) academies followed a specific RTP protocol, often linked to player baseline scores, with adductor-strength deficits and pain on RTP tests commonly noted indicators of readiness to RTP.Conclusion: Most, but not all responding academies, address prevention, screening and RTP in their management of hip/groin injury. Many preventative exercises are utilised, with core/abdominal related exercises being the most common. Screening for baseline scores, in particular assessing adductor strength, is often used for gauging RTP post-injury. Most management methods described by academies link to current evidence-based literature; yet many elements of practice could be improved/standardised in the academy youth football level in the future.

Players’ understanding of talent identification in early specialization youth football

Despite research illustrating the socially constructed and subjective nature of talent identification in football, little research has explored how players make sense of ‘being talented’ and how this shapes their identity experiences. Five football academy players aged 11 years participated in five focus group interviews. Thematic and interactional qualitative analyses were performed to examine the content and function of participants’ talk. Findings described how players constructed being scouted as authentically choosing, or being chosen by, a club, which worked to protect or enhance participants’ talented identities and self-worth. Talent was regarded as dynamic, but players’ perceived expectation to continuously improve implied a potentially problematic view of development as linear. Evidence of early socialization into the academy culture indicated that while effort was seen as virtuous, it was used to judge performance in comparison to peers, suggesting that effort had become a rhetorical device that reflected conformity, rather than player motivation.

The nature and function of talent identification in junior-elite football in English category one academies

The focus of this study was to examine the nature and function of talent identification in category one football academies in the UK. Data were collected from three participant groups: heads of recruitment (n = 12), recruitment staff (n = 18) and scouts (n = 7). Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, conducted either face-to-face or via Skype®. Four themes emerged from the data: (1) league structures in junior grassroots football; (2) reflective practice; (3) looking at the whole player; and (4) luck. The paper concludes by suggesting that there are issues that need to be considered by the football association, county football associations and clubs. Those issues include the organization of leagues in junior football, the education of scouts and recruitment staff around reflective practice and understanding how to identify psycho-social attributes whilst identifying talent.

Stakeholders’ understanding and perceptions of bio-banding in junior-elite football training

The purpose of this study was to investigate the understanding and perceptions of professional football academy staff, youth players and parents/carers in the use of ‘bio-banding’ during a seven week, pre-season training period. Data included a series of one-to-one semi-structured interviews and semi-structured focus groups with the three participant groups. Data were collected at three distinct times: (1) pre-bio-banded training; (2) during-bio-banded training; and (3) post-bio-banded training. Data were analyzed qualitatively using a constant comparative approach. Results suggested that there are six key themes associated with bio-banding pre-season training: (1) interpretation of bio-banding; (2) perceived disadvantages; (3) perceived advantages; (4) changes to coaching planning and practice; (5) educating stakeholders; and (6) logistical issues. This study concludes by proposing applied practitioners consider the findings as a framework to guide operationalizing bio-banding in their environment.

Decision support system for football player's position with tsukamoto fuzzy inference system

Nowadays, football is one of the most famous sports in the world. Many football clubs and football academies have been established in Indonesia. In football academy, each player will be trained and selected to get the best positon in the team formation. In fact, each player has a different ability and skill. If a player gets a correct position, he can open the opportunity for his team to win a competition. This condition absolutely gives a good impact for the team. However, it will be a serious problem if a player plays in an incorrect position. The player's best position can be deciding by his own ability and skill. This study proposes the selection model of player's position by understanding a player's speed, stamina, strength, and other skills that covering, shooting, passing, dribble, and header with Tsukamoto Fuzzy Inference System. A player may have the following positions: central forward, midfielder, winger, goal keeper. In evaluation phase, this model exactly shows 52.17% accurate value. This means that the model decreases the misplacement of player's position. It is recommended for further study to make some additional criteria such as player's emotion, attitude, etc in order to increase accurate.

Воспитанники детской спортивной школы олимпийского резерва: социальное самочувствие и жизненные стратегии

This article focuses on such subjects as certain aspects of training young athletes in football, given the complex interactions between special sports and general school education. The peculiarities of the situation are considered based on research (using the case study method, and mixed methods research). Its target groups are football academy students, their parents, school teachers and coaches. These results suggest that there are two main competing objectives when it comes to planning a life strategy for young athletes. The first one is a strong desire for a sports career, which is often manifested in the form of obsession. The second are the imperatives of good general education, the need for which is dictated by modern society.The following situational effects, identified in this research, require further studying: 1) narrowing the horizons of planning and negative expectations when it comes to life strategy, if it expands beyond the limits of sports; 2) emotional discomfort due to the gap between the need for quality education and the dominant group stereotypes about the lack of opportunities to obtain it; 3) the probability of becoming obsessed with football and the further exacerbation of such due to a narrow specialization in professional activities. The methodological significance of the study is that this research case (a double training system of elite professional education from childhood) can be considered as a type- forming one. The effects revealed within it can be used as a model for analyzing the problems of other organizations of this type. Also, the model status of the research helps to promote hypotheses which can be tested in other cases.

Wykorzystanie testu FMS w diagnostyce aparatu ruchu po zastosowaniu treningu funkcjonalnego u zawodników piłki nożnej

Football is a sport in which direct contact with an opponent is permissible. In the discipline discussed most frequent injuries are those in the ankle and knee joints, which do not concern bruises or fractures only, but also ruptures or tears of ligaments and muscles [14]. Such situation could take place during a play itself or during a training which we resume after a period of convalescence, or to which we are physically insufficiently prepared. The aim of this paper is to show whether systematic functional training improves mobility, symmetrical work in joints and periarticular muscle flexibility. FMS test is a tool which allows for the assessment of the level of performance and the control of the movement quality after doing appropriate functional training exercises. The tests were conducted among 105 players of the Football Academy of RKS Rakow Czestochowa at 14–19 years of age. In all the groups tested in over 70% tests the number of people who scored maximum points in individual tests was reported to increase. The tests conducted showed the positive impact of functional training on the level of performance. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was reported between the initial and control tests in all players. The introduction of such type of exercise should be an integral part of training football players.

Professional youth football academy injury data: collection procedures, perceived value, and use

ABSTRACTPurpose: There is a paucity of descriptive injury data relevant to professional academy football, with little to no evidence reporting how sports science/medicine staff within academies collect and use injury data.Materials and methods: An online survey relating to the perceptions surrounding injury data collection, its value and use was developed. Forty-seven applied practitioners working for different professional football academies completed the survey.Results: Injury data collection procedures conducted by appropriately trained medical staff are widespread among football academies. Injury data collection within academies was deemed worthwhile and important by 79% of practitioners. Similarly, 79% strongly agreed/agreed that using injury data for academic research is worthwhile. The engagement with and use of injury data by coaching staff appears to be relatively poor, with only 49% of practitioners stating coaches formally review data.Conclusions: Injury data are widely collected within academies and practitioners consider this information valuable. However, improving engagement with coaches and using the data for academic research could further improve applied practice.Practical implications: Applied practitioners should consider sharing injury data with both researchers and coaches. In doing so evidence-guided injury prevention interventions may be developed and subsequently applied in the field.

Inclusive ideologies and passive performances: exploring masculinities and attitudes toward gay peers among boys in an elite youth football academy

Drawing on data generated from semi-structured, one-to-one interviews in 2012, this article focuses on the attitudinal disposition toward homosexuality of 12 English academy level football players aged 14–15. Results highlight the presence of progressive attitudes toward homosexuality even though some of the youth feel they lack the agency to contest homophobia when espoused in their schools. Using a blend of two dominating masculinities theories, we use these interviews to highlight that boys in this setting are best understood as a complex imbrication of inclusivity yet socially-passive acceptance. We suggest that boys of this age are now primed for learning agency to contest the social marginalization of others.

Norwegian Football Academy Players – Player´S Self-Assessed Skills, Stress and Coach-Athlete Relationship

Background: Being part of a football academy environment is associated with many advantages. Even so, academy players will also encounter a range of personal and interpersonal challenges that might affect their development, including stress and the coach-athlete relationship. Objective: This study’s purpose was to investigate how football academy players assessed their own skills compared to their teammates, and how this is associated with perceived stressors and their perceived relationship with their coach. Method: Participants (N= 122) represented 3 football academies (12-19 years old). Instruments used were CART-Q and a modified version of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire. Results: The results showed that the players with high-perceived skill reported a higher amount of self-organized training, more playing time, and a lower level of performance stress compared to the low perceived skill players. The results also indicate that the players perceived they had a close coach-athlete relationship and a low level of stress. Conclusion: The results suggest that low perceived skill players should receive equitable focus from coaches, especially related to their performance stress.

Reaction time and speed as correlates of sports injury among students of football academics in Nigeria

Sports participation carries a risk for injuries, which may in some cases lead to permanent disability or death, hence; the need for attention on prevention. Physical fitness is a factor of sports injury. However, there is lack of sufficient evidence on relationship between specific components of physical fitness and sports injuries. This study therefore investigated reaction time and speed as they relate to sports injuries among students of football academies in Nigeria. Correlational research design was adopted for this study, and purposive sampling technique was used to select 128 students from three football academies. Standardised instruments and tests were used to measure the key parameters [i.e. speed and reaction time]. Physical characteristics that included weight, height, position of play, age, dominant leg and experience. Type of injury, part of body affected, event of injury and severity were also recorded. The data collection period was twelve weeks, and the data collected were analysed using percentage, mean, and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient [PPMC] statistical tools. WINKS SDA package was used for analysis and hypothesis were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of this study show that reaction time correlates with sports injuries sustained[r (107) =0.23, p = 0.02], while speed indicates no correlation[r (107) =0.12, p = 0.21]. It is concluded that the level of reaction time acquired and maintained by students of football academies influence the frequency of injury sustained as well as the severity of such injury; while speed level does not have any significant influence on sustenance of injury among the target group.