Profile Of Players Research Articles

Transformation of the Value-Semantic Sphere of Pathological Players in the Conditions of Rehabilitation

The spread of gambling addiction is one of the serious problems of modern society. A person involved in gambling creates preconditions for inevitable failure. Effective rehabilitation involves the reconstruction of the personality and aims to return the addict to a healthy and socially valuable life. The value-semantic sphere serves as one of the factors of psychological adaptation and the purpose of psychological correction of game addicts. The present research aimed to study the peculiarities of the transformation of the value-semantic sphere of pathological players in the context of a rehabilitation program. The research involved 42 pathological players undergoing a rehabilitation program for 6 months. We used methods: "Diagnosis of Interpersonal Relationships" by Leary; "Personality Time Perspective Questionnaire" by Zimbardo; "Meaning-Life Orientations" Leontiev; Stolin's Self-Ratio Questionnaire; "Morphological test of life values" by Sopov and Karpushina and personal data questionnaire. As a result of the study, the connection between the participation in the rehabilitation program and the change of the relationship profile of the pathological players to a more independent one was found. Changes in the time perspective of positive future, an increase of meaningfulness of life, an increase of the level of self-esteem, and a decrease of self-blame were revealed. The change of value from material provision to self-development and acceptance of oneself in the context of rehabilitation was revealed. As a result of the research, it was established that in rehabilitation conditions, the transformation of the value-semantic sphere of pathological players towards more adaptive is possible.

The Physiological Profile of Male Professional Soccer Players: The Effect of Playing Division

The purpose of this study was to present the physiological profile of male soccer players who compete in the professional (Division [D] 1, 2, 3) and semi-professional (D4) Greek soccer leagues, and to compare their physiological profile according to playing division. Using 1,095 players (age: 25.2 ± 4.7 years), twelve anthropometric and physiological characteristics (age, height, body mass, BMI, VO2max, velocity of VO2max velocity at ventilatory threshold, maximum heart rate, maximum lactate, squat jump, 35 m sprint and sprinting fatigue index) were assessed. Factorial analysis of variance revealed a significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced physiological profile amongst the professional, compared to semi-professional players, for 10 of the 12 characteristics assessed between divisions. Regarding aerobic parameters, velocity at maximum oxygen uptake was the variable which discriminated professional, from semi-professional players most. With reference to anaerobic parameters, the 35m sprint was the variable which differentiated players between divisions (i.e. D1/D2 vs. D3/D4). Overall, findings in this study present the physiological profile of soccer players within the specified Greek soccer divisions, with differences identified between professional, and semi-professional divisions. These findings suggest that advanced physiological profiles may contribute to a player’s progression to higher divisions of Greek professional soccer.

Influence of Preseason Versus In-Season Play on Achilles Tendon Injuries in the National Football League.

Background:A ruptured Achilles tendon (AT) can sideline a player for 6 to 12 months and reduce their power rankings by more than 50%. Previous research has compared AT rupture rates in different game conditions.Purpose:To determine environmental and physiological risk factors for AT tears, given the minimal amount of research on AT ruptures in the National Football League (NFL).Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:NFL players with a diagnosed AT tear between 2009 and 2016 were selected as the study population for this retrospective analysis. Data on NFL injury were collected from an established database composed of publicly available information. Player profiles were employed to determine position, team, and game statistics at the time of injury. The proportion of NFL rookies was approximated by summing the number of draft picks and the number of signed, undrafted free agents and measured against the number of roster spots before the season.Results:Between 2009 and 2016, there were 101 documented AT tears. Of these, 64% (65/101) occurred before the official season, including preseason games. Of the 36 tears that occurred in-season, 34 were during games. Overall, 29% (19/65) of the preseason tears occurred in rookies and 100% (36/36) of the in-season tears affected nonrookies. Of the rookies with AT ruptures, 42.11% returned to play in the NFL, while 62.20% of the nonrookies came back to partake in future seasons. Despite an average age of 26.7 years, the tear distribution was bimodal with players aged 24 and 36 years exhibiting the highest rates of tear.Conclusion:In our review of AT tears in NFL athletes, a large percentage of the tears occurred in rookie players, especially during the preseason. We also found that tears during the season occurred in only nonrookies, suggesting that the preseason is when rookies experience the greatest risk for injury.

Anthropometric and physical performance profiles of elite junior rugby union players in the Western Cape, South Africa

Anthropometric and physical performance profiles of elite junior rugby union players in the Western Cape, South Africa

Lower Extremity Flexibility Profile in Basketball Players: Gender Differences and Injury Risk Identification.

Analysis of the flexibility profile of basketball players (BPs) can reveal differences in range of motion (ROM) by gender and also identify those players who are at higher risk for sports injuries. A descriptive observational study was conducted to determine the lower extremity flexibility profile of sixty-four basketball players and gender differences to identify players at higher risk of injury due to limited and asymmetric ROM in one or more movements. Participants: Sixty-four (33 male and 31 female) competitive athletes from the national leagues of the Spanish basketball league system participated in the present study (power of sample size ≥0.99). The eight passive ROM tests of the hip, knee and ankle were assessed using the ROM-SPORT battery. Each player completed a questionnaire on age, basic anthropometric data, dominant extremities, and training and sport-related variables. The lower extremity flexibility profile was established at 15° and 10° hip extension (HE), 39° and 38° ankle dorsiflexion with knee extended (ADF-KE), 40° and 39° ankle dorsiflexion with knee flexed (ADF-KF), 43° and 43° hip abduction (HAB), 75° and 61° hip abduction with the hip flexed (HAB-HF), 78° and 83° hip flexion with the knee extended (HF-KE), 134° and 120° knee flexion (KF), and 145° and 144° hip flexion (HF) by male and female basketball players, respectively. Sex differences in HE, HAB-HF, and KF were observed in BPs (p ≤ 0.01; Hedges’ g ≥ 1.04). Players reported limited ROM in ADF-KF, HE, HAB-HF, HF-KE, and KF; and asymmetric ROM mainly in HE, ADF-KE, KF, ADF-KF, and HF-KE. In conclusion, this study provides gender-specific lower extremity flexibility profile scores in BPs that can help athletic trainers and athletic and conditioning trainers to identify those players who are at higher risk of injury due to abnormal ROM scores.

Player Profiling and Monitoring in Basketball: A Delphi Study of the Most Important Non-Game Performance Indicators from the Perspective of Elite Athlete Coaches.

Little is known about which indicators of performance elite athlete coaches (i.e., professional coaches who coach at the national or international levels) consider to be important for basketball. Using a Delphi procedure, the aim of this study was to identify the non-game performance indicators elite athlete coaches consider to be important for the recruitment/selection of basketball players. Ninety elite athlete coaches (basketball coaches (n = 71) and strength/conditioning coaches (n = 19) who coached men (n = 60), women (n = 23), or both (n = 7)), employed in 23 countries across six continents, participated in a three-round online Delphi survey. Round 1 asked coaches to identify the non-game performance indicators (i.e., measures other than game statistics) they currently used (or would like to use) for player recruitment/selection, with common indicators combined into single indicators. Round 2 asked coaches to rate the importance of each performance indicator using a Likert scale (range: 0 = no importance whatsoever to 10 = extremely important). Round 3 asked coaches to identify the single best test measure for each indicator rated ≥ 6 (i.e., important to extremely important) in Round 2. Results were reported descriptively. A total of 608 responses (344 after removal of duplicates) were reported in Round 1, which were collapsed into 35 indicators, all of which were rated as 'important' in Round 2. Psychological and game intelligence indicators were typically rated as very important to extremely important (i.e., median = 9), with physical fitness and movement skills typically rated as very important (i.e., median = 8). For most indicators, coach observation was identified as the best test measure, with unique objective performance/anthropometric tests identified for all physical fitness indicators. This study identified a range of psychological, game intelligence, physical fitness, and movement skill indicators that were considered by elite athlete coaches to be important to extremely important for the recruitment/selection of basketball players. These findings may inform the development of a basketball-specific test battery for recruiting/selecting and monitoring players.

대학야구선수의 Y Balance Test와 하지 가동성의 관계

The purpose of this study is to present the Y Balance Test (YBT) profile of college baseball players and determine the relationship between YBT and ankle and hip mobility. The subjects of this study were 27 college baseball players. The dynamic balance ability of the lower extremities was measured using the YBT Kit. Ankle mobility was measured using the modified weight bearing lunge test(WBLT) and the non-weight bearing dorsiflexion(NWBD) range of motion(ROM) test. Hip mobility was measured for flexion and extension ROM. ROM was measured with passive ROM using a goniometer. The dynamic balance and mobility of the left and right lower extremities were compared using the paired-T test. The relationship between dynamic balance and mobility of the lower extremities was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation. The YBT results of college baseball players showed no significant difference between left and right(p＞.05). The lower extremity mobility of college baseball players was significant only in the NWBD ROM of the ankle(p=.012), and other variables were not significantly different(p＞.05). YBT right anterior reach had a significant correlation with WBLT right(r=.628, p=.000) and WBLT left(r=.507, p=.007). YBT left anterior reach had a significant correlation with WBLT right(r=.807, p=.000) and WBLT left(r=.691, p=.000). In addition, the YBT left posteromedial reach had a significant correlation with the right hip extension ROM(r=.394, p=.046). However, there was no significant correlation with other variables(p＞.05). Overall, the decrease in ankle mobility of college baseball players is related to the decrease in dynamic balance ability. In particular, the decrease in dorsiflexion mobility of the ankle in the weight-bearing lower extremity is related to the limitation of the anterior reach motion of the non-weight-bearing lower extremity. Therefore, it is recommended that college baseball players regularly evaluate their ankle mobility to improve dynamic balance ability and prevent injuries.

Sprint acceleration profiles of junior Australian football players: Intra-individual determinants of performance

Background: Understanding the most effective methods for developing sprint performance in junior AF can be challenging due to the multi-factorial nature of training where there is a requirement to concurrently develop several physical capacities (strength, speed, power, endurance) in conjunction with the technical and tactical skills required to play the sport. This is observed in the junior AF literature with sprint performance identified as developmentally stable as players have progressed from elite under 16 to under 18 competition levels.

Personality Traits and Emotion Regulation Styles of Elite Beach Volleyball Dyads: Examination of Intra-Team Differences, Performance and Satisfaction Levels.

The current study was designed to assess the personality traits and emotion regulation styles of elite beach volleyball players. Intra-team differences were examined with three primary objectives: (i) to create a personality profile of elite beach volleyball players, (ii) to examine the relationship of this profile in relation to performance and satisfaction levels, and (iii) to highlight the similarities in personalities of members of successful teams. A total of 82 elite beach volleyball players were asked to fill out the Big Five Inventory, the Personality Adjective Scale, and the Affective Style Questionnaire. In addition to these, the overall satisfaction and performance level of these athletes were measured. Results indicated a higher manifestation of warmth, liveliness, emotional stability and reasoning, along with lower levels of neuroticism in successful athletes. The players used a variety of emotional regulation styles and reported being moderately to highly satisfied with their team. A repeated-measures MANCOVA revealed no significant differences in personality traits between the team members. This study generates valuable insights into the personality of elite beach volleyball players and can be useful for coaches, sport psychologists, and academics for practical application and further scientific research.

Behavioral Analysis of Personality, Branding and Emotional State in e-Sports

E-sports have grown in popularity on a worldwide scale. Recent assessments place the industry's value at more than $612 million, with operations spanning Europe, North America, and Asia's emerging economies. Nowadays, e-Sports are being hailed as a highly effective marketing channel for businesses. The current study attempted to analyze the personal profiles of e-sports players in order to offer them with marketing privileges that would enable them to promote their companies more effectively. Three self-report questionnaires were used to collect data: the Profile of Mood States, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and the Brand Personality Appeal Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using appropriate transformations to provide a suitable format for implementing the corresponding machine learning algorithms available in the R software package. The findings of this study demonstrate, among other things, that mood state, emotional intelligence, and brand personality can all serve as critical variables and are prevalent in marketing literature covering a broad range of topics, including evidence that the mood state, emotional intelligence, and brand personality profiles of e-sports players can all serve as significant variables.

Vertical Jump to Female and Male Basketball Players in Albania

Vertical jump is one of the basic elements in collective sports such as volleyball, basketball, football, etc. The reason of this study is the evaluation of this element and other parameters of the Albanian National Championship basketball players female and male. From the specificity of their training, there are differences in the physical qualities of individual performance, where one of the elements is vertical jumping. The performance profiling of basketball players is important to distinguish the anthropometric and physical characteristics from other sports. Basketball players were tested in different periods before and after the training with their coaches. Subjects were 59 Female (F) mean age 18.1 years old and 60 Male (M) mean age 18.8 years old. They evaluated us; Body Height (BH), Body Mass (BMI %), Body Weight (BW), Squat Jump (SJ), Countermovement Jump (CMJ) and Drop Jump 40cm (DJ). From the obtained data of the test was observed even the effect of the training that these athletes have done for the jumping level, assessment of explosive strength and maximum power. Differences were seen to individual basketball players between two periods, before and after the testing. The evaluation of these tests is one of the key features of a vertical jump as one of the specific technical element in the game on air in the sport of basketball. The obtained results suggest changes in sporting performance of “vertical jump” in the force settings, speed and power.

Analysis on specific morfologic adaptation in the game of rugby in 7 - feminine, senior level

With the transition of rugby in 7 as an Olympic sport, performance standards have increased, the game becoming much faster and well structured, which also brings major changes in terms of the morphological profile of the player. The aim of this research is to achieve the morphological profile of rugby players from the first domestic league, and then the results to be compared with those of the players of professional leagues from countries with a tradition in the sport. The study took place in the pre-competition stage, on 24 professional rugby players, all active in the first league of the domestic championship in Romania and Ukraine respectively. The group represented by the team SC Politehnica Iasi, aged between 18-29 years-old and lot B components of the team from Ukraine, aged 18-31 years-old, both teams having rugby experience between 4-18 years-old. The research methods used in the study were: literature analysis, observation, pedagogical experiment, statistical, graphic representation method. The tests applied were: height, body mass, muscle mass, muscle fat tissue and mobility of the spine. The results of the analysis on compartments help to confirm the hypothesis, since following the study started, the players of the forwards compartment fall between the optimal values of the players of lot B, the back compartment recording values close to the optimal ones.

Injury pattern based on player positions in Japanese university handball: a cross-sectional study of 2056 players.

Although it is evident that the risk of injury in handball varies according to player position, it is unclear whether the characteristics of these injuries also differ. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the position-associated injury profiles of university handball players in Japan. A total of 2056 participants who played in the 2018 and 2019 Japanese National University Handball Championships were included in this cross-sectional study. A self-reported injury questionnaire regarding demographic and injury-related information was administered. The overall prevalence of injury during the one-year period preceding the questionnaire was 44.1%, and back (47.9%) and line (49.2%) players exhibited a higher proportion of injuries than players in other positions (P<0.001). The ankle, knee, and shoulder/clavicle were the most common body regions affected by traumatic injuries, and knee and shoulder/clavicle injuries differed based on player positions (P=0.033). Conversely, overuse injuries predominantly affected the lumber spine/lower back, knee, and foot/toe, although there were no significant differences between player positions (P=0.188). In terms of injury mechanism, line players exhibited a higher proportion of contact injuries and goalkeepers had a higher proportion of non-contact injuries than that of other positions (P<0.001). Back and line players experienced more injuries than players in other positions. Depending on the player position, there were significant differences in the prevalence and patterns of injury. Therefore, injury prevention measures need to consider the characteristics of injuries based on player positions.

Season-Long Changes in the Body Composition Profiles of Competitive Female Rugby Union Players Assessed via Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry

ABSTRACT Background: Reference data for the body composition values of female athletes are limited to very few sports, with female Rugby Union players having mostly been omitted from such analyses.Methods: Using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, this study assessed the body composition profiles (body mass, bone mineral content; BMC, fat mass; FM, lean mass; LM, bone mineral density; BMD) of 15 competitive female Rugby Union players before and after the 2018/19 competitive season. Total competitive match-play minutes were also recorded for each player.Results: Body mass (73.7 ± 9.6 kg vs 74.9 ± 10.2 kg, p ≤ 0.05, d = 0.13) and BMC (3.2 ± 0.4 kg vs 3.3 ± 0.4 kg, p ≤ 0.05, d = 0.15) increased pre- to post-season for all players. Conversely, FM (21.0 ± 8.8 kg), LM (50.7 ± 3.9 kg), and BMD (1.31 ± 0.06 g·cm−2) were similar between time-points (all p > .05). Accounting for position, body mass (r partial(12) = 0.196), FM (r partial(12) = −0.013), LM (r partial(12) = 0.351), BMD (r partial(12) = 0.168) and BMC (r partial(12) = −0.204) showed no correlation (all p > .05) against match-play minutes.Conclusion: The demands of the competitive season influenced specific body composition indices (i.e., body mass, BMC) in female Rugby Union players; a finding which was unrelated to the number of minutes played in matches. While the causes of such differences remain unclear, practitioners should be cognizant of the body composition changes occurring throughout a female Rugby Union competitive season and, where necessary, consider modifying variables associated with adaptation and recovery accordingly.

Cross-Sectional Study of the Physical Fitness and Anthropometric Profiles of Adolescent Hurling, Camogie, and Gaelic Football Players.

Byrne, LM, Byrne, PJ, Byrne, EK, Byrne, AP, and Coyle, C. Cross-sectional study of the physical fitness and anthropometric profiles of adolescent hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football players. J Strength Cond Res 36(12): 3422-3431, 2022-The primary aim of this study was to identify the physical fitness profile of Irish adolescents playing hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football according to age and gender. To establish relationships between the physical fitness tests and anthropometry for these male and female adolescents. This cross-sectional study design included 311 adolescents between age of 13-18 years. Subjects completed a physical fitness test battery of 9 tests which included the following: height, body mass, modified sit and reach (SR), seated medicine ball throw (MBT), countermovement jump (CMJ), standing long jump (SLJ), 15-m sprint, 505 agility, and a 6-minute modified Cooper test (m-CT). Female subjects scored significantly higher in the SR than males, and older adolescents scored significantly higher than younger adolescents ( p < 0.05). In the remaining fitness tests (MBT, SLJ, CMJ, 15-m sprint, agility, and m-CT), males outperformed females, males had greater anthropometry scores than females, and older adolescents outperformed and had higher changes in anthropometry than younger counterparts ( p < 0.05). Normative data for gender and age-specific percentile values (5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90 th , and 95th) for these tests in these adolescent players are provided. These data are useful for clubs, parents, coaches, clinicians, and secondary schools in monitoring adolescents and to provide training programs that develop athletic performance.

Injury profiles of Australian football players across five, women's and girls' competition levels

ObjectivesTo describe injury profiles of Australian football players and explore trends across five, women's and girls' competition levels. DesignProspective cohort study. MethodsInjuries were prospectively recorded by team personnel across one or two seasons of Australian football (2017–18 and/or 2018–19) including five, women's and girls' competition levels (elite senior, non-elite senior, high-level junior, non-elite junior (14–17 years), and non-elite junior (10–13 years)). Injury incidence rates were calculated per 1000 h and injury prevalence calculated for pre-season, early-season, mid-season, and late-season. Descriptive statistics present injury profiles according to activity, body region, pathology, mechanism, and severity. ResultsFrom the 392 included players, 760 injuries were recorded. Overall injury incidence was 20.9 injuries per 1000 h. Injury prevalence was highest during pre-season (64.1%). Most injuries were to the lower extremity (n = 440; 58.0%). Ligament/joint sprain injuries were common (n = 147, 19.3%). Several injuries resulted from contact mechanisms (n = 314, 61.4%), with many due to contact with another player (n = 131, 52.8%). Injuries resulting in time lost from participation were common (n = 444, 58.9%). Competition level injury trends were observed, with elite senior (125.1 injuries per 1000 h) and high-level junior (116.9 injuries per 1000 h) players having greater match injury incidence compared to their non-elite counterparts (15.5–41.4 injuries per 1000 h). ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary insight into injury profiles of Australian football players in women's and girls' competitions. These findings can drive future injury risk reduction research specific to this population across the developmental pathway.

Physical Fitness Profiling of National Category Table Tennis Players: Implication for Health and Performance

The aims of this study were to: (1) analyze table tennis players’ physical profiles considering and comparing players age categories (i.e., under U12, U14, U16, U20, Senior and Older); and (2) to quantify the correlations among the variables measured by each test. Seventy-one table tennis players (61 men and 10 women, 19.7 ± 11.23 years, 1.65 ± 0.13 m, 59.71 ± 17.72 kg and 21.60 ± 4.22 kg/m2) divided into six age groups, performed a sprint test, forearm isometric strength test, countermovement vertical test, countermovement horizontal test, change of direction ability (CODA) test and flexibility test. U14 players performed better than U12 in all tests (ES = −0.70 to 1.98, moderate to large) except in Sit and Reach (SAR) test (ES = 0.19, trivial). The U16 group also obtained better results than U14 in all tests (ES = 0.77 to −2.31, moderate to large) except for the SAR test (ES = 0.19, trivial). The U20 group performed better than U16 in all the tests (ES = 0.73 to −1.53, moderate to large) except for the 5 m sprint test (ES = −0.02, trivial), 10 m sprint test (ES = −0.51, moderate) and SAR (ES = 0.11, trivial). Differences between Senior and U20 were only found in the arm swing counter movement jump (CMJAS) (ES = −0.82, large) and modified agility test (MAT) (ES = 1.19, large), with the U20 group being better in both variables. The senior group performed better in the MAT test than the older group (ES = 0.94, large). The relation found between forearm isometric strength, vertical jump, horizontal jump, sprint and CODA ability (r = −0.53; ±0.14, 0/0/100, most likely to r = 0.83; ±0.06, 100/0/0, most likely) indicates that these capacities are related in table tennis players. Nevertheless, the lack of association between the sit and reach test with the other capacities may indicate that flexibility is an independent capacity.

Towards a Conceptual Framework of Comprehensive Video Game Player Profiles: Player Models, Mental Models, and Behavior Models

Current approaches to player profiling are limited in that they typically employ only a single one of numerous of available techniques shown to have utility for categorizing and explaining player behavior. We propose a more comprehensive Video Game Player Profile Framework that considers the demographic, psychographic, mental model, and behavioral modeling approaches shown to be effective for describing gamer populations. We suggest that our proposed approach can improve the efficacy of video game player profiles by grounding data-driven techniques in game analytics with the theoretical backing of demographic, psychometric, and psychographic measurements. We provide an overview of our proposed framework, discuss the usage and relevance of each component technique, and provide a proof-of-concept demonstration with archived data.

Performance Outcomes After Surgical Repair of Achilles Tendon Rupture in the Women's National Basketball Association.

Background:Achilles tendon ruptures are devastating in elite athletes. There are currently no studies examining the effects of Achilles tendon rupture on performance outcomes in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).Hypothesis:Athletes in the WNBA who sustained an Achilles tendon rupture and underwent subsequent surgical repair will sustain declines in performance metrics when compared with their preinjury statistics and matched controls.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Seventeen WNBA players who sustained an Achilles tendon rupture from 2000 to 2019 were identified through publicly available injury reports and player profiles. Athlete information collected included age, body mass index, position, and service in the WNBA when the tear occurred. Statistics were collected for 1 season before and 2 seasons after the injury, and the player efficiency rating (PER) was calculated. Players were matched to uninjured controls by service in the WNBA, position, and performance statistics.Results:On average, players were 28 years of age at the time of Achilles tendon rupture, with a service time in the WNBA of 6.5 years. Four players never returned to play in the WNBA, while 7 players failed to play more than 1 season. Players who did return played significantly fewer minutes per game compared with preinjury in both postinjury seasons 1 and 2 (mean difference, –6.11 and –6.54 min/game, respectively; P < .01 for both) and had a significantly decreased PER in postinjury season 2 (mean difference, –2.53; P = .024). After returning to play, the injured players experienced significant decreases when compared with controls in field goals (–0.85 vs +0.20; P = .047), free throws (–1.04 vs +0.12; P < .01), steals (–0.48 vs +0.24; P = .018), and points scored (–2.89 vs +0.58; P = .014).Conclusion:WNBA players experienced significant decreases in performance metrics after Achilles tendon rupture compared with their preinjury levels and compared with uninjured controls. Overall, 23.5% of players failed to return to the WNBA, while 41.2% failed to play for more than 1 season.

Association Between Endocrine Markers, Accumulated Workload, and Fitness Parameters During a Season in Elite Young Soccer Players.

The purpose of this study was to analyze differences between endocrine markers in soccer players, based on playing positions, and correlations between endocrine markers (testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1), with accumulated workload training and fitness parameters [maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), countermovement jump (CMJ), and isometric maximal strength (1-RM) of the knee for hamstring (ISH) and quadriceps (ISQ) muscles] during early-, mid-, and end-seasons. Twenty-four elite soccer players under 17 participated in this study. The results showed that there was no difference between levels of the endocrine markers among the different positions of the players. Significant correlations were observed between endocrines parameters and fitness performance (ISQ, ISH, VO2max, and CMJ). Regression analysis showed that 1-RM and VO2max were the best predictors of endocrine markers. These findings demonstrated that the activity profiles of youth soccer players were not influenced by endocrine markers. Also, it may be assumed that endocrines levels can be used to better explain the physical capacities of this population. Finally, endocrines markers may help to predict changes in 1-RM and VO2max.