A comparison of GPS workload demands in match play and small-sided games by the positional role in youth soccer

Beenham, M; Barron, DJ; Fry, J; Hurst, HT; Figueiredo, AJ; Atkins, SJ

Abstract

The external demands of small-sided games (SSG’s) according to positional role are currently unknown. Using Catapult Minimax X3 5Hz GPS, with a 100 Hz tri-axial accelerometer, we compared accumulated tri-axial player load per min (PLacc.min-1) during friendly youth MP (11 vs. 11) and SSG’s (2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3, and 4 vs. 4). Significant differences existed between all SSG’s and MP for PLacc.min-1 (F = 21.91, p<0.001, η2 = 0.38), and individual X (F = 27.40, p<0.001, η2 = 0.43), Y (F = 14.50, p<0.001, η2 = 0.29) and Z (F = 19.28, p<0.001, η2 = 0.35) axis loads. Across all conditions, mean PLacc.min-1 was greater for midfielders (p = 0.004, CI: 0.68, 4.56) and forwards (p = 0.037, CI: 0.08, 3.97) than central defenders. In all conditions, greater Y axis values existed for wide defenders (p = 0.024, CI: 0.67, 1.38), midfielders (p = 0.006, CI: 0.18, 1.50) and forwards (p = 0.007, CI: 0.17, 0.15) compared to central defenders. Midfielders reported greater Z axis values compared to central defenders (p = 0.002, CI: 0.40, 2.23). We conclude SSG’s elicit greater external load than MP, and previous studies may have underestimated the demands of SSG’s.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jun 22, 2017
• Publication Date: Jun 22, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jul 12, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 12, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Human Kinetics
• Electronic ISSN: 1899-7562
• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Volume: 57
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 129-137
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0054
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0054
• Related Public URLs: http://www.johk.pl/index.html