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Purpose: This study aimed to verify whether there are differences in physical, technical, and tactical assessment outcomes derived from field-based tests and small-sided games (SSG) in addition to anthropometric and maturational characteristics between players classified as promising and less promising as per the coaches' perception. Method: A total of 53 male U-15 youth soccer players (age: 14.8 ± 0.2 years, weight: 61.7 ± 6.9 kg, height: 171.8 ± 6.7 cm) and three experienced coaches from three distinct sports clubs were enrolled in this study. Based on the coaches' perception, players were split into three group levels for both short- and long-term success ranking: (i) promising (PL; top 5 players; n = 15), (ii) intermediate (IL; n = 23) and (iii) less promising (LPL; 5 bottom players; n = 15). The following measures were determined: anthropometry, maturity offset, vertical jump, and aerobic-anaerobic running performance, soccer-specific skills tests, GPS-based running metrics, technical and tactical actions during SSG, and minutes played throughout the season. Results: There were no differences between groups for anthropometrical, maturational, and physical outcomes. PL players in both rankings covered more distances at sprinting and presented more offensive technical and tactical actions during SSG than their LPL peers. PL and IL presented more minutes played in competitive seasons than LPL of short-term ranking. Conclusion: The biggest differences between the players ranked by their coaches were apparent only during a representative game task, emphasizing the importance of SSG as a tool to assess the players' technical-tactical awareness. In addition to the SSG, the coach's eye plays a key role during the talent identification and selection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to examine the aerobic fitness and the physiological demands during competitive games in elite handball referees. Sixteen referees (age: 34.9 [+ or -] 3.4 years, body mass: 77.4 [+ or -] 10.6 kg, height: 173.5 [+ or -] 7.5 cm, percent fat: 22.3 [+ or -] 6.6%) of national and international levels (14 men and 2 women) were submitted to a multistage fitness test, to determine peak velocity (PV) and maximal heart rate (HR). After 48 hours, referees performed a submaximal intermittent shuttle-running test (3 minutes at 75 and 90% PV with 1-minute recovery), to determine speeds and HR at selected blood-lactate concentrations (2.0 and 4.0 mmoI x [L.sup.-1]). Game intensities were arbitrarily established as follows: < [HR.sub.2mmol] (moderate), between HR2mmoi and HR4mmol (heavy) and >[HR.sub.4mmol] (severe). Eight referees (2 per game) were monitored in 4 national level games. The mean [[??]o.sub.2max] of the referees was 48.5 [+ or -] 6.1 ml x [kg.sup.-1] x [min.sup.-1]. Maximal HR, [HR.sub.2mmol], and [HR.sub.4mmol] were 193 [+ or -] 10, 154 [+ or -] 13, and 167 [+ or -] 10 b x [min.sup.-1], respectively. The percent time spent in the moderate intensity domain was predominant (moderate 96.4%, heavy 2.3%, and severe 1.3% of total time, p < 0.05). These findings indicate that handball refereeing is of moderate intensity. In light of this study, results aerobic fitness does not seem to be a limiting factor in handball refereeing. KEY WORDS team sports, officials, heart rate, performance, aerobic fitness

The objective of the present study was to determine the validity of Carminatti's shuttle run incremental test–T-Car derived parameters in estimating the maximal lactate steady state determined in shuttle run format. Eighteen soccer players performed a T-Car test, and several trials to determine the maximal lactate steady state. From T-Car were derived the heart rate deflection point, peak speed, maximal heart rate and parameters resulting from percentage of peak measures. The validity was accessed by Bland-Altman plots, linear regressions, and two one-sided tests of equivalence analysis. The results showed the speed at 80.4% of T-Car peak speed, the heart rate deflection point and the 91.4% of maximal heart rate were equivalent to maximal lactate steady state (Mean difference; ±90% compatibility interval; −0.8; ±1.5%, −0.4; ±1.1%, and 0.0; ±2.7%, respectively). Additionally, peak speed during the T-Car test was a stronger predictor of maximal lactate steady state (MLSS [km/h]=2.57+0.65 × sPeak; r=0.82 [90% CI; 0.62–0.92], standard error of the estimate=3.6%; 90% CI ×/÷1.4). Therefore, soccer players can use the T-Car derived parameters as a noninvasive and practical alternative to estimate the specific maximal lactate steady state for soccer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to compare the internal training load (ITL) in soccer players of two competitive age groups (under-15 [U-15] and under-19 [U-19]) during an 8-week preseason training period and compare the associated changes in physical performance measures. Eighteen U-15 and twelve U-19 players were monitored over an 8-week period during the preseason phase. The ITL was monitored using the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) method. Before and after the preseason period, physical performance was assessed by best (RSAbest) and mean (RSAmean) times in a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test and peak velocity derived from the Carminatti test (PVT-CAR). Total weekly ITL increased with age (U-15: 13770 ± 874 AU vs. U-19: 33584 ± 2506 AU; p < 0.001). In addition, U-19 players perceived training sessions as heavier than U-15 players (6.1 ± 0.3 vs. 5.3 ± 0.3 AU, respectively; p < 0.001). After the preseason period, very likely to almost certainly positive changes were observed for all performance measures in both age groups. However, the U-15 group had possibly superior gains in RSAbest (+1.40%, 90%CL -0.29 to 3.05, with ES = 0.35) and likely higher effects in RSAmean (+1.89%, 90%CL 0.04 to 3.70, with ES = 0.53) and PVT-CAR (+2.71%, 90%CL 0.35 to 5.01, with ES = 0.37) compared to the U-19 group. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the U-19 group accumulate higher total weekly ITLs than the U-15 group during the preseason phase due to longer and heavier training sessions. However, the U-15 group obtained superior gains in soccer-specific physical abilities while accumulating half the total ITLs during lighter training sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between different variables of vertical jumps and sprints in professional soccer players. The study consisted of 25 Brazilian elite soccer players (28.1 ± 1 yrs, 78.2 ± 6.8 kg, 1.81 ± 0.12 m, % Fat = 14.2 ± 3.2) who were ran the 10 m (S10m) and 20 m (S20m) sprint tests with change of direction at 40 m (20 + 20 m) (Acyclic Sprint) and the Zig-Zag sprint (ZZT) as well as Squat Jumps (SJ) and Counter Movement Jumps (CMJ). The Pearson's linear correlation and the stepwise linear regression model were used to investigate both the relation and the prediction between variables. All the correlations between the variables were significant (P<0.05). The correlation magnitude between S10m-S20m (r=0.83, P<0.0001), SJ-CMJ (r=0.86, P<0.0001), and ZZT-Acyclic Sprint (r=0.79, P<0.0001) were very large. The S20m variable explained 68% (P=0.002) of the performance in S10m (P=0.001), CMJ explained additional 7%, and ZZT, 4%. The S10m variable explained 68% (P=0.001) and ZZT explained additional 9% (P=0.001) of S20m. The CMJ was the only explanatory variable (74%) for SJ (P=0.001) with additional 5% at S10m. The Acyclic Sprint explained 62% (P=0.001) of ZZT with additional 10% at S10m and S20m (P=0.001). It was concluded that the S10m-S20m, CMJ-SJ, and ZZT-Acyclic Sprint relations in the analyzed sample have dependent attributes between each other. The CMJ and SJ did not help in explaining the ZZT and the Acyclic Sprint; whereas, the S10m and S20m had low explanatory power for sprints with change of direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify the height obtained in the power of lower limb in soccer and futsal players, comparing the counter movement jump (CMJ) among the modalities, game positions and categories. Took part of the study 61 soccer athletes from under-17, under-20 and professional categories and 28 futsal athletes from the under-20 and professional categories. It was used a piezoelectric force platform Quattro jump. It was used descriptive statistics, student "t" test and analysis of variance set at p < .05. No significant difference was reported in the CMJ between the soccer and futsal athletes (p = .85). Among the positions adopted by soccer players it was found significant difference (p = .02) only between those in defensive positions and those in the midfield. In the futsal athletes it was not reported significant difference between positions (p = .69). Compared to other categories no significant differences were found, neither in soccer (p = .12) nor in futsal (p = .47). It can be concluded that the soccer and futsal athletes seems to present similar level of muscle power. Those in defensive positions presented higher levels of power when compared to those in the midfield, but in futsal the athletes presented similar power levels. Independent of the category, both soccer and futsal athletes presented similar level of muscle power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article presents a study which determines the intensity of a power jump (PJ) session by means of heart rate (HR) monitoring. PJ session is considered to be a safe and easy class that also involves intermittent exercises that prolong the time to exhaustion. The HR of the subjects was monitored during a special type of PJ session called mix nine on two different occasions.