Effects of a soccer season on anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness in elite young soccer players

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 589 - 596
• Main Authors: Hammami, Mohamed Ali, Ben Abderrahmane, Abderraouf, Nebigh, Ammar, Le Moal, Emmeran, Ben Ounis, Omar, Tabka, Zouhair, Zouhal, Hassane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 01-03-2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - physiology; Adolescent; Anthropometry; Athletes; Body Composition - physiology; Body Height - physiology; Body Weight - physiology; Case-Control Studies; development; elite youth academy; Growth and development; Human performance; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; Measuring instruments; performance indicators; Physical Education and Training; Physical fitness; Physical Fitness - physiology; regular training soccer; Soccer; Soccer - physiology; Sports training
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2012.746721

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a soccer-training season on the anthropometric and performance characteristics of elite youth soccer players.
Two groups (age: 14.4 years) participated in this study: 1) 24 soccer players training 8 to 10 hours per week and 2) 26 non-athletic boys used as controls. Anthropometric measurements, aerobic (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery test level 1) and anaerobic (counter-movement-jump (CMJ), squat-jump (SqJ), five-jump-test (5JT), and speed (T5m, 10 m, 30 m)) performances were assessed twice during 8 months (T0: October; T1: May) of the competitive season.
Data showed significant differences in height and weight at T0 between the two groups (P < 0.05), while no difference in the percentage of body fat (%BF) was observed. However, the soccer players were significantly taller and had lower %BF than age-matched controls at T1.
Compared to the controls, the soccer players attained better results in the physical fitness test (P < 0.05) at T0 and T1 except in (T5m) sprinting speed. Hence, significant improvements (P < 0.05) in physical parameters were observed between T0 and T1 only in soccer players.
The results demonstrate that soccer-training season was able to provide maturation free improvement in anthropometric and performance characteristics in young soccer players during the training season.