Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe characteristics of outdoor soccer injury and recovery among Dutch soccer players.
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Talent development programmes for professional soccer clubs aim to guide players towards professional level performance. We identify whether the intermittent endurance capacity of these players may have changed over time. Since the 2000/2001 competition season, the intermittent endurance capacity of players in the talent development programmes of two professional soccer clubs was measured annually. A total of 492 players participated, divided across seven age categories (under 13 (U13), U14, U15, U16, U17, U18, U19) and resulting in 953 measurements. Analyses of variance showed an improvement in intermittent endurance capacity from the 2000/2001 season to 2009/2010 of around 50% in all age groups (P < 0.05). A possible explanation is the increased quantity and quality of training over the years. When identifying, developing and selecting young players, scouts, trainers and coaches have to be aware that the current level of soccer and its underlying performance characteristics--such as intermittent endurance capacity--are improving over time. This factor may have consequences for current young players aiming to make it to the top 10 years from now.
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This scoping review aimed to systematically explore the breadth and extent of the literature regarding the relationship between contextual factors (CFs) and training load (TL) in adolescent soccer players. Further aims included comprehending potential underlying mechanisms and identifying knowledge gaps. CFs were defined as factors not part of the main training process, such as the coach–athlete relationship and educational responsibilities. PubMed, EBSCO APA PsycINFO, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I, and SportRxiv were searched. Studies involving adolescent soccer players that investigated the CF–TL relationship and measured TL indicators were deemed eligible. Seventeen studies were included, reflecting the limited number of articles published regarding the CF–TL relationship. CFs were mostly related to match-play (N = 13) and phase of the season (N = 7). Moreover, these factors appeared to affect TL. CF related to players’ personal environment (N = 3) were underrepresented in the reviewed studies. Overall, the CF–TL relationship appears to be rarely scrutinized. A likely cause for this lack of research is the segregation of the physiological and psychological research domains, where the CF–TL relationship is often speculated upon but not measured. Therefore, a holistic approach is warranted which also investigates the effect of personal environment, such as stressful life stress events, on TL.
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