INVESTIGATION OF PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVELS OF SOCCER PLAYERS ACCORDING TO POSITION AND AGE VARIABLES

Ozan Sever, Erdal Zorba

DOI Number
-
First page
295
Last page
307

Abstract


One hundred fifty-two soccer players participated in this study playing in A, A2 and youth teams between the ages of 14-20 (mean age 17.48 ±2.89 yrs). Measured variables of height, weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, flexibility, speed, agility, anaerobic power, anaerobic capacity, aerobic capacity were compared among the groups of playing positions which is defined as goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers and among age groups separated as ≤ 16 and ≥17 ages. The differences among positions analyzed with the One Way ANOVA test and pairwise comparisons between groups using the Bonferroni test. Age groups were compared with the independent samples t-test. Goalkeepers’ weight and height were higher than strikers and body fat percentages were higher than all other positions. In ≥17, goalkeepers 30m sprint time is slower than all other groups. The maximal oxygen uptakes of midfielders were higher than strikers. Flexibility, agility, anaerobic power, anaerobic capacity, recovery values were not significantly different among positions. For all these variables ≥17 had higher and better performance values than ≤16. There are no determinant performance differences among the positions except for goalkeepers. It may be profitable to evaluate goalkeepers independently from other positions. It can be said that motor and physical differences are considered to be more evaluable in more distinct periods starting with age 17 and onwards. It may be an accurate approach for deciding the players’ positions and guiding them accordingly after that age level.

Keywords

Soccer, fitness, playing position, age, aerobic, anaerobic conditions

Full Text:

PDF

References


Arnason, A., Sigurdsson, S. B., Gudmundsson, A., Holme, I., Engebretsen, L., & Bahr, R. (2004). Physical fitness, ınjuries, and team performance in soccer. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 36(2), 278–285.

Arslanoğlu, E., Sever, O., Arslanoğlu, C., Şenel, Ö., & Yaman, M. (2013). The comparison of acceleration and sprint features of soccer players according to their positions. Tojras, 2(3), 39–42.

Aziz, A. R., Mukherjee, S., Chia, M. Y. H., & Teh, K. C. (2008). Validity of the running repeated sprint ability test among playing positions and level of competitiveness in trained soccer players. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 29(10), 833–838.

Bale, P., Mayhew, J. L., Piper, F. C., Ball, T. E., & Willman, M. K. (1992). Biological and performance variables in relation to age in male and female adolescent athletes. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 32(2), 142–148.

Chillón, P., Castro-Piñero, J., Ruiz, J. R., Soto, V. M., Carbonell-Baeza, A., Dafos, J., et al. (2010). Hip flexibility is the main determinant of the back-saver sit-and-reach test in adolescents. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28(6), 641–648.

Cihan, H., Can, İ., & Seyis, M. (2012). Comparison of recovery times and aerobic capacity according to playing positions of elite football players. Journal of Physical Education & Sports Science/Beden Egitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 6(1) 1-8.

Daniels, J., Oldridge, N., Nagle, F., & White, B. (1978). Differences and changes in VO2 among young runners 10 to 18 years of age. Medicine and Science in Sports, 10(3), 200–203.

Davis, J., Brewer, J., & Atkin, D. (1992). Pre-season physiological characteristics of English first and second division soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 10(6), 541–547.

Dellal, A., & Wong, D. P. (2013). Repeated sprint and change-of-direction abilities in soccer players: Effects of age group. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 27(9), 2504–2508.

Di Salvo, V., Baron, R., Tschan, H., Calderon Montero, F. J., Bachl, N., & Pigozzi, F. (2007). Performance characteristics according to playing position in elite soccer. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 28(3), 222–227.

Doğan, M. (1995). Bursa Bölgesi Amatör ve Profesyonel Futbolcuların Oynadıkları Mevkiye Göre Vücut Kompozisyonlarının ve Dikey Sıçrama Parametresinin İncelenmesi (Examination of body composition and vertical jump parameters according to position played by amateur and professional footballers in Bursa Region). Uludag University. In Turkish

Eisenmann, J. C., Laurson, K. R., & Welk, G. J. (2011). Aerobic fitness percentiles for U.S. adolescents. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 41(4 Suppl 2), S106-10.

Güllü, A., & Abdullah. (1996). Malatya 1. Amatör Küme`de şampiyon olan futbol takımlarının fiziksel-fizyolojik performanslarının ölçülerek mevkilerine göre mukayesesi ve değerlendirilmesi. İnönü University (Malatya 1. Physical-physiological performances of Amateur football teams champions measured and compared according to their positions). In Turkish

Huijgen, B. C. H., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Post, W., & Visscher, C. (2010). Development of dribbling in talented youth soccer players aged 12-19 years: a longitudinal study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28(7), 689–698.

Kaplan, T. (2010). Examination of repeated sprinting ability and fatigue index of soccer players according to their positions. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(6), 1495–1501.

Karavelioğlu, M. (2008). Mevkilerine göre amatör futbolcuların fiziksel, fizyolojik ve psikomotor özelliklerinin araştırılması (Investigation of the physical, physiological and psychomotor characteristics of amateur soccer players). Dumlupınar University, Kütahya. In Turkish

le Gall, F., Carling, C., Williams, M., & Reilly, T. (2010). Anthropometric and fitness characteristics of international, professional and amateur male graduate soccer players from an elite youth academy. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13(1), 90–95.

Oberg, B., Ekstrand, J., Möller, M., & Gillquist, J. (1984). Muscle strength and flexibility in different positions of soccer players. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 5(04), 213-216.

Ostojić, S. M., Stojanović, M., & Ahmetović, Z. (2010). Vertical jump as a tool in assessment of muscular power and anaerobic performance. Medicinski Pregled, 63(5–6), 371–375.

Özdemir, F. M., Yılmaz, A., & Kinişler, A. (2014). Genç futbolcularda tekrarlı sprint performansının yaşa göre incelenmesi (Age related differences in repeated sprint performance in young football players). Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 25(1), 01–10. In Turkish

Ramsbottom, R., Brewer, J., & Williams, C. (1988). A progressive shuttle run test to estimate maximal oxygen uptake. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 22(4), 141–144.

Reilly, T. (1979). What research tells the coach about soccer. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Washington, D.C., USA.

Reilly, T., Bangsbo, J., & Franks, A. (2000). Anthropometric and physiological predispositions for elite soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18(9), 669–683.

Reilly, T., & Williams, A. M. (2003). Science and soccer, Second edition. London & New York: Routledge

Reilly, T., Williams, A. M., Nevill, A., & Franks, A. (2000). A multidisciplinary approach to talent identification in soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18(9), 695–702.

Revan S. (2003). Konya ili birinci amatör ligde mücadele eden futbolcuların oynadıkları mevkilerine göre bazı antropometrik ve fizyolojik parametrelerinin karşılaştırılması (Comparison of some anthropometric and physiological parameters according to the positions played by soccer players in the first amateur league in Konya). Konya Selçuk University. In Turkish

Rogan, S., Hilfiker, R., Clarys, P., Clijsen, R., & Taeymans, J. (2011). Position-specific and team-ranking related morphological characteristics in German Amateur soccer players - a descriptive study. International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences, 23(1), 168–182.

Rösch, D., Hodgson, R., Peterson, T. L., Graf-Baumann, T., Junge, A., Chomiak, J., & Dvorak, J. (2000). Assessment and evaluation of football performance. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 28(5 Suppl), S29-39.

Sheppard, J. M., & Young, W. B. (2006). Agility literature review: Classifications, training and testing. Journal of Sports Sciences, 24(9), 919–932.

Soltani, H., Attarzadeh Hosseini, S. R., Farahnia, M., & Hojati, Z. (2012). The comparison of aerobic fitness and anaerobic power of ıranian soccer players in different playing positions during competitions season. Annals of Biological Research, 3 (4027-5023).

Sporis, G., Jukic, I., Ostojic, S. M., & Milanovic, D. (2009). Fitness profiling in soccer: physical and physiologic characteristics of elite players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(7), 1947–1953.

Strudwick, A., Reilly, T., & Doran, D. (2002). Anthropometric and fitness profiles of elite players in two football codes. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 42(2), 239–242.

Taka, Ö. (2012). Comparing the fitness levels of the football players according to their playing positions. Hacettepe University.

Taoutaou Z, Bounekar H, Arafa M, & Baz A, M. D. (2007). Effects of playing position and increasing test load on anaerobic performances in algerian soccer players. Biometrie Humaine et Anthropologie, 25(3), 183–189.

Tomlin, D. L., & Wenger, H. A. (2001). The relationship between aerobic fitness and recovery from high intensity intermittent exercise. Sports Medicine, 31(1), 1-11.

Urartu, Ü. (1994). Futbol teknik taktik kondisyon (Football technic, tactic, conditioning,). Inkılap Yayınevi. İstanbul. In Turkish

Weineck, J. (2007). Optimales training. Leistungsphysiologische trainingslehre unter besonderer berücksichtigung des kindes und jugendtrainings. (Optimal training. Performance physiology oriented exercise testing and prescription with particular consideration of training for children and adolescents). Spitta, Balingen. In German

Wong, P. L., Chamari, K., Dellal, A., & Wisløff, U. (2009). Relationship between anthropometric and physiological characteristics in youth soccer players. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(4), 1204-1210.

Zorba, E. (2004). Yaşamboyu spor (Lifestyle sports). Maramar İletişim Basın Yayın Dağıtım. In Turkish


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN   1451-740X (Print)

ISSN   2406-0496 (Online)