Author(s): KOCA, C., KIN-ISLER, A., KOSE, M.G., Institution: HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY, Country: TURKEY, Abstract-ID: 1747

INTRODUCTION:
Soccer is an intermittent, high-intensity sport that demands high levels of aerobic and anaerobic energy production. In addition to the aerobic capacity, a soccer players anaerobic power and capacity must also be developed in order to perform activities such as sprinting, jumping and change of direction. Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) is a valid, easily implemented and low cost field test for evaluating anaerobic performance in young soccer players1. Biological maturation is also one of the most important factors affecting both performance and player selection in young soccer players2. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine the effects of maturation on RAST performance in young male soccer players.
METHODS:
50 volunteer young male soccer players participated in the study. Biological maturation of the participants was calculated according to Mirwalds formula3 and participants were categorized into three groups according to their peak height velocity (PHV) as: below - 0.5 (PHVpre; n=23), between -0.5 and + 0.5 (PHVcirca; n=12) and above + 0.5 (PHVpost; n=15)4. Participants performed the RAST as stated in the literature1 in random order. Sprint times were recorded with telemetric chronometers (Fusion Sport, Australia), heart rate (HR) of participants were recorded continuously with telemetric monitors (Polar M400, Finland) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were obtained with Borgs’ scale5. Peak power (PP), average power (AP), minimum power (MP) and fatigue index (FI) were calculated from the sprint times by using the related formulas1. Normality of the data was tested by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Changes in RAST performance according to maturation was determined by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to detect differences between groups. Significance was set at p<0.05.
RESULTS:
In PP (F (2:49):60.458; p=0.000; η2:0.747), AP (F (2:49):90.160; p=0.000: η2: 0.810) and MP values (F(2:49):66.181; p=0.000; η2: 0.750) significant differences were found between different maturation groups. Bonferroni post hoc results indicated that PHVpost had significantly higher power values (PP, AP and MP) than other maturation groups. In addition, PHVcirca had significantly higher power outputs (PP, AP and MP) than PHVpre. In FI on the other hand, no significant differences were found among the groups (F(2:49):0.341; p=0.713; η2: 0.034). In addition HRpeak (F(2:48): 0.175; p=0.840; η2: 0.007), HRmean (F(2:48):0.264; p=0.769; η2:0.025) and RPE (F(2:49): 0.204; p = 0.816; η2: 0.013) did not differ significantly between the groups.
CONCLUSION:
The results of this study showed that anaerobic power improved as the level of biological maturation increased, however, the effect of biological maturation on FI and physiological responses was similar in young male soccer players.

1. T. Hazir et al. (2018) 2. Malina (2004) 3. Mirwald (2002) 4. Bradley et al. (2019) 5. Borg at el. (1987)

Topic: Training and Testing
Presentation Form: Oral