Agility Testing in Youth Football (Soccer)Players; Evaluating Reliability, Validity, and Correlates of Newly Developed Testing Protocols

Bibliographic Data

ID15515587
AuthorsAnte Krolo (University of Split), Barbara Gilić (0000-0002-8868-7315, University of Zagreb), Nikola Foretić (0000-0002-9160-0217, University of Split), Haris Pojskić (0000-0002-9554-1234, Linnaeus University, corresponding author), Raouf Hammami (0000-0001-6240-7162, University of Sfax), Miodrag Spasić (0000-0001-6317-8904, University of Split), Ognjen Uljević (0000-0003-0929-1935, University of Split), Šime Veršić (0000-0001-7203-0776, University of Split), Damir Sekulić (0000-0001-8022-7886, University of Split)
Year2020
Volume17
Issue1
Pages294-294
Publication date2020-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph17010294
PMID31906269
OpenAlexW2998681528
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited42

Reactive agility (RAG) and change of direction speed (CODS) are important determinants of success in football (soccer), but there is an evident lack of information on reliable and valid football-specific testing procedures which will be applicable in defining sport-specific RAG and CODS in youth players. This study evaluated reliability and construct validity of newly developed tests of football-specific RAG (FS_RAG) and CODS (FS_CODS), which involved the ball kicking football technique. Additionally, factors associated with FS_RAG and FS_CODS were evaluated. The participants were youth football players (n = 59; age: 13.40 ± 1.25 years) divided according to their age into U13 (11-12 years of age; n = 29), and U15 (13-14 years of age; n = 30) categories. Additionally, performance levels (starters [first-team] vs. non-starters [substitutes]) were observed in each age category. The dependent variables were newly developed FS_RAG and FS_CODS tests. The independent variables were sprinting capacities over 10 and 20 meters (S10M, S20M), countermovement jump (CMJ), the reactive strength index (RSI), and a generic CODS test of 20 yards (20Y). The newly developed FS_CODS and FS_RAG were observed as dependent variables. Results showed appropriate intra-testing and inter-testing reliability of the FS_RAG and FS_CODS, with somewhat better reliability of the FS_CODS (ICC=0.82 and 0.79, respectively). Additionally, better reliability was evidenced in U15 than in U13 (ICC: 0.82-0.85, and 0.78-0.80 for U15 and U13, respectively). Independent samples t-test indicated significant differences between U13 and U15 in S10 ( t -test: 3.57, p t -test: 3.13, p t -test: 4.89, p t -test: 3.96, p t -test: 6.42, p t -test: 1.56, p p > 0.05), but independent variables explained significant proportion of both dependent variables in U15 (FS_CODS: 35%, FS_RAG: 33% explained variance, both p < 0.05). The study confirmed the applicability of newly developed tests in distinguishing studied age categories of players. Results indicate that superiority in all studied fitness capacities is translated into performance level in U13. Meanwhile, FS_RAG seems to be important determinant of quality in U15

Football · Football players · Geography · Physical therapy · Reliability (semiconductor · Statistics · Genetics and Physical Performance · Mathematics · Medicine · Psychology · Sports injuries and prevention · Sports Performance and Training

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