Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.

<h4>Objective</h4>Quantify between-match, -player and -team variability and compare whole- and peak-match locomotor characteristics between positions in elite female academy soccer.<h4>Method</h4>Foot-mounted inertial measurement unit data were collected from 11 Women's...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Naomi Myhill, Dan Weaving, Nick Dalton Barron, Andy Hudson, Steve Barrett, Stacey Emmonds
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318642
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850186962654199808
author Naomi Myhill
Dan Weaving
Nick Dalton Barron
Andy Hudson
Steve Barrett
Stacey Emmonds
author_facet Naomi Myhill
Dan Weaving
Nick Dalton Barron
Andy Hudson
Steve Barrett
Stacey Emmonds
author_sort Naomi Myhill
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Objective</h4>Quantify between-match, -player and -team variability and compare whole- and peak-match locomotor characteristics between positions in elite female academy soccer.<h4>Method</h4>Foot-mounted inertial measurement unit data were collected from 11 Women's Super League Academy teams (n = 257 players; 171 matches). Differences between positions and variability were analysed using partial least squares correlation analysis (PLSCA) and linear mixed effects. Two latent variables were computed as composite scores of either whole match or peak intensity variables from the PLSCA.<h4>Results</h4>Between-match variability of whole- and peak-match locomotor characteristics were similar (2 to 24% vs 0.2 to 22%). Between-team and -player variability was higher for whole- than peak-match locomotor characteristics (1 to 20% vs 0.1 to 3%, 8 to 112% vs 0.3 to 77%). From 30 pairwise comparisons, there were two large effect size (ES) differences (p < 0.001), WM had greater whole and peak match composite intensity than CDM. There were 10 moderate ES differences (p < 0.05), with WM greater than CD and CAM, F greater than CD and CDM and WD greater than CDM. All other comparisons were non-significant, trivial or small.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Whole- and peak- match locomotor characteristics are similar across all outfield positions in elite female academy soccer. Between-match variability was greater for sprint distance than all other locomotor characteristics. Low variability between teams for peak locomotor characteristics means practitioners can be confident using peak reference values from this study and use them to evaluate training drill intensities of tactical-technical drills.
format Article
id doaj-art-6325e9002c9a41d8a8024e6853ca6182
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-6325e9002c9a41d8a8024e6853ca61822025-08-20T02:16:13ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01202e031864210.1371/journal.pone.0318642Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.Naomi MyhillDan WeavingNick Dalton BarronAndy HudsonSteve BarrettStacey Emmonds<h4>Objective</h4>Quantify between-match, -player and -team variability and compare whole- and peak-match locomotor characteristics between positions in elite female academy soccer.<h4>Method</h4>Foot-mounted inertial measurement unit data were collected from 11 Women's Super League Academy teams (n = 257 players; 171 matches). Differences between positions and variability were analysed using partial least squares correlation analysis (PLSCA) and linear mixed effects. Two latent variables were computed as composite scores of either whole match or peak intensity variables from the PLSCA.<h4>Results</h4>Between-match variability of whole- and peak-match locomotor characteristics were similar (2 to 24% vs 0.2 to 22%). Between-team and -player variability was higher for whole- than peak-match locomotor characteristics (1 to 20% vs 0.1 to 3%, 8 to 112% vs 0.3 to 77%). From 30 pairwise comparisons, there were two large effect size (ES) differences (p < 0.001), WM had greater whole and peak match composite intensity than CDM. There were 10 moderate ES differences (p < 0.05), with WM greater than CD and CAM, F greater than CD and CDM and WD greater than CDM. All other comparisons were non-significant, trivial or small.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Whole- and peak- match locomotor characteristics are similar across all outfield positions in elite female academy soccer. Between-match variability was greater for sprint distance than all other locomotor characteristics. Low variability between teams for peak locomotor characteristics means practitioners can be confident using peak reference values from this study and use them to evaluate training drill intensities of tactical-technical drills.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318642
spellingShingle Naomi Myhill
Dan Weaving
Nick Dalton Barron
Andy Hudson
Steve Barrett
Stacey Emmonds
Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.
PLoS ONE
title Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.
title_full Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.
title_fullStr Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.
title_short Variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players: A multi-club analysis.
title_sort variability of whole and peak match physical performance in highly trained female academy soccer players a multi club analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318642
work_keys_str_mv AT naomimyhill variabilityofwholeandpeakmatchphysicalperformanceinhighlytrainedfemaleacademysoccerplayersamulticlubanalysis
AT danweaving variabilityofwholeandpeakmatchphysicalperformanceinhighlytrainedfemaleacademysoccerplayersamulticlubanalysis
AT nickdaltonbarron variabilityofwholeandpeakmatchphysicalperformanceinhighlytrainedfemaleacademysoccerplayersamulticlubanalysis
AT andyhudson variabilityofwholeandpeakmatchphysicalperformanceinhighlytrainedfemaleacademysoccerplayersamulticlubanalysis
AT stevebarrett variabilityofwholeandpeakmatchphysicalperformanceinhighlytrainedfemaleacademysoccerplayersamulticlubanalysis
AT staceyemmonds variabilityofwholeandpeakmatchphysicalperformanceinhighlytrainedfemaleacademysoccerplayersamulticlubanalysis