A Comparison of Fitness Performance among Youth Soccer Players Using a Global Positioning System

This study aims to investigate the movement distance and running speed of youth soccer players and to examine whether there is any difference in fitness performance among them. The participants in this survey were 2012 All Japan High School Soccer Tournament Selection Team Players (Team S : N = 10, age = 17.9+/-0.1years, level = high-performance level), F Kita High School Football Club Players (Team F : N = 10, age = 16.8+/-0.4years, level = middle-performance level), and T University Football Club Players (Team T : N = 10, age = 20.1+/-1.1years, level = low-performance level). Running performance of the players was measured to investigate the distance and running speed each team covered during the first 30 minutes of a game using 15 Hz GPS (SPI Pro X, GPSport, Australia). Team S players covered a greater movement distance than the players of the other teams (S vs. F vs. T : 3707+/-196 m vs. 3398+/-206 m vs. 3420+/-250 m, p < 0.05). The defenders of Team S performed a longer distance than the counterparts of Team T (3598+/-175 m vs. 3235+/-127 m, p<0.05). Team T players performed a greater distance in standing & walking than Team S players (Team T vs. Team S = 1196+/-29.5 m vs. 1085+/-29.5 m, p < 0.05). The distance covered by Team T defenders in standing & walking was longer than Team S counterparts (1253 +/-104 m vs. 1072+/-37 m, p < 0.05). Team S players performed a longer distance (p< 0.05) in running, high-speed running, high-intensity running, and very high-intensity running, respectively, than Team T players (670+/-111 m vs. 441+/-166 m, 194+/ -32 m vs. 132+/-49 m, 892+/-142 m vs. 606+/-145 m and 222+/-51 m vs. 140+/ -55 m, respectively). Team S players showed a greater frequency in high-intensity running and very high-intensity running than Team T players (53+/-6.3 times vs. 40 +/-29.5 times and 12.8+/-2.3 times vs. 8.8+/-3.4 times, respectively p < 0.05). As for maximum speeds of players, no significant differences were found among the three teams (S vs. F vs. T : 27.8+/-1.6 km/h vs. 27.2+/-3.8 km/h vs. 26.8+/-2.2 km/h). Toho Liberal Arts Review No. 45(2013) 東邦大学教養紀要 第 45 号(2013) 1 Toho University Faculty of Science 2 Toho University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science 3 Japan Woman’s University 4 International BUDO University 5 Funabashi Kita High School 40 Hideyuki YUDA, et al These results reveal that : (1) The youth soccer players of high-performance level team covered a greater movement distance than those of the mid and low-performance level team: (2) The defenders of the high-performance level team covered a longer distance than the counterparts of the low-performance level team: (3) The youth soccer players of the high-performance level team performed a longer distance in running, high-speed running, high-intensity running and very high-intensity running than those of the lowperformance level team: (4) The youth soccer players of the high-performance level team showed a greater frequency of high-intensity running and very high-intensity running than those of the low-performance level team. These findings will be helpful not only in the preparation of training programs for youth soccer players in accordance to their developmental stage but also in the identification of their talent.