Interindividual differences in physical function and their impact on regular player selection among junior high school soccer athletes.
Chiaki Matsumoto, Masahiro Ishizaka, Tatsuya Igawa and 2 others
PMID 39092419WHAT IT FOUND
Junior soccer players chosen as regulars had higher jump height and bike power than non-regulars, even after age, height, and weight.
Agility and sprint times did not differ. This is about selection, not treatment.
Key findings
01After adjusting for age, height, and weight, regular players had higher countermovement jump and anaerobic mean power than non-regular players.
02Regular players were older and taller than non-regular players, but weight did not differ.
03Agility and sprint times did not differ significantly between regular and non-regular players.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The analysis included only 53 players from club teams in Tochigi Prefecture, so it may not apply to other teams, regions, ages, or competition levels. The study used calendar age, not biological maturity, during ages 12 to 15 when growth and puberty vary widely. It was cross-sectional and small, so it cannot show that jump height or power caused selection status. Soccer-specific performance, such as dribbling and ball distance, was not assessed, so physical tests alone may not explain why coaches chose regular players. Only male junior high soccer players were studied.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the higher jump and power as proof that training these tests makes a player regular. The regular players were also older and taller, and the study did not test an intervention.