Age-related differences in acceleration, maximum running speed, and repeated-sprint performance in young soccer players

TLDR

The study examined how age, anthropometry, and biological maturation affect the relationships among acceleration, maximum running speed, and repeated‑sprint performance in 61 highly trained young male soccer players. Participants performed 10‑m sprints for acceleration, flying 20‑m sprints for maximum speed, and 10×30‑m sprints for repeated‑sprint performance. Strong positive correlations (r = 0.55–0.96) were found across all age groups, with age‑based performance differences vanishing after controlling for body mass, fat‑free mass, and especially age at peak height velocity, indicating these sprint qualities are a general maturation‑related attribute.

Abstract

We investigated age-related differences in the relationships among acceleration, maximum running speed, and repeated-sprint performance in 61 highly trained young male soccer players (Under 14, n = 14; Under 16, n = 22; Under 18, n = 25). We also examined the possible influence of anthropometry (stature, body mass, fat-free mass) and biological maturation (age at peak height velocity) on performance in those three sprint-running qualities. Players were tested for 10-m sprint (acceleration), flying 20-m sprint (maximum running speed), and 10 × 30-m sprint (repeated-sprint performance) times. Correlations between acceleration, maximum running speed, and repeated-sprint performance were positive and large to almost perfect (r = 0.55-0.96), irrespective of age group. There were age-based differences both in absolute performance in the three sprint-running qualities (Under 18 > Under 16 > Under 14; P < 0.001) and when body mass and fat-free mass were statistically controlled (P < 0.05). In contrast, all between-group differences disappeared after adjustment for age at peak height velocity (P > 0.05). The large correlations among acceleration, maximum running speed, and repeated-sprint performance in all age groups, as well as the disappearance of between-group differences when adjusted for estimated biological maturity, suggest that these physical qualities in young highly trained soccer players might be considered as a general quality, which is likely to be related to qualitative adaptations that accompany maturation.