The objective of this study was to investigate the relative contributions of body size, skeletal age, and motor performance variables with technical actions through an ecological model during small-sided soccer games, and the interaction of biological maturation with technical and motor performance in young players. In this cross-sectional study, eighty-two young players (14.4 ± 1.1 years), belonging to state-level soccer teams and divided by category (U-13 and U-15), were included. Players having an injury in the evaluation period were not included in the study. Measurements of body size, skeletal age (SA), motor tests, and technical actions in small-sided games (SSG) were performed (3 × 3 plus goalkeeper) in two periods (halves) of four minutes. Differences between age groups were found for SA (ES = -2.36), chronological age (ES = -3.89), body mass (ES = -2.09), height (ES = -1.90), and fat-free mass (ES = -2.09). Positive associations were found between body size (R = 0.43 to R = 0.48) and manipulation (R = 0.50 to R = 0.52) indicators and numbers of technical actions (CB and SS), except for stature with LB (R = -0.42) in the U-13 age group. In the U-15 category, skeletal age (R = -0.29 to R = -0.30) and body mass (R = -0.28 to R = -0.29) were negatively associated with the number of technical actions (RB, NB, LB, and OB) (P > 0.05) and positively with the balance with LB (R = 0.26). In conclusion, body size, SA, and motor performance influenced technical actions in SSG differentially in each category. U-13 heavier players and those with a better motor performance presented higher involvement due to the higher
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative age effect (RAE) in Brazilian male handball teams who competed in the world championships in the U-19, U-21, and adult categories. The sample was composed by 160 male handball players, 47 players being on U-19 category, 48 on U-21, and 65 on Adult category. The chronological age, body mass, height, and game position of each athlete were obtained on the International Federation of Handball website. The adopted significance level was of 5%. RAE was observed in all the three following categories U-19 (X2=21.511, P<0.01), U-21 (X2=15.894, P=0.01) and Adults (X2=35.123, P<0.01). Moreover, no RAE was found in re-selection process by sequential category (P= 0.63, U-19 to U-21; P= 0.46, U-21 to Adult). The RAE is found in Brazilian male handball national teams. However, this effect was not found in re-selection process, thus, players have great influence of RAE in U-19 and this remains through subsequent categories.
This study verified the effects of body size and game position on interactions performed by young soccer players in small-sided games (SSG). The sample consisted of 81 Brazilian soccer players (14.4 ± 1.1 years of age). Height, body mass, and trunk-cephalic height were measured. SSG was applied in the GK + 3v3 + GK format, and Social Network Analyses were carried out through filming the games to obtain the following prominence indicators: degree centrality, closeness centrality, degree prestige, and proximity prestige, in addition to network intensity and number of goals scored. Factorial ANCOVA (bone age as covariate) was used to test the effects of game position, body size, and respective interaction on centrality measurements (p < 0.05). Similarity between game positions in body size indicators (p > 0.05) was observed. The game position affected degree centrality (p = 0.01, η2 = 0.16), closeness centrality (p = 0.01, η2 = 0.11), and network intensity (p = 0.02, η2 = 0.09), in which midfielders presented the highest network prominence values when compared to defenders and forwards. In conclusion, midfielders are players with high interaction patterns in the main offensive plays, which behavior is independent of body size.
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