Development of the interval endurance capacity in elite and sub-elite youth field hockey players

Abstract

Objectives: To gain more insight into the mechanisms that underlie the development of interval endurance capacity in talented youth field hockey players in the 12-19 age band. Methods: A total of 377 measurements were taken over three years. A longitudinal model for interval endurance capacity was developed using the multilevel modelling program MLwiN. With the model, scores on the interval shuttle run test can be predicted for elite and sub-elite male and female field hockey players aged 12-19 years.Results: A polynomial model of order 2 adequately represents development of the test scores over time. The fixed part of the model contains a different intercept and linear age term for boys and girls, and a common quadratic term; the random part of the model has a common level 2 variance and sex specific level 1 variances. The model was significantly improved by including differential effects of performance level for age and sex. A negative effect was found for percentage body fat, and positive effects for additional training and motivation. Conclusions: During adolescence, both male and female elite hockey players show a more promising development pattern of interval endurance capacity than sub-elite youth players. Percentage body fat, additional training hours, and motivation influence this development. However, differences between the individual players are still considerable.

Changes in Anthropometry and Performance, and Their Interrelationships, Across Three Seasons in Elite Youth Rugby League Players

“…Our findings provide evidence of the time-point that improvements in shuttle running performance can be expected and are similar to data published on elite male field hockey players of the same age group (14). Indeed, among adolescent boys, changes in absolute O 2max continue into later adolescence (4,5).…”

“…However, the initial age (~15 y) of the current participants was marginally greater (~1-2 y) compared to the starting age reported within previous longitudinal or cross-sectional rugby league studies (16,45) or other team-based sports (29,40), thereby increasing the likelihood of advanced biological maturity. Indeed, the height velocity demonstrated between the under-15, -16 and -17 age groups (mean change < 1 cm·year -1 ) was much smaller than expected for players in comparable age ranges in field hockey (14) and soccer (40). This is perhaps related to the later initial measurement of stature which was approximately 3 cm larger than the aforementioned reports, coupled with the likelihood of advanced biological maturity among players in British-based youth rugby league (45).…”

Kinanthropometry of world champion junior male field hockey players

“…This sample of elite youth field hockey players is similar in height and weight to the Spanish B and Junior sides 15 , shorter than Dutch 18-19 year old elite players 19 and lighter than senior samples like the South African players surveyed by Scott 3 and the Argentine Olympic team measured in Montreal 1976 by Carter 16 , as would be expected when comparing this players with older samples.…”

Anthropometric and physical fitness parameters versus specific performance tests in Brazilian field hockey athletes: a pilot study

“…Field hockey is an intermittent endurance sport involving sprints and movements with and without a ball [19]. In addition, hockey is a game that demands great physiological capacity, because the hockey player needs to achieve high levels of muscle power for sprints, as well as a good capacity of the aerobic system [10].…”