Longitudinal monitoring of workloads in women's division I (DI) collegiate basketball across four training periods

Abstract

Women's collegiate basketball is a fast-growing, dynamic sport that spans 8 or more months, with athletes competing in 30 + games in a season. The aim of this study was to quantify and profile the external load of practices and games during a Power-5 DI Women's Collegiate Basketball season. Specifically, Average PlayerLoad (PL), PlayerLoad per minute (PL*min−1), High Inertial Movement Analysis (High-IMA), and Jumps were quantified using Catapult Openfield software during four distinct training periods of the year: 8-hour preseason, 20-hour preseason, non-conference, and conference game play. Weekly variations and acute to chronic workload ratios (ACWR) were also examined. Eleven subjects participated in daily external load monitoring during practice and games via Catapult's ClearSky T6 inertial measurement units (IMU). Averages, standard deviations, and confidence intervals were calculated for training period comparisons, and Cohen's d was calculated as a measure of effect size. Findings include normative values to provide context for the demands experienced across an entire season. PL was significantly higher during non-conference play than during any of the other three training periods (p < 0.05). Descriptive data enumerate percent change and ACRW variations throughout the season. These data can be used to describe the physical demands across a season and provide physical profile guidelines for coaches.

Investigating the stretch-shortening cycle fatigue response to a high-intensity stressful phase of training in collegiate men's basketball

“…Further metric names and definitions may be found in Table 1 . Thresholds/zones for acceleration-based load metrics were adapted from earlier research, and in some cases slightly modified, in line with recommendations by the team's strength and conditioning staff ( 33 , 34 , 35 ).…”

Wearable Devices and Digital Biomarkers for Optimizing Training Tolerances and Athlete Performance: A Case Study of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Soccer Team over a One-Year Period

“…Athletic programs at both the professional and amateur levels have shifted toward using wearable sensors as a primary means of collecting objective, continuous data to quantify training load with the intention of assessing health performance and reducing injury burden [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The use of wearable sensors is commonly seen at the professional and DI level with the use of wearable GPS sensors to quantify training loads and monitor injuries throughout several seasons [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”