Number of Players and Relative Pitch Area per Player: Comparing Their Influence on Heart Rate and Physical Demands in Under-12 and Under-13 Football Players

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to analyse the influence of different large-sided games (LSGs) on the physical and physiological variables in under-12s (U12) and -13s (U13) soccer players. The effects of the combination of different number of players per team, 7, 9, and 11 (P7, P9, and P11, respectively) with three relative pitch areas, 100, 200, and 300 m2 (A100, A200, and A300, respectively), were analysed in this study. The variables analysed were: 1) global indicator such as total distance (TD); work:rest ratio (W:R); player-load (PL) and maximal speed (Vmax); 2) heart rate (HR) mean and time spent in different intensity zones of HR (<75%, 75–84%, 84–90% and >90%), and; 3) five absolute (<8, 8–13, 13–16 and >16 Km h-1) and three relative speed categories (<40%, 40–60% and >60% Vmax). The results support the theory that a change in format (player number and pitch dimensions) affects no similarly in the two players categories. Although it can seem that U13 players are more demanded in this kind of LSG, when the work load is assessed from a relative point of view, great pitch dimensions and/or high number of player per team are involved in the training task to the U12 players. The results of this study could alert to the coaches to avoid some types of LSGs for the U12 players such as: P11 played in A100, A200 or A300, P9 played in A200 or A300 and P7 played in A300 due to that U13>U12 in several physical and physiological variables (W:R, time spent in 84–90%HRmax, distance in 8–13 and 13–16 Km h-1 and time spent in 40–60%Vmax). These results may help youth soccer coaches to plan the progressive introduction of LSGs so that task demands are adapted to the physiological and physical development of participants.

Activity limitation and match load in para‐footballers with cerebral palsy: An approach for evidence‐based classification

“…Participants wore a fitted body vest, and the device was inserted into a purpose‐built harness prior to the warm‐up for their respective matches. The Vel max , distance covered at high intensities (high‐intensity running: 13.0‐18.0 km·h −1 [HIR] and sprinting: >18.0 km·h −1 [SPR]), number of moderate (1.00‐2.78 m·s −2 ) or high (>2.78 m·s −2 ) accelerations/decelerations, PL, and PMP were calculated from GPS‐derived data. Considering that the CPFP did not play the same amount of time during matches (mean playing time = 47.77 ± 21.02 min), all variables were relativized according to the real playing time of each player …”

Mental Fatigue and Spatial References Impair Soccer Players' Physical and Tactical Performances

“…Twelve highly trained amateur youth soccer players (age = 15.9 ± 0.8 y; height = 172.8 ± 5.2 cm; body mass = 59.5 ± 5.2 kg; maximum heart rate = 185.8 ± 10.9 bpm; peak running speed = 23.3 ± 2.8 km.h −1 ; years of experience = 8.9 ± 2.4 year) participated in this study. All players were members of the same team, performed 3 training sessions (90 to 105 min/session,) and played an official eleven-a-side game during the weekend at a regional playing standard in a regular football field (104 × 64 m) (Castellano et al, 2016 ). Players had trained in the club for 5.0 ± 2.6 years and have 42 weeks of training a year (Fenner et al, 2016 ).…”

Effects of pitch spatial references on players’ positioning and physical performances during football small-sided games

“…Each team played two Gk+ 6v6+ Gk on an 62x43m artificial turf pitch (length x width;~200m 2 relative playing space per player). This pitch size have been used in SSG involving at least 7 players per team (Castellano, Puente, Echeazarra, Usabiaga, & Casamichana, 2016), and using 7-a-side goals. Each team took part in the two conditions, CONTROL and LINES.…”