Introduction: The game of soccer requires a high level of tactical skill and fitness. Depending on the level of competition, certain players may display higher fitness capabilities than others. The quality of the opposition is thought to play a factor in determining the physiological demands of each match, which could influence movement speeds and time spent above typical high-intensity thresholds. As a result, players must be prepared for these physical demands by increasing both their aerobic and anaerobic capacities. This could be especially important for mid-major schools, whose player recruitment pools may be different from larger colleges. Purpose: To determine the difference in total distance (TD), sprint distance (SD), time spent at high-intensity thresholds, meterage, and player load performed by mid-major soccer players against higher-quality and lower-quality competition. Methods: 27 male soccer players (4 forwards, 13 midfielders, 9 defenders) from the same Division I mid-major school were assessed during the 2019 season via typical player monitoring practices. Data was collected on 20 matches. Opponents were separated into top 5 higher-quality and bottom 5 lower-quality teams based on win percentage at the end of the season, which resulted in 10 games being utilized for this study. Catapult GPS units were used for measurement, and the following metrics were analyzed: TD, SD (sprint defined as traveling above 5.5 m·s-1), time spent in high-intensity speed zones (zone 4: 5.0-7.5 m/s; zone 5: >7.5 m/s), meterage (distance covered per minute), and player load (total accelerations in 3 planes of motion/match duration; measured in arbitrary units). Averages across the 5 games for the higher- and lower-quality teams were analyzed. A 3 × 2 ANOVA (p < 0.05) and partial eta2 (small effect = 0.01; medium effect = 0.09; large effect = 0.25) calculated differences between the 3 positions and higher-quality versus lower-quality opponents. Results: A significant difference was found between opponents in TD (p = 0.015; Eta 2p = 0.230) and player load (p = 0.022; Eta 2p = 0.209), both of which had medium effect sizes. However, no significance differences between positions was found (p = 0.206, 0.486; Eta 2p = 0.129, 0.061). No significant differences were found between opponents and position in SD (p = 0.438, 0.176; Eta 2p = 0.026, 0.140), time in zone 4 (p = 0.444, 0.249; Eta 2p = 0.026, 0.114), time in zone 5 (p = 0.648, 0.188; Eta 2p = 0.009, 0.135), and meterage (p = 0.065, 0.192; Eta 2p = 0.141, 0.134). However, each of these comparisons did have medium effect sizes. Conclusions: The quality of opponent appeared to influence the TD and player load accumulated over the course of a match, with greater values recorded against higher-quality opponents. Against better opponents, mid-major players had to cover greater running distances during the match and experiencing greater load. Although there were no significant differences in SD, time spent in zones 4 and 5, and meterage, the effect sizes may suggest some practical differences, with higher values recorded against higher-quality opponents. Practical Application: Practitioners from mid-major schools need to ensure their players have the fitness levels to tolerate the greater physiological demands (TD and player load) of the match against higher quality opposition. Ensuring players are physically prepared for the greater demands could potentially assist collegiate male soccer players through the course of the season to be more successful in match-play.
© Copyright 2021 The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. National Strength & Conditioning Association. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.