Assessment of peak physical demands in elite women soccer players: Can contextual variables play a role?
Aim: To describe and compare the peak physical demands through the worst-case scenario method (WCS), according to different rolling average (RA) time epochs (i.e. 1 min, 3 min, and 5 min) and contextual variables in women soccer players.
Methods: Using an observational-comparative study design, an elite women soccer team from the Spanish 1st league division was monitored during 27 matches. Nine WCS-dependent variables were assessed, including total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSR), sprint distance (SP), acceleration, and deceleration distance at different intensities by players position (i.e., central defenders [CD], wide defenders [WD], central midfielders [CM], wide midfielders [WM], forwards [F]), match half, location, and match outcome.
Results: The 1-min RA showed the lowest variability (CV = 9.8-65.8%) for all nine dependent variables. The WD presented the highest TD (168 ± 15.71 m/min). Differences between positions were observed for: CM<F (-10.19 m/min), CM<WM (-11.20 m/min), and CM<WD (-12.70 m/min). For SP: CM<F (-10.03 m/min), CM<WM (-11.91 m/min), CM<WD (-10.03 m/min), and CM<CD (-5.31 m/min). The WCS-dependent variables were also affected by match half and match outcome.
Conclusions: 1-min RA time epochs allow greater accuracy and reliability to identify nine key WCS outcomes in elite women soccer players. Different contextual variables, particularly player`s position, influenced the peak periods.
© Copyright 2023 Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). All rights reserved.
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| Notations: | sport games |
| Published in: | Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2023
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2021.2004297 |
| Volume: | 94 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Pages: | 435-443 |
| Document types: | article |
| Level: | advanced |