Introduction: The diversity of sprint ability is an integral part in soccer and has often game-winning relevance. Sprint actions represent approx. 11% of the total covered distance in a soccer match (Little & Wil-liams, 2005). Detailed researches show: About 50% of sprint actions in professional soccer are fin-ished after 10m. Nearly 40% of these actions have one or more changes in direction (Rehagel, 2011). Therefore the ability to change running direction while moving with high speed is very im-portant in soccer. As a result, agility sprint ability is crucial for soccerspecific performance (Svensson & Drust, 2005). This study aims to investigate the relative loss of time (RLT) while performing an agiltiy sprint pro-tocol (AS) in comparison to a linear sprint (LS). Methods: 142 elite youth soccer player participated in this study; they were divided into three groups (G1: 11-12j, n=52; G2: 13-14j, n=63; G3: 15-16j, n=26). LS consisted of a 30m linear sprint with 1m flying start. The course of the AS is also 30m long and has the same starting conditions but is arranged in a triangled shape. Section lengths (5m-4m-1m-1m-4m-1m-1m-4m-5m) and angles of the turns (135°-45°-90°-45°-90°-45°-90°-45°-135°) in AS were designed matching soccerspecific changes in directions and running distances (Rehagel, 2011). All persons performed both the AS (once in both directions) and the LS with full recovery period in between. The results of AS for each direction were summarized (AStotal). The RLT (%) was calculated as followed: (AStotal - (2 x LS) / LS * 100. Statistical analysis were using Pearson`s correlation coefficient. Normal distribution was not granted for LS in G2, therefore Spearman`s rank coefficent was calculated. Results: AStotal and LS had a significant correlation in all groups (G1: 0.752, p<0.001; G2: 0.591, p<0.001; G3: 0.536, p=0.002). Also RLT and LS were correlated at high levels of significance (G1: - 0.461, p<0.001; G2: -0.643, p<0.001; G3: -0.636, p<0.001). Discussion: Although agility sprint performance is significantly positively correlated with linear sprint performance in young elite soccer players, these findings suggest, the better the linear sprint ability, the bigger gets the relative loss of time. In conclusion the LS seems to be a reasonable test to predict the agility sprint performance. In higher level of sprint performance testing designs should include both linear and multidirectional tests.
© Copyright 2012 17th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Bruges, 4. -7. July 2012. Veröffentlicht von Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.