Maturation, signal detection, and tactical behavior of young soccer players in the game context

Analysis of the Sports Psychological Profile, Competitive Anxiety, Self-Confidence and Flow State in Young Football Players

The objective of this study was to analyse the correlations among the sports psychological profile, competitive anxiety, self-confidence and the flow state of young football players. Additionally, potential distinctions based on age category, competitive level and field position were explored. This study included 328 participants divided into two groups: Group 1, 14-15 year olds, and Group 2, 16-18 year olds (M = 15.85; SD = 1.44). Data were collected by using the Psychological Inventory of Sports Execution (IPED), the Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R) and the Flow State Scale (FSS). The findings revealed positive associations between the sports psychological profile and self-confidence, as well as with the flow state. Conversely, competitive anxiety demonstrated negative relationships with the sports psychological profile, self-confidence and the state of flow. Moreover, superior scores were observed in the analysed variables for the older age category and higher competitive level, with no notable disparities based on field positions. These results underscore the interplay of psychological factors in the performance of football players and underline distinctions among players according to their category (age and level). This emphasises the importance of scrutinising these variables in athletes to comprehend their profiles and enable targeted interventions aimed at enhancing their psychological resources for competitive scenarios.

Relationship Between Cognitive Functions and Agility Performance in Elite Young Male Soccer Players

ABSTRACT

Matlák, J, Fridvalszki, M, Kóródi, V, Szamosszegi, G, Pólyán, E, Kovács, B, Kolozs, B, Langmár, G, and Rácz, L. Relationship between cognitive functions and agility performance in elite, young, male soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 38(1): 116-122, 2024-The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between agility performance and cognitive functions measured under laboratory conditions among elite young soccer players. Twenty-five, elite, young, male soccer players (12.3 ± 0.4 years, 155.4 ± 7.6 cm, 42.6 ± 6.9 kg) completed a battery of field tests, including 5-, 10-, 20-m sprints, change of direction speed (CODS), standing long jump, and an agility test based on a human stimulus. Subjects also completed choice reaction (RT, S3) and reactive stress tolerance (DT, S1) tests on the Vienna Test System. There was a moderate significant relationship (p < 0.05) found between mean reaction time and mean motor time during the choice reaction task and decision time in the agility test. Decision time also showed a large significant correlation (p < 0.05) with total time in the agility test. No significant correlation was found between total time in the agility test and variables measured during RT and DT tests. No significant correlations were found between agility test results and results from straight line sprints, CODS, and standing long jump tests. The results of this study suggest that choice reaction time is related to decision-making speed during the agility task used in this study and can have an indirect effect on agility performance in elite young soccer players. Further studies assessing the relationship between different cognitive functions and agility performance in different sports and age categories could help in the identification of determinant cognitive functions in perceptual and decision-making factors of agility.

Determining the effect of one decade on fitness of elite Austrian youth soccer players using propensity score matching

Current trends in attacking strategies and increases in external workload have led to a need for fast and well-conditioned athletes in modern soccer. More recently, progressions in speed, coordination, power and endurance were found over a decade in elite Austrian youth players. However, possible confounders such as relative age, maturation, learning effects, and academy philosophy may have influenced these changes. The present study aimed to determine the decade effect on fitness under statistical control of players' exact age, height, body mass, test location as well as total number of pretests and time interval between test and pretest. Players annually completed a battery of anthropometric, general and soccer-specific fitness tests. MANCOVA was calculated to identify the overall impacts of the covariates on fitness. To balance the covariates of initially 2,530 "former" (2002 to 2005) and 2,611 "recent" (2012 to 2015) players, 1:1 nearest neighbor propensity score (PS) matching was used, resulting in 587 U13, 573 U14, 475 U15, 325 U16, 262 U17, and 129 U18 matched pairs. The decade effect on fitness was assessed by independent t-tests and Cohen's d separately at each age group. Superior performances of recent players were found for linear sprint across all age categories (d = 0.154-0.476) as well as for agility (d = 0.125-0.340) and change-of-direction speed (d = 0.172-0.466) in U15 to U18. Reaction speed increased in U13 (d = 0.288) and U15 (d = 0.310). Flexibility reduced over the decade in all age categories (d = -0.151 to -0.589) and upper-limb power decreased (d = -0.278 to -0.347) in U13 and U14. Balancing the covariate distribution via PS matching generally confirmed previous findings, with fitness decade effects reflecting the athletic needs for modern soccer. Since fitness performance changed over time, reference values should be periodically updated. Coaches favor both physical and cognitive fast players nowadays. Thus, training should target all aspects of speed, without disregarding flexibility, upper-limb power and other preventive strategies that keep the players on the pitch.

Executive Functions, Physical Abilities, and Their Relationship with Tactical Performance in Young Soccer Players

While tactical performance in soccer is associated with the players' and teams' collective actions in the context of game stimuli, how tactical performance relates to players' executive functions (EFs) and physical abilities should be examined. In this study, we examined these relationships among 81 Under-15 male soccer players who underwent tactical evaluation (FUT-SAT), EF tests (i.e.,(Stop-Signal Test and Design Fluency Test)), and physical tests (i.e.,(Maturity Offset, Yoyo Endurance Test II, Sargent Jump Test, and Sprint Test)). Multiple linear regression modeling with the stepwise method showed that approximately 48% of overall game tactical performance variance was explained by inhibitory control, biological maturation, and sprint capacity (p = .004; d = .54; r² = .479), whereas 35% of offensive tactical performance variance was explained by the same dimensions (p = .001; d = .91; r² = .353). In addition, approximately 28% of defensive tactical performance variance was explained by cognitive flexibility and aerobic resistance (p = .007; d = .39; r² = .280). These results reflect the combined importance of EFs and physical abilities for tactical performance in young soccer players, suggesting that these abilities may be targets for training when trying to improve young players' performance.