Examination of differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE) during bio-banded small-sided games

Effects of biobanding on training loads and technical performance of young football players

BACKGROUND

In adolescent sports, grouping by chronological age can advantage athletes born early in the year due to maturation differences. Early maturing athletes often achieve greater performance gains, are perceived as more talented, and receive more specialized training and workloads. This study aimed to assess the effects of biobanding on internal and external training loads, as well as technical performance during small-sided games (SSGs).

METHODS

Twenty male footballers (11.8 ± 1.15 years) participated in this study. Athletes engaged in small-sided games (SSGs) under two conditions: (1) CA-teams formed based on chronological age; and (2) BIO-teams formed based on age relative to peak height velocity (pre-PHV = -2.5 to -1.5, and PHV = -1.5 to -0.5). External load (ETL) was quantified using the PlayerLoad method, while internal load (ITL) was measured using both training impulse (TRIMP) and session-RPE. Player involvement was determined by summing all technical actions performed during the SSGs, with involvement in the game assessed through video analysis of the sessions.

RESULTS

BIO games significantly increased ETL for pre-PHV (EM = 415.5; 95%CI = 381.5-449.5 a.u.) compared to the CA games (EM = 388.8; 95% CI = 354.8-422.8 a.u.). PHV players had lower ETL (EM = 354.4; 95% CI = 320.4-388.4 a.u.) in BIO compared to CA games (EM = 366.0; 95% CI = 332.0-400.0 a.u.). No significant ITL differences were observed. BIO lowered steals among pre-PHV players vs. CA.

CONCLUSION

Biobanded games significantly increased external load (ETL) for pre-PHV players; however, this increase was not substantial enough to affect internal load (as measured by session-RPE and TRIMP) or player involvement.

Does team size affect Scottish male academy soccer player technical, locomotor and psychosocial outcomes during age and maturity bio-banded small-sided games?

The timing of the adolescent growth spurt (i.e. peak height velocity [PHV]) varies greatly, causing significant differences in maturity-related anthropometric and physical development among chronologically age-categorised youth soccer players. These differences can lead to a maturity-selection bias favouring early maturing players. Using fifty-three players from two professional Scottish soccer academies, this study examined the effects of team size (4v4, 5v5, and 6v6) and bio-banding (i.e. grouping players by maturity status) on players technical (i.e. touches, releases, possessions), physical (i.e. distance covered, accelerations/decelerations), and psychological (i.e. confidence, competitiveness, positive attitude) performance during small-sided games, using foot-mounted inertial measurement units (F-IMU) and coach observations. Data were analysed using multivariate ANOVA. During maturity-matched games, technical actions decreased as team size increased. More mature players displayed greater technical actions in 4v4 compared to 6v6. Maturity-mismatched games revealed significant technical action differences for less mature players, particularly in 4v4 formats. More mature players covered greater high-intensity distances in maturity-matched and mismatched 6v6 games. Psychological scores were higher for more mature players in smaller team sizes (4v4), whereas less mature players showed consistent psychological scores across all formats. Smaller team sizes and maturity-matched bio-banding formats enhanced technical actions and psychological characteristics, particularly for more mature players.

A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool

The aim of this research was to assess the validity and reliability of a newly developed scoring tool, designed for monitoring youth soccer players during match-play performance to support coaches/scouts with the talent identification process. The method used to design the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool comprised of a five-stage process of (i) conducting an initial literature review to establish content validity (ii) gaining content validity through a cross sectional online survey (iii) establishing face validity via expert coach feedback (iv) conducting inter-rater reliability tests and (v) intra-rater reliability tests. In stage two, twenty-two soccer academy practitioners completed an online survey, which revealed that player behaviours such as resilience, competitiveness, and decision making were all valued as the most important behavioural characteristics by practitioners (90.9%), whilst X-factor was valued as least important by a significant amount (27.2%). Stages three to five of the testing procedure included a sample of four academy coaches not involved in the preceding stage. Twenty male collegiate soccer players (under-16 to under-18) involved in the study took part in four versus four small-sided games (SSG) in a 'round-robin' tournament across three weeks which accumulated 14 SSG's, 100-140 minutes of playing time and 70-98 individual player grades. Two of the four academy coaches watched the SSG's and used the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool to assess live evidence of desirable player behaviours, which was subsequently followed by retrospective video analysis for intra-rater reliability testing. The remaining two academy coaches watched the same SSG retrospective video footage to test for inter-rater reliability. Reliability results revealed an acceptable level of agreement with scores between 81.25%-89.9% for inter-rater whilst intra-rater provided scores between 80.35%-99.4%. Preliminary evidence here suggests that the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool is both a valid and reliable method to assess desirable player behaviours during talent identification processes. Thus, youth soccer practitioners and researchers should seek to test and further validate the tool in order to confirm its utility as a means of measuring behavioural characteristics of youth soccer players.