Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Anthropometric, speed and endurance characteristics of English academy soccer players
T2 - Do they influence obtaining a professional contract at 18 years of age?
AU - Emmonds, Stacey
AU - Till, Kevin
AU - Jones, Ben
AU - Mellis, Michelle
AU - Pears, Mathew
PY - 2016/4
Y1 - 2016/4
N2 - This study evaluated the anthropometric, speed and endurance characteristics of English academy soccer players, comparing players who obtained a ‘professional’ contract at 18 years old with those that did not (‘academy’); 443 male academy soccer players from an English professional club undertook anthropometric (height and body mass), speed (10 and 20 m sprint) and endurance (Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test level 2 [Yo-Yo]) assessments between 2005 and 2012. Significant improvements with age were found for speed and endurance at each annual age group up until U18 age category. Significant differences were only observed between ‘professional’ and ‘academy’ players for 10 m (p = 0.003, η2 = 0.01) and 20 m (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.01) speed at U16 and U18 and Yo-Yo performance (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.12) at U18 age category. Practitioners should use speed and endurance assessments for monitoring physical development of players rather than for talent identification purposes.
AB - This study evaluated the anthropometric, speed and endurance characteristics of English academy soccer players, comparing players who obtained a ‘professional’ contract at 18 years old with those that did not (‘academy’); 443 male academy soccer players from an English professional club undertook anthropometric (height and body mass), speed (10 and 20 m sprint) and endurance (Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test level 2 [Yo-Yo]) assessments between 2005 and 2012. Significant improvements with age were found for speed and endurance at each annual age group up until U18 age category. Significant differences were only observed between ‘professional’ and ‘academy’ players for 10 m (p = 0.003, η2 = 0.01) and 20 m (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.01) speed at U16 and U18 and Yo-Yo performance (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.12) at U18 age category. Practitioners should use speed and endurance assessments for monitoring physical development of players rather than for talent identification purposes.
KW - Association football
KW - Intermittent endurance
KW - Kinanthropometry
KW - Talent identification
U2 - 10.1177/1747954116637154
DO - 10.1177/1747954116637154
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84976402785
VL - 11
SP - 212
EP - 218
JO - International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching
JF - International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching
SN - 1747-9541
IS - 2
ER -