european college of sport science

PP-TT03 Training and Testing 3
Conclisions: As a result, increases back and leg muscle lean mass and strength is associated with better postural stability, there should
be further research for the balance evaluations after the strength training program for different sports.
TAKING INITIATIVE IN SMALL-SIDED SOCCER GAMES
FRENCKEN, W., OTTEN, E., VAN DER PLAATS, J., VISSCHER, C., LEMMINK, K.
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER GRONINGEN, UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN
Introduction: In many sports, players interact during a game. Dynamical systems theory provides tools to investigate these interactions by
assessing phase relations. It has been suggested that a squash player with a lead phase relation has an advantage over the player with
the lag phase relation with respect to rally outcome (McGarry et al., 2002). Therefore, phase delay between players might be a tool to
investigate dominance during rally’s in racket sports (Palut & Zanone, 2005). It can be hypothesized that in ball team sports like soccer, a
lead phase relation of the attacker increases the chance to score. Therefore, the aim was to investigate initiative in attacker-defender
dyads in small-sided soccer games
Methods: Ten young male elite soccer players (17.3 years ± 0.7) participated in three small-sided soccer games (4-a-side plus goalkeepers)
of 8 minutes on a 28x36m pitch. Player positions were recorded at 45Hz per player by means of innovative technology, i.e. local
position measurement (LPM) system. Cross-correlations and delays were calculated for acceleration profiles of all players 25Hz over a
sliding 2,5s interval (NBody software, UMCG Groningen). To exclude less relevant couplings between players, a cross-correlation coefficient
of 0.4 was set as threshold value. Only couplings between the attacker and defender prior to a goal or goal-scoring opportunity
were included in the analysis. The attacker was the player that attempted to score, whereas the defender was the opponent of that
particular attacker. All couplings were investigated through visual inspection.
Results: In total, 66 goal-scoring opportunities were notated of which 19 resulted in a goal. Preliminary results show that for 65% of the
goals and goals-scoring opportunities the attacker holds initiative, with no difference between goals and goals-scoring opportunities. In
addition, we found that the percentage of the attacker’s initiative decreases with type of attack (100%, 85%, 55% and 33% for 1v1 situations,
regular attacks, counter attacks and long distance shots respectively).
Discussion: Results indicate that attackers most frequently take initiative prior to goal-scoring opportunities. The absence of clear differences
between goals and goal-scoring opportunities indicates that whether or not a goal is scored eventually, depends on other factors,
e.g. technical ability, goalkeepers ability and luck. The trend we found for the attacker’s initiative for the different types of attack is in line
with the task of the attacker in the various types of attack. In 1v1 situations, the attacker has to take initiative, whereas that is less required
in long distance shots. Based on this study, it can be concluded that encouraging attackers to take initiative increases the chance to score
and therefore to win the game.
References
McGarry, T., Anderson D.I., Wallace, S.A., Hughes, M.D. & Franks, I.M. (2002). J Sports Sci, 20, 771-781
Palut, Y. & Zanone, P. G. (2005). J Sports Sci, 23, 1021-1032
13:00 - 14:00
Poster presentations
PP-TT03 Training and Testing 3
EFFECTS OF OFFICIAL YOUTH TAEKWONDO COMPETITIONS ON ALL-OUT PERFORMANCES OF ATHLETES
CHIODO, S., TESSITORE, A., CORTIS, C., LUPO, C., AMMENDOLIA, A., IONA, T., CAPRANICA, L.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF MAGNA GRAECIA, CATANZARO, ITALY
Olympic Taekwondo is a very popular sport, considered appropriate for children also to educate their discipline, control, and respect
(Yard et al., 2007). Although athletes start training and competing around 10 years of age, no information is provided on the demands of
the youth competitions. In fact, research on youth Taekwondo focused mainly on injury (Beis et al., 2001; Yard et al., 2007; Shin et al.,
2008) and the physiological profile of young athletes (Melhim, 2001), while heart rate and blood lactate responses to simulated (Bouhlel et
al., 2006; Butios & Tasika, 2007) and official (Chiodo et al., 2008). Taekwondo competitions have been reported only on elite athletes. The
unique chance of cooperation with the Italian Teakwondo Federation (FITA) presented us with an opportunity to have access to physiological
and performance measurements on young athletes during the Italian Youth (i.e., Cadetti A) Taekwondo Championship. Therefore,
the aim of the present study was to evaluate the cardiac load of youth Taekwondo matches, and the differences in the athletes all-out
performances (countermovement jump and handgrip) assessed before and at the end of their competition.
Seven female and eleven male young (range 13-14 yrs) Taekwondo athletes participated in the study. During Taekwondo competitions
mean heart rate (HR) was 187±11 beat.min-1, with no difference between rounds and gender. HR higher than 85%HRmax showed a
77±27% frequency of occurrence. A difference (P