title: Somatotype of competitive youth soccer players from Brazil.
abstract: The aim of this study was to identify the morphological configuration of youth athletes from professional soccer clubs and to verify their differences according to the tactical position on the field. Overall, 67 male players aged 15 to 17 years were evaluated. The examined anthropometric measurements included body mass, body height, skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, supraspinal and medial calf), girths (flexed and tensed arm and calf) and breadths (humerus and femur). For statistical purposes, analysis of variance and post hoc Bonferroni and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. We concluded that goalkeepers were heavier and taller than center backs (p = 0.015 and p = 0.001), midfielders (p = 0.005 and p <0.001) and center forward players (p = 0.024 and p <0.001). The average somatotype for defense, forward and goalkeeper positions was a balanced mesomorph. Midfield players showed ectomorphic-mesomorph characteristics. It was concluded that goalkeepers were characterized as being taller and heavier and that somatotype features of athletes were similar between positions, except for midfield players.
authors.affiliation: University of Pernambuco. Associate Program Graduate in Physical Education UPE / UFPB. Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yara Lucy
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Fidelix
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Postgraduate Program in Physical Education. Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berria
authors.affiliation: State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC), Center for Health Sciences and Sports, Graduate Program in Human Movement Science. Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisa Pinheiro
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Postgraduate Program in Physical Education. Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaelson Gonçalves
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Postgraduate Program in Physical Education. Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cetolin
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Postgraduate Program in Physical Education. Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edio Luiz
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Petroski
keywords: anthropometry; athletes; male; soccer; youth