title: Technical Actions, Heart Rate, and Locomotor Activity in 7v7 and 8v8 Games for Female Youth Soccer Players.
abstract: Ørntoft, C, Larsen, MN, Andersen, TB, Rasmussen, LS, Póvoas, SCA, Randers, MB, and Krustrup, P. Technical actions, heart rate, and locomotor activity in 7v7 and 8v8 games for female youth soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 30(12): 3298-3303, 2016-The purpose of this study was to evaluate technical performance, heart rate (HR), and activity profile in 7v7 and 8v8 soccer games for 9- to 10-year-old girls (U11). A total of 24 female youth players participated in the study, all playing 20-minute 7v7 and 8v8 games with 160 and 223 m per player, respectively. Technical actions, HR, and activity profile were measured during the games using video filming, HR monitors, and 5-Hz Global positioning system (GPS) units. The number of technical actions was higher in 7v7 than in 8v8 games (34 ± 19 vs. 28 ± 14; p = 0.03; d = 0.37), as was the number of successful actions (25 ± 16 vs. 20 ± 12; p = 0.01; d = 0.35), with no difference in success rate for technical actions (70 ± 13 vs. 69 ± 14%; p = 0.63; d = 0.07). No differences were found between 7v7 and 8v8 in total distance covered (1,574 ± 251 and 1,622 ± 281 m; p = 0.66; d = 0.18), peak speed (19.5 ± 2.6 and 20.7 ± 1.5 km·h; p = 0.16; d = 0.56), mean HR values (85 ± 5 and 86 ± 6%HRpeak; p = 0.85; d = 0.18), and time of >90% HRpeak (37 ± 16 and 35 ± 14% of playing time; p = 0.70; d = 0.13). Distance covered at the highest running speeds of >16 km·h was lower in 7v7 than in 8v8 games (34 ± 24 vs. 63 ± 34 m; p = 0.018; d = 0.98), as was the number of entries into this speed zone (8 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 7; p = 0.006; d = 0.82). In conclusion, more technical actions and successful actions were observed in 7v7 than in 8v8 games, but players covered more ground with high-speed running in 8v8 games. This study also revealed that HR values were high in both game formats for U11 adolescent female players, with no difference between formats.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2Department of Public Health and Sport Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; 3Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, University Institute of Maia, ISMAI, Maia, Portugal; and 4Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, St Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ørntoft
authors.forename: Malte N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Lasse S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Susana C A
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Póvoas
authors.forename: Morten B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Randers
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*