title: The Physical and Athletic Performance Characteristics of Division I Collegiate Female Soccer Players by Position.
abstract: Lockie, RG, Moreno, MR, Lazar, A, Orjalo, AJ, Giuliano, DV, Risso, FG, Davis, DL, Crelling, JB, Lockwood, JR, and Jalilvand, F. The physical and athletic performance characteristics of Division I collegiate female soccer players by position. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 334-343, 2018-Playing positions in soccer can exhibit different movement demands during a match, contributing to variations in physical and performance characteristics. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) soccer features different substitution rules when compared to FIFA-sanctioned matches, which could influence each players' characteristics. Therefore, this study determined the athletic performance characteristics of Division I female soccer players. Twenty-six players (3 goalkeepers; 8 defenders; 10 midfielders; 5 forwards) from the same squad completed assessments of: lower-body power (vertical and standing broad jump); linear (0-5, 0-10, 0-30 meter [m] sprint intervals) and change-of-direction (pro-agility shuttle; arrowhead change-of-direction speed test) speed; and soccer-specific fitness (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test [YYIRT] levels 1 and 2). Players were split into position groups, and a Kruskal-Wallis H test with post hoc pairwise analyses (p ≤ 0.05) calculated significant between-group differences. There were no differences in age, height, or body mass between the positions. Midfielders had a faster 0-5 m time compared with the defenders (p = 0.017) and the goalkeepers (p = 0.030). The defenders (p = 0.011) and midfielders (p = 0.013) covered a greater YYIRT2 distance compared with the goalkeepers. There were no other significant between-position differences. Overall, Division I collegiate female players from the same squad demonstrated similar characteristics as measured by soccer-specific performance tests, which could allow for flexibility in position assignments. However, a relatively homogenous squad could also indicate commonality in training prescription, particularly regarding acceleration and high-intensity running. Strength and conditioning coaches may have to consider the specific movement demands of individual positions when training these capacities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lockie
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Adrina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Ashley J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Orjalo
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Dominic V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Fabrice G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: DeShaun L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: CSUN Sports Performance, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Jeff B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Crelling
authors.affiliation: CSUN Sports Performance, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lockwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California.
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jalilvand
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult