title: Kicking Velocity and Effect on Match Performance When using a Smaller, Lighter Ball in Women's Football.
abstract: The present study evaluated the effect of a smaller, lighter ball on kicking speed and technical-tactical and physical match performance in high-level adult female footballers. In the laboratory test setting, the peak ball velocity was 6% higher with the new ball (NB) than the standard ball (SB) (26.5±0.5 vs. 25.1±0.5 m·s-1, p<0.05). However, during match-play, no differences were observed in mean heart rate (87±5 vs. 87±5%HRmax; p>0.05), blood lactate (90 min: 4.7±1.7 and 4.0±1.7 mmol·l-1; p>0.05), total distance covered (10.6±0.9 and 10.4±0.8 km; p>0.05), intense running (>16 km/h) (2.08±0.42 and 1.94±0.38 km; p>0.05) and match-induced decrement in Yo-Yo IR1 performance (28 vs. 31%, respectively, p<0.05) using NB compared to SB. Likewise, no difference was observed in the number of short, medium-range or long passes during matches played with the 2 ball types, and there was no difference in passing success rate (NB: 68±1% and SB: 68±1%, p>0.05). In conclusion, high-level adult female footballers had a higher kicking speed when using a smaller, lighter ball, but no differences were observed during match-play with the 2 ball types in respect of technical-tactical and physical match performance. The physical loading was high for the players when playing with both ball types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health - Sport Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bendiksen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Orntoft
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Exercise and Sports, University Cobehagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Randers
authors.affiliation: School of Sport Sciences, University of Tromsoe, the Arctic University, Tromsoe, Norway.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pettersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D019876:Sports Equipment; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid