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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Physiol.
Sec. Exercise Physiology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1502694
This article is part of the Research Topic Comprehensive Evaluation of Various Training Protocols for Youth: Effects on Body Composition, Hemodynamics, and Motor Performance View all 5 articles

Normative and Limit Values of Speed, Endurance and Power Tests Results of Young Football Players

Provisionally accepted
Michał Nowak Michał Nowak 1,2*Marta Szymanek-Pilarczyk Marta Szymanek-Pilarczyk 2,3*Artur Stolarczyk Artur Stolarczyk 4*Łukasz Oleksy Łukasz Oleksy 5,6Jarosław Muracki Jarosław Muracki 7*Jacek Wąsik Jacek Wąsik 1
  • 1 Faculty of Physical Culture Sciences, Collegium Medicum Dr Władysław Biegański, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
  • 2 Sport Science Department, RKS Raków Częstochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
  • 3 Faculty of Physical Culture Sciences, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
  • 4 Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
  • 5 Deaprtment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
  • 6 Department of Orthopedics, Traumatology and Hand Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
  • 7 Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, Department of Physical Culture and Health, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland, Szczecin, West Pomeranian, Poland

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study aimed to assess the development of speed, endurance and power in young football players and to create percentile tables for standardized assessment. Cross-sectional data were collected from 495 players aged 12–16 years at RKS Raków Częstochowa Academy in 2018–2022. Players participated in a systematic training in which running time 5m, 10m, 30m, lower limb power (standing long jump), and Maximum Aerobic Speed (MAS) were measured using the 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test. All tests were performed under constant environmental conditions by qualified personnel. Statistical analysis included ANOVA and percentile distribution for P3, P10, P25, P50, P75, P90, P97. Results indicated that the most significant improvements occurred between the ages of 13 and 14, with increased speed over all distances and a significant increase in power. Percentile tables were developed, highlighting improvements in speed 5m: 0.087–0.126s; 10m 0.162–0.215s; 30m: 0.438–0.719s and power in the long jump test: 31–48cm. Improvements in MAS ranged from 0.3 to 0.6[m/s] across the percentiles. The results highlight the need for individual training programs tailored to the biological maturity of players. The developed percentile tables offer a valuable tool for coaches and sports scientists to monitor progress, optimize training loads, and minimize the risk of injury, providing a frame of reference for assessing the physical development of young soccer players. Future research should focus on extending these tables to other age groups and genders to refine training methodologies further.

    Keywords: Endurance, speed, Maximal aerobic speed, Young soccer players, Physical demands

    Received: 27 Sep 2024; Accepted: 19 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Nowak, Szymanek-Pilarczyk, Stolarczyk, Oleksy, Muracki and Wąsik. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Michał Nowak, Faculty of Physical Culture Sciences, Collegium Medicum Dr Władysław Biegański, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
    Marta Szymanek-Pilarczyk, Faculty of Physical Culture Sciences, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
    Artur Stolarczyk, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
    Jarosław Muracki, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, Department of Physical Culture and Health, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland, Szczecin, West Pomeranian, Poland

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.