Monitoring practices of training load and biological maturity in UK soccer academies

Salter, Jamie, De Ste Croix, Mark B ORCID: 0000-0001-9911-4355, Hughes, Jonathan ORCID: 0000-0002-9905-8055, Weston, Matthew and Towlson, Christopher (2021) Monitoring practices of training load and biological maturity in UK soccer academies. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 16 (3). pp. 395-406. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2019-0624

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Abstract

Purpose Overuse injury risk increases during periods of accelerated growth which can subsequently impact development in academy soccer, suggesting a need to quantify training exposure. Non-prescriptive development scheme legislation could lead to inconsistent approaches to monitoring maturity and training load. Therefore, this study aims to communicate current practices of UK soccer academies towards biological maturity and training load. Methods Fourty-nine respondents completed an online survey representing support staff from male Premier League academies (n = 38) and female Regional Talent Clubs (n = 11). The survey included 16 questions covering maturity and training load monitoring. Questions were multiple-choice or unipolar scaled (agreement 0-100) with a magnitude-based decision approach used for interpretation. Results Injury prevention was deemed highest importance for maturity (83.0 ± 5.3, mean ±SD) and training load monitoring (80.0 ± 2.8). There were large differences in methods adopted for maturity estimation and moderate differences for training load monitoring between academies. Predictions of maturity were deemed comparatively low in importance for bio-banded (biological classification) training (61.0 ± 3.3) and low for bio-banded competition (56.0 ± 1.8) across academies. Few respondents reported maturity (42%) and training load (16%) to parent/guardians, and only 9% of medical staff were routinely provided this data. Conclusions Although consistencies between academies exist, disparities in monitoring approaches are likely reflective of environment-specific resource and logistical constraints. Designating consistent and qualified responsibility to staff will help promote fidelity, feedback and transparency to advise stakeholders of maturity-load relationships. Practitioners should consider biological categorisation to manage load prescription to promote maturity appropriate dose-responses and help reduce non-contact injury risk.

Item Type: Article
Article Type: Article
Additional Information: Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2020 (ahead of print). © Human Kinetics, Inc.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Maturation; Training load; Monitoring; Injury; Adolescence; Soccer
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports > GV0711 Coaching
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports > GV861 Ball games: Baseball, football, golf, etc.
R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ125 Physiology of children and adolescents
Divisions: Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas: Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User: Rhiannon Goodland
Date Deposited: 23 Apr 2020 16:08
Last Modified: 31 Aug 2023 09:07
URI: https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/8306

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