Multivariate analyses of individual variation in soccer skill as a tool for talent identification and development: utilising evolutionary theory in sports science
| Autor: | Rob S. James, Doug Thake, Gwendolyn K. David, Oliver J. Morgan, Michelle D. Smith, Andrew H. Hunter, Amanda C. Niehaus, Robbie S. Wilson, Ecki Hermann |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Multivariate statistics Multivariate analysis Adolescent Sports science education Applied psychology Aptitude Physical Therapy Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Variation (game tree) Athletic Performance behavioral disciplines and activities 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Running 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Soccer Humans Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Muscle Strength Adaptation (computer science) Protocol (science) business.industry 030229 sport sciences Identification (information) Motor Skills Physical Fitness Multivariate Analysis Physical Endurance Metric (unit) Artificial intelligence business Psychology human activities |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Sports Sciences. 34:2074-2086 |
| ISSN: | 1466-447X 0264-0414 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02640414.2016.1151544 |
| Popis: | The development of a comprehensive protocol for quantifying soccer-specific skill could markedly improve both talent identification and development. Surprisingly, most protocols for talent identification in soccer still focus on the more generic athletic attributes of team sports, such as speed, strength, agility and endurance, rather than on a player's technical skills. We used a multivariate methodology borrowed from evolutionary analyses of adaptation to develop our quantitative assessment of individual soccer-specific skill. We tested the performance of 40 individual academy-level players in eight different soccer-specific tasks across an age range of 13-18 years old. We first quantified the repeatability of each skill performance then explored the effects of age on soccer-specific skill, correlations between each of the pairs of skill tasks independent of age, and finally developed an individual metric of overall skill performance that could be easily used by coaches. All of our measured traits were highly repeatable when assessed over a short period and we found that an individual's overall skill - as well as their performance in their best task - was strongly positively correlated with age. Most importantly, our study established a simple but comprehensive methodology for assessing skill performance in soccer players, thus allowing coaches to rapidly assess the relative abilities of their players, identify promising youths and work on eliminating skill deficits in players. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|