AGE-RELATED SPRINT PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF ELITE MALE SOCCER PLAYERS

The main objective of this study was to analyze the differences in the parameters for the assessment of sprint performance of soccer players, from beginners to seniors. The study was conducted on Croatian national level soccer players (n=269) classified into thirteen levels of competition with respect to age categories (under = U8 to U18 and seniors= 19+). Soccer players were evaluated on linear sprinting on 20 m (analyzing partial times at 5 and 10 m). In the anthropometric characteristics, two stages of progressive and continuous growth in height (U8-U10 and U11-U17) were observed, as well as two stages of significant increase in body weight (U11-U12 and U14-U17). The manifestation of sprint abilities mainly follows the curve of growth in height of tested soccer players. Significant differences were observed even in small intervals of just one year (between U9-U10, U12-U13 and U13-U14; p<0, 05). These variations are the result of biological principles that take place in the development stages of the soccer players from the youngest age to the level of senior age as well as of transformation processes caused by training stimuli. This study presents typical values and changes in the parameters of sprint performance status of soccer players through all age categories, with respect to chronological age. The results of this research may enable better selection, monitoring, planning, programming and control of the training process.