B11 Deconstructing the physical output between tapering sessions, match days, and post-match training sessions: A single case report

Abstract

Talented adolescent professional soccer players can experience multiple within-career transitions during the course of a competitive season in Major League Soccer. Consequently, players may shift between multiple team environments, including the first team (FT), reserve team (RT) and youth national team (NT). When changing environments, players must adapt and cope with increased physical demands associated with training and competing in the FT (Morris et al., 2016, J Appl Sport Psych, 28, 375-391), as well as the NT (McKay et al., 2022, J Appl Sport Psych, 34, 1272-1294). Consequently, the aim of this single case report was to analyse the physical output during matches, tapering and post-match sessions from a professional adolescent shifting between multiple team environments. External load data were collected via Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for an entire competitive season in three different environments (FT, RT, NT) across tapering sessions (MD-2 and MD-1), match days (MD), and post-match training sessions (MD+1/+2; ≥60 and <60 minutes played). The following intensity related measures (i.e., relative distance covered in meters, which is divided by the duration of the training session or match in minutes) were extracted for analysis: total distance covered, distance covered in multiple speed zones (Zone 1: 0-0.6 km/h; Zone 2: 0.7-7.1 km/h; Zone 3: 7.2-14.3 km/h; Zone 4: 14.4-.19.7 km/h; Zone 5: 19.8-25.1 km/h; Zone 6: >25.1 km/h), moderate speed running distance (>Z4; MSRD), and high speed running distance (>Z5; HSRD). A multivariate analysis of variance with physical output variables as dependent variables and session type (MD+/-) as fixed factors was conducted. The results indicated that the session type had a significant effect on all variables (F_8,128 = 22.14-158.86; P < 0.01; ES = 0.41-0.83), as well as the environment (F_2,128 = 3.8-26.7; P < 0.5; ES = 0.06-0.30) except relative distance covered in Z6 and SPD (P > 0.05). However, the interaction between session type and environment had no significant effect on any variable (P > 0.05), except for total distance (F_8,128 = 2.33; P = 0.02; ES = 0.13) and distance covered in Z1 (F_8,128 = 5.32; p<0.001; ES = 0.25). In conclusion, the adolescent professional player was exposed to different relative intensities in training and matches across multiple team environments over the course of a competitive season. In particular, the adolescent player recorded greater relative intensities in the FT environment relative to the RT and NT environments.