Postgraduate A.N. Berdnikova¹
Postgraduate Alireza Hosseini Hezri¹
PhD, Professor A.V. Zakharova¹
S.V. Kondratovich^1
1Ural Federal University (UrFU), Yekaterinburg

Keywords: staged tests, 12-13 year-old football players; functionality rates, physical fitness, technical skills, mental and physical fitness tests.

Introduction. Successful athletic training is defined by the expediency and qualitative content of the staged tests. The dynamics of development of significant sport-specific qualities in junior football players is of heterochronic nature, which is primarily determined by the general biological patterns of their age-related development [10]. Optimum selection of the integrated staged tests will help assess the athletes’ condition, reveal their strengths and weaknesses, manifestations of age-related physiological phenomena, which, in turn, will help in timely correction of the educational and training process.

Objective of the study was to analyze the physical fitness and technical skills and mental and physical condition of the 12-13 year-old football players and produce recommendations for correction of the training process in the preparatory period.

Methods and structure of the study. Subject to the study were a group of students of the Football Specialized Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve "VIZ"  (n=23): 12-13 year-old adolescents (body height 159.8±8.8 cm, body weight 48.9±7.4 kg, MOC 52.1±7.4 ml/ kg/ min) with at least 6 years of sports experience.

The athletes’ cardiovascular system functional rates were studied in the active orthoclinostatic test using the MARG-10-01 device ("Microlux", Chelyabinsk, Russia) [13]. The submaximal load test on the ERG 911 S cycle ergometer (Schiller AG, Switzerland) with the use of the Fitmate PRO gas analyzer (COSMED, Italy) was performed according to the RAMP-protocol [15] (power increase by 1 W, duration - 1.5 sec (40 W/ min).

The athletes’ individual characteristics were evaluated using the computer complex "NS-PsychoTest" ("NeuroSoft", Ivanovo): time of simple visual-motor reaction (SVMR) and MPI by Eysenck to determine the type of temperament and level of neuroticism (emotional instability of a person).

The physical fitness level was determined by a Wingate test using the BIKE MED vertical cycle ergometer (TechnoGym, Italy) and CardioMemory V1.0 SP3 software [4], jumping tests [11] (standing long jump, 5-fold jump off both feet with landing on both feet (a "frog" jump) and 10-fold jump from one foot to the other ("hopping"), as well as long throw-in tests (m) and hitting the ball across a distance (m).

The technical fitness tests included: medicine ball juggling, dribbling (with and without the ball), accuracy of the passes and shots on goal across the distance of 9 m [12]. For the purpose of objective study of performance technique of the motor qualities test, photography and video shooting were used.

Results and discussion. The intensive growth and development of athletes in the prepubertal period affects their cardiovascular system [3], which requires special attention to be given to monitoring of the cardiac and vessels functionality. The hemodynamic rates in the football players in a state of relative rest (see Table 1) were found to be within the age norm, for the most part [1].

Table 1. Hemodynamic test rates in 12-13 year-old football players

The comparative analysis of the absolute and relative volumetric characteristics of the heart of the 12-13 year-old football players and similar data obtained in the untrained schoolchildren of the same age [3] and 13-14 year-old football players [8] testifies to the positive adaptive changes in the subjects’ cardiovascular system in response to the training loads.

The active orthostatic test (AOT) used to evaluate the adaptive capacity of the circulatory system [5] indicated an increase in HR (ΔHR1 = 19.2±8.2 bpm) and DBP by 10-15% (from 58.3 to 71.5 mmHg) when getting to a standing position, as well as a slight decrease in SBP (107-101.7 mmHg), which corresponds to an adequate response in the athletes of this age [1]. Three football players were found to have ΔHR1 above 30 bpm (13.04%). To improve orthostatic stability, which is extremely important for sports activities, it is necessary to include exercises with changing body position to develop spatial orientation abilities in athletes, and to extend the periods of stay in the vertical position during the day for the purpose of adaptation of the vessels.

34.7% of the examined football players demonstrated high RR values (up to 29 1/min). Dysfunctional breathing may be due to low hemoglobin, low aerobic working capacity, nerve or physical overstrain; however, to determine the exact causes sub-studies are to be conducted.

The maximal load testing revealed the MOC level in the athletes - 52.1±7.4 ml/kg/min, maximum breathing capacity (MBC) - the amount of air consumed by the athlete in terms of extremely intensive work during the test - 80.4±18.7 l/ min. Moreover, the MOC mean values in the team were found to be lower than those presented by other researchers [6, 9], and the MBC mean values in the football players were significantly lower than similar values in the skiers of the same age (120 l/ min). High HR values at low pedaling power were registered in 14.3% of the subjects, which partially prevented them from reaching higher MOC values.

In addition, the cycle ergometer testing conducted according to the RAMP-protocol helped determine the level of the lower limb muscle strength, determined by the submaximum power of pedaling test at the set pedaling speed of 80 rpm. The mean value of the maximum power reached was 223.5±33.9 W (152-294 W), relative - 4.6±0.5 W / kg (3.8-5.5) at the rate of 5 W/ kg [13]. Moreover, 23.8% demonstrated relative power of more than 5 W/ kg.

In the Wingate test, the athletes demonstrated high values of the absolute - 518.3±91.6 W (371-698 W) and relative - 10.6±1.2 W/ kg (8.6-12.92 W/ kg) MAP, while the time to the peak MAP was 4.9±4.1 sec. 40% of the football players were classified as athletes with a high level of development of speed-strength abilities. The "standing long jump" test results also indicate the examined athletes’ high level of development of speed-strength qualities of the leg muscles - 202.5±15.7 cm (176-227 сm), which is much higher than in the football players of the same age group [9, 14].

Hitting the ball across a distance is one of the most commonly used tests in football, as it is the most important move performed during the game [2]. The subject athletes demonstrated high test results (36.2±4.2 m) as opposed to the football players of the same age [7].

The level of development of speed-strength qualities of the abdominal muscles, shoulder girdle and hands was assessed by means of the "long throw-in" test. Unlike the 13 year-old football players [7], the tested sample demonstrated low test results - 13.3±2.9 m (8.5-18 m). The adolescents’ attention concentration on the main support points of the technical element, as well as inclusion of specialized strength exercises in the preparatory training period will contribute to the optimal development of the football players in terms of this component.

Rather high level of speed-strength endurance in the football players can be inferred by the average relative power of 8.5±1 W/ kg (7.06-10.6 W/ kg) in the Wingate test and by the results in the jumping tests: 5-fold jump off both feet with landing on both feet - 1019.7±81 cm (885 ̶ 1200 cm) and 10-fold hopping - 2127.1±138.3 cm (1882-2370 cm). Only 26.67% of football players had a low level of development of speed-strength endurance.

In general, the technical skills level, estimated using 7 tests [12], can be deemed satisfactory: the football players understood all motor tasks and successfully performed them. However, some results were rather surprising for the coach and athletes themselves. Thus, we obtained rather low results in the following tests: accuracy of passing the ball across a distance of 9 m to a 75 cm wide goalpost (1.63±0.83 hits out of 5) and accuracy of shooting the ball to the five goalpost zones (2.15±1.5 hits out of 5). At the same time, we detected the following motor errors of the football players: incorrect positioning of the supporting leg and hitting feet when shooting the ball, the absence of the post-hit tracking of the ball and the aiming itself (keeping an eye on the goal-area). Probably, the reason for the lack of accuracy of the passes and shots on goal is violation of the teaching method.

The mental and physical fitness tests showed fast SVMR in the 12-13 year-old football players - 205.68±4.94 ms (161.1-232.8 ms), as well as high response stability - 37.8±4.3 ms. By the type of temperament the athletes were divided into the following groups: sanguinic – 36% of the team, choleric - 14%, ambivalent (combining the features of several types, which can be explained by the inconsistency inherent in adolescent development) - 50%. The MPI questionnaire showed emotional instability of the sample tested: 28% were prone to stable neuroticism, 14% were tested with fair emotional control skills, emotional responses in 58% of the testees were driven by the situation: adolescents were able to quickly respond to abnormal game situations, with a great error probability.

Therefore, the integrated staged tests made it possible to give an exhaustive estimation of the functional state and mental and physical condition of the athletes, evaluate strengths and weaknesses of physical fitness and technical skills of the 12-13 year-old football players, determine potential causes of shortcomings in their physical fitness structure and propose correction of the training process for further optimal implementation of sports activities.

Conclusions:

• The physical fitness rates of the sample are within the age norm. The ffootball players in the prime specialization stage are normally tested with high speed-strength and endurance rates. The still low MOC rates of the 12-13 year-olds (52.1±7.4 ml/kg/min) may be explained by the inadequate anaerobic capacities, low MV rates (80.4±18.7 l/min), and, to a lesser extent, by the still low leg strength.
• The technical fitness tests made it possible to identify the key problems including the low accuracy of the passes and shots on goal.
• The junior football players were tested with high response and response stability rates; with 28% tested prone to emotional imbalances and only 14% tested with fair emotional control skills; while most of the sample were tested driven by emotions and game situations i.e. their behaviour was found the temperament- and age-specific.

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Corresponding author: sport_tsp@mail.ru

Abstract

The study analyses design and content of the integrated staged tests of football players in the advanced specialization stage including physical, technical and mental fitness tests. The study gives the hemodynamic test rates; functionality test rates generated by a gas-analyzer system; and the mental fitness test rates of the 12-13 year-old football players, with a special emphasis on the technical skills and physical fitness. The study data and analyses showed the physical fitness rates of the sample being within the age norm. Junior football players at the prime specialization stage are normally tested with high speed-strength and endurance rates. The still low maximal oxygen consumption rates of the 12-13 year olds (52.1±7.4 ml/kg/min) may be explained by the inadequate anaerobic capacities, low maximum ventilation (MV) rates (80.4±18.7 l/min), and, to a lesser extent, by the still low leg strength. The technical skills tests made it possible to identify the key problems including the low accuracy of the passes and shots on goal. The junior football players were tested with high response and response stability rates; with 28% tested prone to emotional imbalances; 14% tested with fair emotional control skills; and most of the sample tested driven by emotions and game situations i.e. their behaviour was found the temperament- and age-specific. The study data and analyses were applied to produce recommendations on how the education and training process may be improved.