Power and anaerobic capacity in female soccer: A comparison between different age-categories

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Nowadays, female soccer can be considered one of fastest growing sports trends. However, investigations regarding female soccer players’ performance are still scarce comparing to male soccer players. The purpose of this study was to compare the athletic profile of female soccer players from adult and youth categories of a professional soccer club. Material and methods Forty-two female soccer players from a professional soccer club were recruited for this investigation (adult category n = 21; youth category n = 21). Performance tests were randomly assigned. Aerobic capacity, sprint, change-of-direction ability, and power performance were assessed. Results There were no significant differences between groups for any of the proposed parameters. Also, better unilateral jump performance for the right leg was observed among adult players (p = 0.05). Conclusions The study suggests that there is no clear discrepancy between youth and adult categories regarding power, sprint, change-of-direction ability, and aerobic performance. However, a trend towards lower limb asymmetry was observed among adult players. (AU)