The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of body composition, particularly body fat pe... more The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of body composition, particularly body fat percentage (BF%) and fat-free mass (FFM), on physical fitness and players’ on-court performance in U-14 elite Portuguese basketball players. A total of 166 male basketball players (age, 13.80 ± 0.38 years) and 131 female basketball players (age, 13.57 ± 0.55 years) from under-14 (U-14) elite regional teams were evaluated. Differences between body composition groups, regarding physical tests and performance-related variables, adjusted for years at age peak velocity (YAPHV), were evaluated using ANCOVA tests, for male and female players. Results showed that: (i) low body fat male players jumped significantly higher and had more relative jumping power, were faster, and had better game performance than higher body fat male players, (ii) higher fat-free mass male players revealed significantly higher upper body strength and gained more rebounds than other players, (iii) higher body fat female p...
German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 2023
Background
Defensive action can decisively affect football match performance. However, there has ... more Background Defensive action can decisively affect football match performance. However, there has been limited translation of the existing academic literature into improvement in applied practice. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to: (1) identify defence-related variables commonly linked to positive/negative performance outcomes, and thereby improve understanding of their potential applications; (2) determine potentially useful directions for future research.
Methods We searched the databases SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge Core Collection in May 2023 for observational studies of adult male, football defence-related data, gathered from 2004 onwards at official international or domestic elite-level competitions. Each of the 119 papers was scored for quality according to a 14-item checklist, which itself was based on the Critical Review Form. The findings were organised according to two major themes: (1) variables used in defensive performance analysis and (2) methodological issues and future avenues of research.
Results Research found teams to vary the game styles that they had adopted, to decrease their spatial occupation of the pitch, and to increase intrateam movement synchronisation whilst defending. Given the research findings, regaining possession higher-up the pitch, whilst maintaining a balanced positioning and opting for an “intense” approach, appears advisable.
Conclusion A notable research–practice gap was identified. To better address coaches’ “everyday concerns”, future research should (1) become more “process-oriented”, (2) acknowledge the specificities of certain subareas of the pitch, and (3) involve improved processing of spatial–temporal data.
O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a associação dos diferentes indicadores de desempenho... more O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a associação dos diferentes indicadores de desempenho, registados nos últimos 10 minutos do jogo de handebol, com o desfecho da partida em função da qualidade do adversário, local e equilíbrio do jogo. A amostra foi constituída por 1551 processos ofensivos e 1549 processos defensivos registados em 150 períodos de 10 minutos, observados em 75 jogos, realizados por nove equipes da Liga Portuguesa de Handebol de Seniores Masculinos na época de 2008/2009. Para o registro dos dados foi desenvolvido um sistema de observação, composto por oito variáveis de desempenho (relação numérica, fase do jogo, substituições, ações ofensivas, ações defensivas, sanções disciplinares, resultado da posse de bola e resultado do jogo) e três variáveis contextuais (local do jogo, qualidade do adversário e equilíbrio da partida). A análise da relação entre o desempenho, o resultado da partida e as variáveis contextuais foi feita com recurso ao teste do Qui-quadrado...
International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 2022
Although penalty-kick outcomes in football are thought to be affected by different factors, many ... more Although penalty-kick outcomes in football are thought to be affected by different factors, many of them have not been sufficiently analysed yet. This study sought to replicate and extend the findings of a previous multifactorial analysis of penalty kicks in Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) club competitions. For that purpose, we used a larger sample ( n = 833), collected from eight consecutive seasons of the Portuguese First League (from 2013–2014 to 2020–2021) and adding the variables season, team quality and the penalty taker's playing status (starter or substitute) to the analysis. Chi-square tests of independence only showed significant associations of performance-related factors ( shot horizontal and vertical directions, and goalkeeper's action) with penalty-kick outcome. Multinomial logistic regression model revealed significant increases in the odds of penalty kicks being saved when (1) shots were directed to the centre-left zones compared to the right ...
The present study aimed to analyze the interaction and main effects of deliberate practice experi... more The present study aimed to analyze the interaction and main effects of deliberate practice experience and small-sided game format (3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 plus goalkeepers) on the offensive performance of young soccer players. Twenty-eight U-15 male players were divided into 2 groups according to their deliberate practice experience in soccer (i.e., years of experience in federation soccer): Non-Experienced (age: 12.84 ± 0.63 years) and Experienced (age: 12.91 ± 0.59 years; experience: 3.93 ± 1.00 years). The experimental protocol consisted of 3 independent sessions separated by one-week intervals. In each session both groups performed each small-sided game during 10 minutes interspersed with 5 minutes of passive recovery. To characterize the recorded offensive sequences we used the Offensive Sequences Characterization System, which includes performance indicators previous applied in other studies. No interaction effects on the offensive performance were found between both factors. Non-...
This paper analyzes the factors that influence the collective income in the game of handball from... more This paper analyzes the factors that influence the collective income in the game of handball from the perspective that considers the dynamic interaction of the benefits of both offensive and defensive teams in time, as related to the current result of the meeting and the pace of alternation of possession. With use of probabilistic modeling had been has examined the impact of recent past performance of the team in their probability of being successful during the meeting, taking into account the specific context of the game, characterized by the level of the teams clash in the balance of the meeting and the number of possessions ball per game.
International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 2014
ABSTRACT Exploring the practical knowledge of expert basketball coaches, the present study aims t... more ABSTRACT Exploring the practical knowledge of expert basketball coaches, the present study aims to analyse the basketball game criticality through a grounded theory approach. Data from semi-structured interviews with 17 expert basketball coaches were used to explore the conceptual understanding of game critical moments. Results demonstrated that expert coaches identify different game occurrences as precipitating events. They can be characterized according the basketball game nature. Game tempo, point's difference and balance/unbalance perception emerged as three situational variables that allowed us to define a preliminary coaching model to explain how expert coaches deal with the critical game situations. This preliminary model allows us to access a whole range of information about game development and to a better understanding of the coaching decision-making. Further studies are needed to investigate and generalize these results and to have a more valid explorative model of the sport games criticality.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether offensive and defensive collective behaviours em... more The purpose of this study was to examine whether offensive and defensive collective behaviours emerging in six-a-side football games (GK+5 vs. 5+GK) varied according to age-related practice experience of young, male players (U16, U17 and U19yrs). Players' were not instructed to implement specific tactical plans and their movement trajectories (2D analyses) were recorded using 10 GPS units. Four common measures of team dispersion investigated in previous research (surface area, stretch index, length and width of a team) were used to analyse team performance behaviours. After recording these collective variables, we used sample entropy (SampEn) and cross-sample entropy (Cross-SampEn) measures to assess the regularity and synchronization of participant actions in teams. Results demonstrated clear age-related variations in effects on the collective performance measures analysed. In attacking phases, older and more experienced players occupied a greater surface area and displayed hig...
The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of body composition, particularly body fat pe... more The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of body composition, particularly body fat percentage (BF%) and fat-free mass (FFM), on physical fitness and players’ on-court performance in U-14 elite Portuguese basketball players. A total of 166 male basketball players (age, 13.80 ± 0.38 years) and 131 female basketball players (age, 13.57 ± 0.55 years) from under-14 (U-14) elite regional teams were evaluated. Differences between body composition groups, regarding physical tests and performance-related variables, adjusted for years at age peak velocity (YAPHV), were evaluated using ANCOVA tests, for male and female players. Results showed that: (i) low body fat male players jumped significantly higher and had more relative jumping power, were faster, and had better game performance than higher body fat male players, (ii) higher fat-free mass male players revealed significantly higher upper body strength and gained more rebounds than other players, (iii) higher body fat female p...
German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 2023
Background
Defensive action can decisively affect football match performance. However, there has ... more Background Defensive action can decisively affect football match performance. However, there has been limited translation of the existing academic literature into improvement in applied practice. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to: (1) identify defence-related variables commonly linked to positive/negative performance outcomes, and thereby improve understanding of their potential applications; (2) determine potentially useful directions for future research.
Methods We searched the databases SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge Core Collection in May 2023 for observational studies of adult male, football defence-related data, gathered from 2004 onwards at official international or domestic elite-level competitions. Each of the 119 papers was scored for quality according to a 14-item checklist, which itself was based on the Critical Review Form. The findings were organised according to two major themes: (1) variables used in defensive performance analysis and (2) methodological issues and future avenues of research.
Results Research found teams to vary the game styles that they had adopted, to decrease their spatial occupation of the pitch, and to increase intrateam movement synchronisation whilst defending. Given the research findings, regaining possession higher-up the pitch, whilst maintaining a balanced positioning and opting for an “intense” approach, appears advisable.
Conclusion A notable research–practice gap was identified. To better address coaches’ “everyday concerns”, future research should (1) become more “process-oriented”, (2) acknowledge the specificities of certain subareas of the pitch, and (3) involve improved processing of spatial–temporal data.
O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a associação dos diferentes indicadores de desempenho... more O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a associação dos diferentes indicadores de desempenho, registados nos últimos 10 minutos do jogo de handebol, com o desfecho da partida em função da qualidade do adversário, local e equilíbrio do jogo. A amostra foi constituída por 1551 processos ofensivos e 1549 processos defensivos registados em 150 períodos de 10 minutos, observados em 75 jogos, realizados por nove equipes da Liga Portuguesa de Handebol de Seniores Masculinos na época de 2008/2009. Para o registro dos dados foi desenvolvido um sistema de observação, composto por oito variáveis de desempenho (relação numérica, fase do jogo, substituições, ações ofensivas, ações defensivas, sanções disciplinares, resultado da posse de bola e resultado do jogo) e três variáveis contextuais (local do jogo, qualidade do adversário e equilíbrio da partida). A análise da relação entre o desempenho, o resultado da partida e as variáveis contextuais foi feita com recurso ao teste do Qui-quadrado...
International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 2022
Although penalty-kick outcomes in football are thought to be affected by different factors, many ... more Although penalty-kick outcomes in football are thought to be affected by different factors, many of them have not been sufficiently analysed yet. This study sought to replicate and extend the findings of a previous multifactorial analysis of penalty kicks in Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) club competitions. For that purpose, we used a larger sample ( n = 833), collected from eight consecutive seasons of the Portuguese First League (from 2013–2014 to 2020–2021) and adding the variables season, team quality and the penalty taker's playing status (starter or substitute) to the analysis. Chi-square tests of independence only showed significant associations of performance-related factors ( shot horizontal and vertical directions, and goalkeeper's action) with penalty-kick outcome. Multinomial logistic regression model revealed significant increases in the odds of penalty kicks being saved when (1) shots were directed to the centre-left zones compared to the right ...
The present study aimed to analyze the interaction and main effects of deliberate practice experi... more The present study aimed to analyze the interaction and main effects of deliberate practice experience and small-sided game format (3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 plus goalkeepers) on the offensive performance of young soccer players. Twenty-eight U-15 male players were divided into 2 groups according to their deliberate practice experience in soccer (i.e., years of experience in federation soccer): Non-Experienced (age: 12.84 ± 0.63 years) and Experienced (age: 12.91 ± 0.59 years; experience: 3.93 ± 1.00 years). The experimental protocol consisted of 3 independent sessions separated by one-week intervals. In each session both groups performed each small-sided game during 10 minutes interspersed with 5 minutes of passive recovery. To characterize the recorded offensive sequences we used the Offensive Sequences Characterization System, which includes performance indicators previous applied in other studies. No interaction effects on the offensive performance were found between both factors. Non-...
This paper analyzes the factors that influence the collective income in the game of handball from... more This paper analyzes the factors that influence the collective income in the game of handball from the perspective that considers the dynamic interaction of the benefits of both offensive and defensive teams in time, as related to the current result of the meeting and the pace of alternation of possession. With use of probabilistic modeling had been has examined the impact of recent past performance of the team in their probability of being successful during the meeting, taking into account the specific context of the game, characterized by the level of the teams clash in the balance of the meeting and the number of possessions ball per game.
International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 2014
ABSTRACT Exploring the practical knowledge of expert basketball coaches, the present study aims t... more ABSTRACT Exploring the practical knowledge of expert basketball coaches, the present study aims to analyse the basketball game criticality through a grounded theory approach. Data from semi-structured interviews with 17 expert basketball coaches were used to explore the conceptual understanding of game critical moments. Results demonstrated that expert coaches identify different game occurrences as precipitating events. They can be characterized according the basketball game nature. Game tempo, point's difference and balance/unbalance perception emerged as three situational variables that allowed us to define a preliminary coaching model to explain how expert coaches deal with the critical game situations. This preliminary model allows us to access a whole range of information about game development and to a better understanding of the coaching decision-making. Further studies are needed to investigate and generalize these results and to have a more valid explorative model of the sport games criticality.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether offensive and defensive collective behaviours em... more The purpose of this study was to examine whether offensive and defensive collective behaviours emerging in six-a-side football games (GK+5 vs. 5+GK) varied according to age-related practice experience of young, male players (U16, U17 and U19yrs). Players' were not instructed to implement specific tactical plans and their movement trajectories (2D analyses) were recorded using 10 GPS units. Four common measures of team dispersion investigated in previous research (surface area, stretch index, length and width of a team) were used to analyse team performance behaviours. After recording these collective variables, we used sample entropy (SampEn) and cross-sample entropy (Cross-SampEn) measures to assess the regularity and synchronization of participant actions in teams. Results demonstrated clear age-related variations in effects on the collective performance measures analysed. In attacking phases, older and more experienced players occupied a greater surface area and displayed hig...
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Defensive action can decisively affect football match performance. However, there has been limited translation of the existing academic literature into improvement in applied practice. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to: (1) identify defence-related variables commonly linked to positive/negative performance outcomes, and thereby improve understanding of their potential applications; (2) determine potentially useful directions for future research.
Methods
We searched the databases SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge Core Collection in May 2023 for observational studies of adult male, football defence-related data, gathered from 2004 onwards at official international or domestic elite-level competitions. Each of the 119 papers was scored for quality according to a 14-item checklist, which itself was based on the Critical Review Form. The findings were organised according to two major themes: (1) variables used in defensive performance analysis and (2) methodological issues and future avenues of research.
Results
Research found teams to vary the game styles that they had adopted, to decrease their spatial occupation of the pitch, and to increase intrateam movement synchronisation whilst defending. Given the research findings, regaining possession higher-up the pitch, whilst maintaining a balanced positioning and opting for an “intense” approach, appears advisable.
Conclusion
A notable research–practice gap was identified. To better address coaches’ “everyday concerns”, future research should (1) become more “process-oriented”, (2) acknowledge the specificities of certain subareas of the pitch, and (3) involve improved processing of spatial–temporal data.
Defensive action can decisively affect football match performance. However, there has been limited translation of the existing academic literature into improvement in applied practice. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to: (1) identify defence-related variables commonly linked to positive/negative performance outcomes, and thereby improve understanding of their potential applications; (2) determine potentially useful directions for future research.
Methods
We searched the databases SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge Core Collection in May 2023 for observational studies of adult male, football defence-related data, gathered from 2004 onwards at official international or domestic elite-level competitions. Each of the 119 papers was scored for quality according to a 14-item checklist, which itself was based on the Critical Review Form. The findings were organised according to two major themes: (1) variables used in defensive performance analysis and (2) methodological issues and future avenues of research.
Results
Research found teams to vary the game styles that they had adopted, to decrease their spatial occupation of the pitch, and to increase intrateam movement synchronisation whilst defending. Given the research findings, regaining possession higher-up the pitch, whilst maintaining a balanced positioning and opting for an “intense” approach, appears advisable.
Conclusion
A notable research–practice gap was identified. To better address coaches’ “everyday concerns”, future research should (1) become more “process-oriented”, (2) acknowledge the specificities of certain subareas of the pitch, and (3) involve improved processing of spatial–temporal data.