Research on the external physical load on elite youth soccer players during the weekly training microcycle in competitive periods and official matches is limited. The aims of this study were twofold: a) investigate possible differences in external physical load (PL) across player positions in U17 elite youth soccer players during official matches; b) determine the weekly training to match physical load ratio (WTMLr) across player positions. The sample included 20 outfield players from an elite soccer academy (mean age 15.94 ± 0.25 years) playing in four positions: central defender (CD), full-back (FB), central midfielder (CM) and Striker (S). Data were collected during the spring in-season period for 17 official matches played in a 4-3-3 game format. Indicators of external physical load monitored were: total distance (TD); total distance in high-speed running (HSR; > 16.1 km.h-1); total distance in sprint running (SPR; > 21.6 km.h-1); and relative physical load intensity (%HSR). The WTMLr was calculated for TD, HSR, SPR and %HSR as the ratio of the average weekly sum of training PL to the average sum of PL in an official match for a given players' position. Collectively, the training intensity during a one-week microcycle (%HSR in WTMLr) achieved only 76 % of match demands. CD performed significantly lower in all measured indicators of external PL during the official match than all other positions (p < 0.05; g > 0.80) except for TD in S. S achieved significantly higher SPR during official matches compared to CD (p < 0.05; g > 0.80), CM, and FB (g > 0.80). In contrast, CD reported higher WTMLr (medium-large effect size) in HSR and SPR indicators than all other positions. CM performed significantly higher %HSR in WTMLr than S and FB (p < 0.05; g > 0.80). Results revealed insufficient training intensity relative to match demands and, at the same time, weekly training PL did not meet match demands (especially in HSR and SPR) for players across the different positions. Therefore, practitioners should select appropriate training methods (drills and games) to ensure sufficient training intensity (HSR and SR metrics) and consider using the WTMLr, which can be used to help optimise and individualise training PL for different player positions.

• MeSH
• běh * MeSH
• fotbal * MeSH
• geografické informační systémy MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the basic elements of more complex sport-specific skills and should be mastered at the end of early childhood; however, the relationship between FMS and sport-specific skills has not yet been verified in prepubertal soccer players. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the role of FMS in the process of acquiring soccer-specific motor skills (measured using speed dribbling) with regard to physical fitness and biological maturation. Forty male soccer players (11.5 ± 0.3 years of age) at the highest performance level participated in the study. The test of Gross Motor Development - second edition and Unifittest 6-60 were used to assess FMS and physical fitness, respectively. The role of FMS in a complex theoretical model with the relationships between physical fitness, biological maturation and speed dribbling was analyzed by multiple regression path analyses (MRPA). Moderate to strong correlations were found between FMS, physical fitness, and speed dribbling (r = 0.56-0.66). Biological maturation did not appear to be a significant predictor of physical fitness or speed dribbling. The MRPA model using FMS as mediator variable between physical fitness and speed dribbling showed a significant indirect effect (standard estimation = -0.31, p = 0.001; R2 = 0.25). However, the direct correlation between physical fitness and speed dribbling was non-significant. Our results showed that FMS significantly strengthened the influence of physical fitness on the performance of speed dribbling, a soccer-specific motor skill, and thus play an important role in the process of acquiring sport-specific motor skills in prepubertal soccer players. When considering the long-term training process, especially during childhood and before puberty, a wide range of FMS activities should be applied for better and possibly faster acquisition of soccer-specific motor skills.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Background: The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition (MABC-2) Age Band 1 is widely used to identify preschoolers with motor difficulties. Despite unsatisfactory construct validity of the original three-factor model, MABC-2 (manual dexterity, aiming and catching, and balance), previous research has not considered possible age and gender differences throughout the entire preschool period. Aim: The aim of this study was to verify the construct validity of the MABC-2 Age Band 1 in a population of Czech preschoolers with respect to age and gender. Methods: Using data from 510 Czech preschoolers (3-6 years; 4.9 ± 1.1 years), confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used for each age category and gender. Results: The goodness-of-fit indices of CFA supported the original three-factor model of the MABC-2 only in 3- and 4-year-old children, and in boys (3-6 years). Low factor loadings and ceiling effects of several test items (Drawing Trail, Walking Heels Raised, and Jumping on Mats) seem to be a probable cause of weak fit indices in 5- and 6-year-old children and in girls (3-6 years). Conclusion: These results suggest that the MABC-2 can be a valid tool for assessing motor development and identifying motor difficulties among 3- to 4-year olds, and generally fits better for preschool boys in the Czech Republic. However, in 5- to 6-year olds, ceiling effects and a low power of discrimination was found for the Drawing Trail, Walking Heels Raised, and Jumping on Mats tests. Therefore, the three-factor model is not appropriate for all preschoolers, and separate norms should be established for each age and gender.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The aim of this study was to assess differences in fundamental motor skills (FMS) proficiency between boys and girls of each age group, independently, across the entire preschool period. Using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition, FMS proficiency was tested in 325 preschoolers (4.9 ± 1.1 y, range 3-6) using a cross-sectional design. Compared to boys of the same age, 3- and 4-year-old girls had greater total (p < .01), fine motor skill (p < .01), and balance scores (p < .05). There were no sex differences for total test or balance scores in 5- and 6-year-olds, but 6-year-old boys outperformed girls in aiming and catching (p < .001). These data not only agree with previous research in that sex differences in FMS proficiency exist in preschool children, but the data also show that differences may not be uniform throughout the whole preschool period when analyzing by age. To avoid under- or overestimating FMS proficiency and subsequently prescribing inaccurate motor intervention programs, FMS proficiency normative values should be age- and sex-specific throughout the entire preschool period.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• motorické dovednosti * MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• referenční hodnoty MeSH
• sexuální faktory * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• pohybové dovednosti,
• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• motorické dovednosti * MeSH
• pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• výzkum MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH

Cílem studie bylo zjistit aktuální úroveň základních pohybových dovedností (PD) s ohledem na pohlavní rozdíly u předškolních dětí v ČR. 510 dětí ve věku 3 – 6 let se zúčastnilo této průřezové studie. Motorický test MABC-2 byl použit pro hodnocení úrovně PD s využitím ukazatele celkového testového skóre (CTS) a skórů jednotlivých testových subtestů (MZ – manuální zručnost, MCH – míření a chytání, R – rovnováha). Tří a čtyřleté dívky dosáhly významně lepšího výkonu v ukazateli CTS a dále v subtestech MZ a R v porovnání s chlapci stejného věku. U pěti a šestiletých dětí nebyly zjiš- těny rozdíly v ukazateli CTS. Avšak šestileté dívky dosáhly významně nižšího skóre v subtestu hrubé motoriky (manipulativní dovednosti; míření a chytání) v porovnání s chlapci. Navíc skóre šestiletých dívek v subtestu hrubé motoriky bylo podle manuálu MABC-2 výrazně pod populačním průměrem pro daný věk. Zjištěné výsledky naznačují, že tempo motorického vývoje se různí mezi chlapci a dívkami v průběhu předškolního věku. Zjištěné pohlavní rozdíly v jednotlivých oblastech motoriky je nutné brát v potaz při tvorbě pohybových programů pro rozvoj základních PD dětí předškolního věku. Speciální pozornost by měla být věnována zlepšení těch PD, respektive oblastem motoriky, ve kterých jsme zjistili nízkou úroveň PD.

The aim of this study was to assess the level of fundamental motor skills (PD) with respect to sex differences in preschool children. A total sample of 510 preschool children participated in this crosssectional study. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children – second edition (MABC-2) test was used for the assessment of FMS level using the total test score (CTS) and subtests score (MZ - manual dexterity, MCH - aiming and catching, R - balance). Results: 3- and 4-year-old girls performed significantly better than boys in CTS (p < 0.05) as well as in MZ and R subtests. We found no sex differences in CTS in 5- and 6-year-old children. However, 6-year-old boys performed significantly better in MCH subtest in comparison with girls (p < 0.01). Moreover, CTS score of 6-years-old girls was highly below the population mean according to MABC-2 test manual. According to our results the speed of FMS development differs between boys and girls during the whole preschool period. Revealed gender differences should be taken into consideration in preparation of motor programmes for development of fundamental PD. Special focus should be paid to improving motor skills, respectively to motor areas, where we found low level of PD.

• Klíčová slova
• pohybové dovednosti,
• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• motorické dovednosti * MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• výzkum MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• energetický výdej, vývojová porucha motoriky, děti,
• MeSH
• antropometrie MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• energetický metabolismus MeSH
• financování organizované MeSH
• index tělesné hmotnosti MeSH
• interpretace statistických dat MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• pohybová aktivita MeSH
• poruchy motorických dovedností diagnóza   MeSH
• školy MeSH
• statistika jako téma MeSH
• výzkum statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH