Proceedings of Mathsport international 2017 conference

Proceedings of MathSport International 2017 Conference, held in the Botanical Garden of the University of Padua, June 26-28, 2017. MathSport International organizes biennial conferences dedicated to all topics where mathematics and sport meet. Topics include: performance measures, optimization of sports performance, statistics and probability models, mathematical and physical models in sports, competitive strategies, statistics and probability match outcome models, optimal tournament design and scheduling, decision support systems, analysis of rules and adjudication, econometrics in sport, analysis of sporting technologies, financial valuation in sport, e-sports (gaming), betting and sports

The wider context of performance analysis and it application in the football coaching process

The evolving role of PA and the associated proliferation of positions and internships within high performance sport has driven consideration for a change, or at least a broadening, of emphasis for use of PA analysis. In order to explore the evolution of PA from both an academic and practitioner perspective this paper considers the wider conceptual use of PA analysis. In establishing this, the paper has 4 key aims: (1) To establish working definitions of PA and where it sits within the contemporary sports science and coaching process continuum; (2) To consider how PA is currently used in relation to data generation; (3) To explore how PA could be used to ensure transfer of information, and; (4) To give consideration to the practical constrains potentially faced by coach and analyst when implementing PA strategies in the future

The collection, analysis and exploitation of footballer attributes: A systematic review

© 2022 – The authors. Published by IOS Press. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0)There is growing on-going research into how footballer attributes, collected prior to, during and post-match, may address the demands of clubs, media pundits and gaming developers. Focusing upon individual player performance analysis and prediction, we examined the body of research which considers different player attributes. This resulted in the selection of 132 relevant papers published between 1999 and 2020. From these we have compiled a comprehensive list of player attributes, categorising them as static, such as age and height, or dynamic, such as pass completions and shots on target. To indicate their accuracy, we classified each attribute as objectively or subjectively derived, and finally by their implied accessibility and their likely personal and club sensitivity. We assigned these attributes to 25 logical groups such as passing, tackling and player demographics. We analysed the relative research focus on each group and noted the analytical methods deployed, identifying which statistical or machine learning techniques were used. We reviewed and considered the use of character trait attributes in the selected papers and discuss more formal approaches to their use. Based upon this we have made recommendations on how this work may be developed to support elite clubs in the consideration of transfer targets.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

GPS analysis of a team competing at a national Under 18 field hockey tournament

The purpose of this study was to utilise global-positioning system (GPS) technology to quantify the running demands of national Under 18 field hockey players competing in a regional field hockey tournament. Ten male players (mean ± SD; age 17.2 ± 0.4 years; stature 178.1 ± 5.2 cm; body mass 78.8 ± 8.8 kg) wore GPS units while competing in six matches over seven days at the 2018 New Zealand national under 18 field hockey tournament. GPS enabled the measurement of total distance (TD), low-speed activity (LSA; 0 -14.9 km/hr), and high-speed running (HSR; ≥ 15 km/hr) distances. Differences in running demands (TD, LSA, HSR) between positions were assessed using effect size and percent difference ± 90% confidence intervals. Midfielders covered the most TD and LSA per game and strikers the most HSR during the 6 matches. There were “very large” differences between strikers and midfielders for TD and LSA, strikers and defenders for LSA and HSR, and defenders and midfielders for LSA. These results suggest that these playing positions are sufficiently different to warrant specialised position-specific conditioning training leading into a field hockey tournament

The effects of morning preconditioning protocols on testosterone, cortisol and afternoon sprint cycling performance [conference presentation]

Opportunities exist for athletes to undertake morning exercise protocols in an attempt to potentate afternoon performance. Four sub elite track sprint cyclists completed a morning cycling (Cyc) or weights-based protocol (WP) prior to an afternoon cycling time trial (500m) in a repeated measures, counterbalance crossover design. Measured variables included heart rate, blood lactate, cycling peak power, salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol levels along with time trial performance. Standardised differences in means via magnitude-based inferences were calculated using paired samples T-tests in SPSS version 24 with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The WP produced significantly faster times in the final 250m in comparison to CycP. The anticipated circadian decline of T was observed after the CycP but was however mitigated following the WP. While slight decreases in 500m times were experienced during the WP, they were not significant and were considered within the normal variations experienced between performances by elite athletes. The effect of the WP on the circadian rhythm of T could be linked to a greater recruitment of muscle fibres. Results suggest a morning resistance protocol can positively affect testosterone levels for afternoon performance. Possible gender and individual responses from conducting a W over Cyc protocol were observed and require further investigation

Modelling change and stability of physical and technical performance in young soccer players.

Esta tese investigou a relação entre mudanças no crescimento e forma do corpo, composição corporal, maturação biológica, desempenho físico, habilidades técnicas, conhecimento de jogo e historial do treino de jovens futebolistas no contexto de seus clubes. O estudo tem um delineamento longitudinal-misto; amostrou 150 futebolistas com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e 14 anos no baseline, oriundos de seis clubes de futebol da área metropolitana do Porto que foram selecionados do estudo Em Busca da Excelência no Desporto - Um Estudo Longitudinal Misto em Jovens Atletas (INEX) (2016-2019). Os jogadores foram divididos em três coortes de idade (12, 13 e 14 anos), e seguidos consecutivamente durante 4 anos. Os dados foram coletados com protocolos padronizados, e a informação está dividida em dois domínios: Individual - biológico, aptidão física, habilidades específicas da modalidade/proficiência do jogo, psicológico, e contextual - clubes. Os procedimentos estatísticos foram realizados nos softwares Somatotype calculation, SPSS, Timepath, MATLAB e STATA. Os resultados mostraram que: (1) jogadores mais velhos são mais altos e pesados e têm valores de composição corporal correspondentes à maturação biológica avançada; (2) jogadores mais velhos têm melhor desempenho físico e são mais habilidosos que os seus pares mais jovens; (3) estas componentes estão relacionadas com maturidade avançada e mais tempo de treino; (4) as habilidades táticas e características psicológicas dos jogadores não diferem entre as coortes de idade; (5) os clubes oferecem uma variedade de condições para aumentar o sucesso dos jogadores na resposta ao treino e à competição; (6) o desenvolvimento da velocidade e agilidade apresentou uma tendência linear em função do tempo; (7) a puberdade é considerada um momento crucial para nutrir futuras vocações de qualidade dos jogadores de futebol dos futebolistas sobretudo no seu desempenho físico; (8) este desenvolvimento está positivamente associado com a maturidade, níveis mais elevados de força explosiva dos membros inferiores e horas acumuladas de treino; (9) velocidade de condução de bola, passe curto com tabela e o precisão de remate melhoraram com a idade, os níveis de atleticismo e horas acumuladas de treino; (10) o crescimento do corpo e a maturidade não explicaram, de forma independente, as diferenças nas trajetórias das habilidades técnicas dos jogadores; (11) o remate de precisão não está associado, significativamente, com os preditores considerados no estudo. Espera-se que os resultados deste estudo possam contribuir para uma atitude mais esclarecida e abrangente na preparação dos jovens futebolistas em termos da sua resposta ao treino e competição ao longo da sua carreira desportiva. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: futebol jovem; atuação; Habilidades; longitudinal; multinível; desenvolvimento; treino; maturidade.This thesis investigates the relationship between changes in young soccer players' physical growth, body shape and composition, biological maturation, physical performance, technical skills, game knowledge and training history within the context of their clubs. A total of 150 players aged 12 to 14 years, at baseline, were selected from participants in the In Search of Excellence in Sport - A Mixed-Longitudinal Study in Young Athletes (INEX) study (2016-2019). INEX was conducted in six soccer clubs of the Porto metropolitan area. They clustered into three age-cohorts (12, 13 and 14 years), were followed consecutively over 4-years using a mixed-longitudinal study design. All data were collected using standardized protocols and the information was distributed over two nested domains: individual - biological, skill/ game proficiency, psychological, and contexts - clubs. Statistical procedures were done in Somatotype calculation, SPSS, LDA, MATLAB, and STATA. Results showed that: (1) older players were more advanced in body physique and their body composition were in line with their advanced biological maturation; (2) older players outperformed their younger peers in all physical performance and technical skills components; (3) these components were related to both advanced maturity and increased training; (4) young soccer players' tactical skills as well as psychological characteristics did not differ across age-cohorts; (5) clubs offer a variety of conditions aiming to enhance players success in their response to training and competition; (6) young soccer players development in speed and agility showed a linear trend, i.e., they improve as time passes; (7) puberty has been found to be a crucial time for nourishing soccer players' future quality vocations in physical performance development; (8) physical performance development is positively associated with biological maturation, higher levels of explosive leg strength, and accumulated hours of soccer specific training; (9) dribbling speed, short-pass rebound and shooting accuracy linearly improved with age, levels of athleticism, and years of official soccer training had positive affect on dribbling speed development; (10) body growth and biological maturation did not independently explain differences in players' trajectories in technical skills; (11) shooting accuracy technique had no significant association with any predictors. We hope that these results may be useful for a more comprehensive approach in young soccer players' long-term preparation in terms of their responses to training and competition