A Comparison of 5, 10, 30 Meters Sprint, Modified T-Test, Arrowhead and Illinois Agility Tests on Football Referees

The ability of change of direction quickly, in other words agility, and short distance sprinting speed are two of the most important performance components for football referees. The tests used by FIFA and UEFA such as Cooper Test, Yo-Yo Intermittent Test, 40 × 75 m tests do not include testing the agility skills of the referees. However, especially the field referees changing their activities constantly. Otherwise, the short distance sprinting is another important factor to well positioning of the football referees. Especially, the assistant referees frequently performs short sprints to follow the offside line. For these reasons, we have compared 5 m, 10 m, 30 m sprint tests, T-Test, Arrowhead Agility Test and Illinois Agility Test scores of the football referees working in Ankara (City referees). All referees performed sprint tests twice and performed the agility tests one time. All tests have shown normal distribution frequencies. Our results showed that all of the six tests have shown positive correlations between (P<0,01). Additively, it could be said that the agility skill has a relationship with short distance sprinting because of the referees who showed better sprint performances were also found to have higher agility scores. Consequently, each of the 5 m, 10 m, 30 m, T-Test, Arrowhead and Illinois Agility Test could be used to assess the performance of the referees

Effect of body composition on the athletic performance of soccer referees

Nutrition plays an important role in improving sports performance. The present study aimed at nutritional assessment and examined the relationship between athletic performance and body composition in soccer referees at different levels. The study participants were 120 male soccer referees. 5, 10 and 30 metres (m) sprint tests to measure speed and cooper test for physical fitness were applied in the referees. Participants were divided into two groups as city and class soccer referee. The anthropometric measurements, excluding fat mass (FM) (%), were higher in class referees. Fat mass (%) differences (14⋅1 ± 4⋅28 v. 12⋅3 ± 4⋅41) were statistically significant (P < 0⋅05). Daily energy and nutrient intakes were similar. The inadequacy percentages of energy, vitamin A and calcium were the highest (29⋅2, 30⋅0 and 34⋅2 %, respectively). It was found that a negative significant correlation between FM% and cooper test score (P < 0⋅01; r = −0⋅35), a positive significant correlation between FM% and 5, 10 and 30 m sprint test scores (P < 0⋅01, r = 0⋅38; P < 0⋅01, r = 0⋅38 and P < 0⋅01, r = 0⋅48, respectively). Similarly, there was a negative significant correlation between waist circumference (WC) and cooper test score (P < 0⋅01; r = −0⋅31), a positive significant correlation between WC and 5, 10 and 30 m sprint test scores (P < 0⋅01, r = 0⋅33; P < 0⋅01, r = 0⋅40; P < 0⋅01, r = 0⋅33, respectively). Nutritional recommendations for soccer referees should be made specific to the individual, considering body composition, training intensity and match frequency by a dietician