Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that short-distance sprint ability is essential for achieving a high competitive level in soccer. However, there are no systematic data by which sprint ability in Japanese soccer players can be evaluated. The aim of this study was to develop an age-related evaluation chart for 20-meter sprinting time in male soccer players. The subjects were 807 high-level soccer players between 5th grade of elementary school and high school as well as 120 senior players including professionals. The sprinting time was measured on a grassed field using infrared photocell sensors with the subjects wearing soccer shoes. The sensors detected the release of the subject's rear foot at the start and the passing of the subject's trunk through the 20-meter position. The average time for field players decreased from 3.69(0.14) s for 5th graders to 2.98(0.08) s for seniors. The value for goalkeepers decreased from 3.79(0.12) to 3.07(0.11) s. Using the averages and standard deviations, an evaluation chart classifying the 20-meter sprinting time into 5 levels was presented for each age group. In addition, another chart taking birth date into account was also developed for 7th and 8th graders, since boys born earlier showed an advantage in the sprinting time. The time ranking for the fastest group in field players was less than 2.93 s for 9th graders and 2.86 s in seniors, resulting in a difference of only 0.07 s. In contrast, the value ranking for the slowest group exceeded 3.31 s for 9th graders and 3.11 s for seniors, resulting in a difference of 0.20 s. This implies that soccer players having lower sprint ability may drop out from the selection process as they get older. This evaluation chart can be useful for identifying the short-distance sprinting ability of soccer players in each age group.
