Abstract
This study aims to clarify effect of competitive level on collective variables and technical plays within same team in soccer-specific ball possession training with attacking direction. Twenty-two collegiate male soccer players were assigned into two groups: regular group (N = 11) and non-regular group (N = 11). Both groups conducted a ball possession training consisting of 4 on 4 with 3 floaters in the court with 12 m long and 24 m wide. Number of technical plays were quantified by notational analysis. Players’ coordinates were recorded with a local positioning system. The area enveloped by four players within same team was estimated by using a convex envelope algorithm. The amount of packing rate during the ball possession was higher in regular group than in non-regular group. Number of passes tended to be higher in regular group than in non-regular group. The area surrounded by four players within same team was larger in offense team than in defense team, regardless of competition level. The area of offense team in regular group was greater than that in non-regular group, but the area of defense team was higher in non-regular group than in regular group. Therefore, the current results indicate that, in the ball possession training, high competition level’s players get higher packing rate compared to low competition level’s players, and it may depend on the difference in players’ positioning to receive a ball when the ball is held in same team.
