Quasi-simplex Structure among Physical Ability Factors with Relation to Sprint Speed in Pubescent Male Soccer Players

Kentaro Chuman, Yoshihiro Hoshikawa, Tomomi Iida
and Takahiko Nishijima

[Received October 9, 2012; Accepted May 2, 2013] 

The purpose of this study was to determine the quasi-simplex structure among physical ability factors with relation to sprint speed in pubescent male soccer players. Pubescent male soccer players aged 13.7 ± 1.2 years (U-15 category) volunteered to participate in this study, and their relative peak height velocity age (the maturity status factor), 70% and 30% leg muscle cross sectional areas (the leg muscle size factor), knee extension torque and knee fl exion torque (the leg muscle strength factor), five-step jump and counter movement jump tests (the jump power factor), 20-m and 5-m sprint tests (the sprint speed factor) were measured. The quasi-simplex structure of measurement items or physical ability factors among pubescent soccer players was analyzed statistically using a correlation matrix and structural equation modeling (SEM).
The correlation matrix of the measurement items indicated a quasi-simplex structure. The quasi-simplex structure model of the physical ability factors indicated a goodness-of-fi t. The degree of the model fitting indicators were 14.439 (0.914) for Chi-square (p-value), 0.928 for GFI, 0.859 for AGFI, 1.000 for CFI, 0.969 for NFI, 0.951 for RFI and 0.000 for RMSEA.
Pass coeffi cients between physical ability factors were statistically significant (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it was statistically demonstrated that a quasi-simplex structure in which maturity status influences leg muscle size, leg muscle size influences leg muscle strength, leg muscle strength influences jump power, jump power influences sprint speed exists.


Keywords: Growth and Development, Peak height velocity, Speed, Power, Strength

[Football Science Vol.10, 57-64, 2013]


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