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Physical Characteristics and Performance of Starters and Non-Starters in Elite-Level Female Soccer Players in College: A Case Study of Japanese Athletes [Received February 19, 2021; Accepted March 1, 2022] This research aimed to elucidate whether there were differences in physical characteristics and performance across starter and non-starter players in Japanese elite-level female soccer in college. Twenty-four college players (age: 19.8 ± 0.8 years, body height: 160.3 ± 4.0 cm, body mass: 55.2 ± 5.2 kg) participated in this study. We assessed the college players in the field and laboratory on two separate days. We found a significantly low value in the starter players’ group than the nonstarter players’ group in the 10-m sprint and 5 × 10-m shuttle run. For the maximum isokinetic contraction, 300°/s of hip extensor as concentric in the starter players was significantly higher than that of the non-starter players, and we found no statistical differences in the other laboratory-based assessments. This study suggested that although there was no significant difference in maximal muscle strength between starter and non-starter players, non-starter players may be inferior in field tests. Keywords: women’s soccer, sprint, agility, jump, isokinetic strength |