Comparison of Young Football Players’ Sprint, Agility, and Dribbling Performances on Natural Grass and Artificial Grass

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the comparison of young football players’ sprint, agility, and dribbling performances on natural grass and artifıcial grass. Sixteen healthy young football players (age: 14.01 ± 0.29 years; training age: 4.31 ± 1.74 years; height: 166.68 ± 6.93 cm; weight: 55.48 ± 8.16 kg) participated in the study voluntarily. Sprint, agility (change of direction), and dribbling tests were applied to the research group on artificial turf and natural turf in five trial days. The Shapiro–Wilk test was used to determine whether the values of the variables had a normal distribution. In comparisons of all data, paired sample t-test was applied for within-group comparisons. The significance level was taken as p < .05. While there was a statistically significant difference between the artificial turf-natural turf sprint values (3.17 ± 0.13 s; 3.26 ± 0.14 s) and agility values (11.11 ± 0.33 s; 11.24 ± 0.38 s) of the research group (p < .05), there was no statistically significant difference between dribbling values (21.17 ± 1.29 s; 21.52 ± 0.89 s) (p > .05). As a result, the sprint and agility performance data on artificial turf and natural turf in young football players showed that there was a significant difference in favor of artificial turf, but there was no significant difference between dribbling performances.

Keywords

• Agility
• artifıcial grass
• dribbling
• natural grass
• sprint

Genç Futbolcuların Doğal Çim ve Suni Çim Üzerindeki Sprint, Çeviklik ve Top Sürme Performanslarının Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

Bu araştırmanın amacı, genç futbolcularda doğal çim ve suni çim saha üzerinde gerçekleştirilen sprint, çeviklik ve top sürme performanslarının karşılaştırılmasıdır. Araştırmaya 16 sağlıklı genç futbolcu (yaş:14,01 ± 0,29 yıl; antrenman yaşı: 4,31 ± 1,74 yıl; boy uzunluğu 166,68 ± 6,93 cm.; vücut ağırlığı 55,48 ± 8,16 kg.) gönüllü olarak katılmıştır. Araştırma grubuna 5 ölçüm gününde suni çim ve doğal çim üzerinde sprint, çeviklik (yön değiştirme) ve top sürme testleri uygulanmıştır. Değişkenlerine ait değerlerin, normal dağılıma sahip olup olmadığını tespit etmek için ShapiroWilk testi kullanılmıştır. Tüm verilerin karşılaştırmalarında, grup içi karşılaştırmalar için eşleştirilmiş t-testi (The Paired Samples t Test) uygulanmıştır. İstatistiksel anlamlılık düzeyi p < ,05 olarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırma grubunun suni çim- doğal çim sprint değerleri (3,17 ± 0,13sn; 3,26 ± 0,14sn) ve çeviklik değerleri (11,11 ± 0,33sn; 11,24 ± 0,38sn) arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunurken (p < ,05); top sürme değerleri (21,17 ± 1,29sn; 21,52 ± 0,89sn) arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık bulunamamıştır (p > ,05). Sonuç olarak genç futbolcularda suni çim ve doğal çim üzerinde gerçekleştirilen sprint ve çeviklik performansı verileri suni çim lehine anlamlı bir farklılık olduğunu gösterirken top sürme performansları arasında anlamlı bir fark olmadığını göstermiştir.

Keywords

• Çeviklik
• suni çim
• top sürme
• doğal çim
• sprint.

References

1. Andersson, H., Ekblom, B., & Krustrup, P. (2008). Elite football on artificial turf versus natural grass: Movement patterns, technical standards, and player impressions. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26(2), 113–122.
2. Baroud, G., Nigg, B., & Stefanyshyn, D. (1999). Energy storage and return in sport surfaces. Sports Engineering, 2(3), 173–180.
3. Bjørneboe, J., Bahr, R., & Andersen, T. E. (2010). Risk of injury on thirdgeneration artificial turf in Norwegian professional football. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 44(11), 794–798.
4. Choi, S. M., Sum, K. W. R., & Leung, F. L. E. (2015). Comparison between natural turf and artificial turf on agility performance of rugby union players. Advances in Physical Education, 05(4), 273–281.
5. Cortis, C., Tessitore, A., Lupo, C., Perroni, F., Pesce, C., & Capranica, L. (2013). Changes in jump, sprint, and coordinative performances after a senior soccer match. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 27(11), 2989–2996.
6. Di Michele, R., Di Renzo, A. M., Ammazzalorso, S., & Merni, F. (2009). Comparison of physiological responses to an incremental running test on treadmill, natural grass, and synthetic turf in young soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(3), 939–945.
7. Ekstrand, J., Timpka, T., & Hägglund, M. (2006). Risk of injury in elite football played on artificial turf versus natural grass: A prospective twocohort study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(12), 975–980.
8. Felipe, J., Gallardo, L., Burillo, P., Gallardo, A., Sánchez-Sánchez, J., & PlazaCarmona, M. (2013). Artificial turf football fields: A qualitative vision for professional players and coaches. S. Afr. J. Res Sport Ph., 35(2), 105–120.

9. Fleming, P. (2011). Artificial turf systems for sport surfaces: Current knowledge and research needs. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P, 225(2), 43–63.
10. Ford, K. R., Manson, N. A., Evans, B. J., Myer, G. D., Gwin, R. C., Heidt Jr., R. S., & Hewett, T. E. (2006). Comparison of in-shoe foot loading patterns on natural grass and synthetic turf. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 9(6), 433–440.
11. Gains, G. L., Swedenhjelm, A. N., Mayhew, J. L., Bird, H. M., & Houser, J. J. (2010). Comparison of speed and agility performance of college football players on field turf and natural grass. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2613–2617.
12. Hachana, Y., Chaabène, H., Ben Rajeb, G., Khlifa, R., Aouadi, R., Chamari, K., & Gabbett, T. J. (2014). Validity and reliability of new agility test among elite and subelite under 14-soccer players. PLOS ONE, 9(4), e95773.
13. Hughes, M. G., Birdsey, L., Meyers, R., Newcombe, D., Oliver, J. L., Smith, P. M., Stembridge, M., Stone, K., & Kerwin, D. G. (2013). Effects of playing surface on physiological responses and performance variables in a controlled football simulation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 31(8), 878–886.
14. Huijgen, B. C., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Post, W. J., & Visscher, C. (2009). Soccer skill development in professionals. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 30(8), 585–591.
15. Huijgen, B. C., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Post, W., & Visscher, C. (2010). Development of dribbling in talented youth soccer players aged 12–19 years: A longitudinal study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28(7), 689–698.
16. Jarvis, S., Sullivan, L. O., Davies, B., Wiltshire, H., & Baker, J. S. (2009). Interrelationships between measured running intensities and agility performance in subelite rugby union players. Research in Sports Medicine, 17(4), 217–230.
17. Kanaras, V., Metaxas, T. I., Mandroukas, A., Gissis, I., Zafeiridis, A., Riganas, C. S., Manolopoulos, E., Paschalis, V., & Vrabas, I. S. (2014). The effect of natural and artificial grass on sprinting performance in young soccer players. American Journal of Sports Science, 2(1), 1–4.
18. Lemmink, K. A., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., & Visscher, C. (2004). Evaluation of the reliability of two field hockey specific sprint and dribble tests in young field hockey players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 38(2), 138–142.
19. Meir, R. A., Holding, R., Hetherington, J., & Rolfe, M. I. (2013). Impact of sport specific and generic visual stimulus on a reactive agility test while carrying a rugby ball. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 21(1), 45–49.
20. Padrón-Cabo, A., Rey, E., Kalén, A., & Costa, P. B. (2020). Effects of training with an agility ladder on sprint, agility, and dribbling performance in youth soccer players. Journal of Human Kinetics, 73, 219–228.
21. Pérez Soriano, P., Llana Belloch, S., Cortell Tormo, J. M., & Pérez Turpin, J. A. (2009). Biomechanical factors to be taken into account to prevent injuries and improve sporting performance on artificial turf. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 4(2), 78–92.
22. Reilly, T., Williams, A. M., Nevill, A., & Franks, A. (2000). A multidisciplinary approach to talent identification in soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18(9), 695–702.
23. Rennie, D. J., Vanrenterghem, J., Littlewood, M., & Drust, B. (2016). Can the natural turf pitch be viewed as a risk factor for injury within Association Football? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19(7), 547–552.
24. Rouissi, M., Chtara, M., Berriri, A., Owen, A., & Chamari, K. (2016). Asymmetry of the modified Illinois change of direction test impacts young elite soccer players’ performance. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 7(2), e33598.
25. Sánchez-Sánchez, J., García-Unanue, J., Jiménez-Reyes, P., Gallardo, A., Burillo, P., Felipe, J. L., & Gallardo, L. (2014). Influence of the mechanical properties of third-generation artificial turf systems on soccer players’ physiological and physical performance and their perceptions. PLoS One, 9(10), e111368.
26. Sanchez-Sanchez, J., Martinez-Rodriguez, A., Felipe, J. L., HernandezMartin, A., Ubago-Guisado, E., Bangsbo, J., Gallardo, L., & GarciaUnanue, J. (2020). Effect of natural turf, artificial turf, and sand surfaces on sprint performance. A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9478.
27. Sleat, W., O’Donoghue, P., Hughes, M., & Bezodis, N. I. (2016). The influence of natural grass surface hardness on path changes, locomotive movements and game events in soccer: A case study. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 16(1), 216–233.
28. Steffen, K., Andersen, T. E., & Bahr, R. (2007). Risk of injury on artificial turf and natural grass in young female football players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 41(Suppl. 1), i33–i37.
29. Williams, J. H., Akogyrem, E., & Williams, J. R. (2013). A meta-analysis of soccer injuries on artificial turf and natural grass. Journal of Sports Medicine, 2013, 380523.
30. Zanetti, E. M. (2009). Amateur football game on artificial turf: Players’ perceptions. Applied Ergonomics, 40(3), 485–490.