A Quantitative Study on the Relationship Between Players' Wellness, Mental and Physical Intensity in Youth Football Training in Malta

Abstract

Effectively managing training intensity is important to optimize the health and performance of elite athletes. However, limited research has been conducted on the relationship between training intensity and wellness status in young football players. This study included 123 young football players and 8 coaches from the Malta Football Regional Centers (MFRH) U12/13 and U14 groups. Participation in the study was based on voluntary basis and each age group underwent two training sessions per week. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the wellness status, mental and physical intensity of football players, and the planned and perceived mental and physical intensity of coaches. The main findings of the study showed a negative relationship between football players' pre-training wellness scores and their perceived (post-training) RPE, as well as coaches' perceived (post-training) RPE. This result indicates that coaches did not use the wellness questionnaire in the training planning process. In addition, a negative relationship was found between football players' perceived (post-training) RPE and their mental fatigue perception, suggesting that mental fatigue can occur independently of physical training intensity. Planned (pre-training) RPE scores of coaches were found to have a positive relationship with young football players' perceived (post-training) RPE scores, indicating that coaches were effective in planning and controlling training intensity. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of using wellness questionnaires in managing training intensity in young football players.

Keywords

• Training Intensity
• Wellness Status
• Mental Fatigue
• Coach Perception
• Youth Football Players

Malta'da Genç Futbol Antrenmanlarında Oyuncuların Wellness, Mental ve Fiziksel Yoğunluğu Arasındaki İlişki Üzerine Nicel Bir Çalışma

Öz

Elit sporcuların performansını artırmak için antrenman yoğunluğunu etkili bir şekilde yönetmek, sporcuların sağlık ve performansını optimize etmek için önemlidir. Ancak, genç futbolcularda antrenman yoğunluğunun ve wellness durumunun birbirleriyle nasıl ilişkili olduğuna dair az sayıda araştırma yapılmıştır. Bu araştırma, Malta Futbol Bölgesel Merkezleri (MFRH) U12/13 ve U14 gruplarından 123 genç futbolcu ve 8 antrenörü içermektedir. Çalışmaya katılım gönüllülük esasına dayanmaktadır ve her yaş grubu haftada iki antrenman yapmaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı, futbolculardaki wellness durumu, mental ve fiziksel yoğunluk ile antrenörlerin planlanan ve algılanan mental ve fiziksel yoğunlukları arasındaki ilişkiyi belirlemektir. Çalışmanın ana sonuçları, futbolcuların antrenman öncesi wellness puanları ile futbolcuların algılanan (antrenman sonrası) RPE ve antrenörlerin algılanan (antrenman sonrası) RPE arasında negatif bir ilişki olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu sonuç, antrenörlerin antrenman planlama sürecinde wellness anketini kullanmadığını göstermektedir. Ayrıca, futbolcuların algılanan (antrenman sonrası) RPE ile mental yorgunluk algısı arasında negatif bir ilişki olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu sonuç, futbolcularda mental yorgunluğun, fiziksel antrenman yoğunluğundan bağımsız olarak yaşanabileceğini göstermektedir. Antrenörlerin planladığı (antrenman öncesi) RPE skorlarının ise genç futbolcuların algılanan (antrenman sonrası) RPE skorlarıyla pozitif bir ilişkisi olduğu saptanmıştır. Bu sonuç, antrenörlerin antrenmanların yoğunluğunu planlama ve kontrol etmede etkili olduklarını göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma, futbolcularda wellness durumunun antrenman yoğunluğunu etkilediğini ve mental yorgunluk algısının fiziksel antrenman yoğunluğundan bağımsız olduğunu belirlemiştir. Ayrıca, antrenörlerin antrenmanların yoğunluğunu planlama ve kontrol etmede etkili olduğu gösterilmiştir. Bu çalışma, genç futbolcularda antrenman yoğunluğu yönetiminde wellness anketlerinin kullanımının önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Antrenman Yoğunluğu
• Wellness Durumu
• Mental Yorgunluk
• Antrenör Algısı
• Genç Futbolcular

Kaynakça

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