Are there exercise volume and intensity differences between soccer athletes on the same team?

Abstract

Collegiate student athletes must balance their academic responsibilities with rigorous game, practice, and strength training schedules making it difficult for coaches to monitor athlete’s weekly exercise volume and intensity. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to implement a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) to monitor athletes and examine the potential differences in exercise volume and intensity that may exist within a Canadian university soccer program. In year I significant differences between athlete categories were identified for measures of total cumulative distance (m), high-speed running distance (HSR-D: m), rate of high-speed running (R-HSR: m/min). In year II a successful training intervention, based on year I outcomes, increased TD (m), HSR-D (m), R-HSR (m/min) measures for supporter athletes which decreased the training differences between starters and low-minute athletes. This research project successfully implemented a GNSS and developed an intervention that reduced exercise volume and intensity differences between the athlete categories through structured tracking and training opportunities.