Mainer-Pardos, Elena , Sanchez-Sabate, Jorge , GONZALO SKOK, OLIVER, Marco-Contreras, Luis Alberto , Roso-Moliner, Alberto , Arjol-Serrano, Jose Luis
No
Appl. Sci.-Basel
Article
Científica
2
2
20/08/2026
001858616600001
Change-of-direction (COD) ability is decisive in soccer, yet how COD performance and the COD deficit (CODD) vary across angles and are influenced by chronological versus biological age in adolescents remains unclear. In this cross-sectional observational study, ninety-four male adolescent soccer players (U14-U19) completed linear (20 m) and curve (17 m) sprints and 90 degrees, zig-zag (135 degrees) and modified 505 (180 degrees) COD tests; CODD and maturity offset were calculated. Effect size (ES) and correlation (r) results are reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sprint and COD performance improved with age, with U14 being slower than older groups (largest ES: 90 degrees COD, U14 vs. U18 = 3.33; 95% CI: 2.47-4.18). After adjusting for maturity offset, linear sprint and 90 degrees COD differences disappeared, whereas curve sprint and 180 degrees COD differences persisted (180 degrees COD, U14 vs. U19: ES = 3.07; 95% CI: 2.15-3.98). CODD showed no consistent age- or maturity-related pattern and correlated negatively with sprint and curve performance (from r = -0.67, 95% CI: -0.77 to -0.55, to r = -0.21, 95% CI: -0.40 to -0.01). Chronological age influences COD performance across angles and maturation affects curve and 180 degrees COD but not 90 degrees COD, whereas CODD appears to be independent of both, indicating that it may complement conventional COD measures in individualized assessment.
change of direction; change-of-direction deficit; agility; biological maturation; peak height velocity; youth soccer; sprint; athletic performance