Relationships and Predictive Capabilities of Jump Assessments to Soccer Specific Field Test Performance in Division I Collegiate Players
Leg power is an important characteristic for soccer, and jump tests can measure this capacity. Limited research has analyzed relationships between jumping and soccer specific field test performance in collegiate male players. Nineteen Division I players completed tests of: leg power (vertical jump (VJ) standing broad jump (SBJ) left and right leg triple hop (TH) linear (30 m sprint; 0 5 m, 5 10 m, 0 10, 0 30 m intervals) and change of direction (505) speed; soccer specific fitness (Yo Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2) and 7 x 30 m sprints to measure repeated sprint ability (RSA; total time (TT) performance decrement (PD) Pearson's correlations (r) determined jump and field test relationships; stepwise regression ascertained jump predictors of the tests (p 0.05) All jumps correlated with the 0 5, 0 10, and 0 30 m sprint intervals (r 0.65 0.90) VJ, SBJ, and left and right leg TH correlated with RSA TT (r 0.51 0.59) Right leg TH predicted the 0 5 and 0 10 m intervals (R2 0.55 0.81) the VJ predicted the 0 30 m interval and RSA TT (R2 0.41 0.84) Between leg TH asymmetry correlated with and predicted left leg 505 and RSA PD (r 0.68 0.62; R2 0.39 0.46) Improvements in jumping ability could contribute to faster speed and RSA performance in collegiate soccer players.
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