April 2025
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54 Reads
Background Young soccer players, club professionals and soccer academies require to monitor and evaluate the state of maturity. This will allow decisions to be made in the process of selection and detection of sports talent. Objective a) To determine which of the two equations (Mirwald and Moore) is more adequate to analyze physical performance in young soccer playersnd b) to propose reference values to evaluate the physical condition of young Chilean soccer players according to maturity stage. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 302 young Chilean soccer players between 11 and 16 years of age. Weight, standing height, sitting height and seven physical tests were evaluated: Hand grip strength (HGS) [(right and left], explosive strength [horizontal jump (HJ), squat jump (SJ), and countermovement jump (CMJ)], agility (Illinois and 5x10 repetitions) and aerobic fitness (distance in meters and VO2max). Maturity status (MS) was estimated using two equations: Mirwald and Moore for men. Percentiles were calculated using the LMS method (L = lambda for the skewness; M = mu for the median; S = sigma). Results MS was estimated by Mirwald at 13.8 ± 0.60 years and by Moore at 13.18 ± 0.47 years. HGS (right and left) were higher by Moore's method from 1 to 4%. With the explosive strength tests (HJ, CMJ and SJ), the values were higher from 1 to 3%. With the agility tests (Illinois and 5x10repetitions), the explanatory power was higher from 2 to 4%. With the aerobic fitness values (meters run and VO2max), the values were higher from 1 to 3% in relation to the Mirwald method. Percentiles (P3, P5, P10, P15, P25, P50, P75, P85, P90, P95 and P97) were developed for the physical tests according to Moore's MS (-2APHV, -1APHV, 0APHV, +1APHV and + 2APHV). Conclusion Moore's equation is more adequate than Mirwald's to analyze physical performance in young Chilean soccer players aged 11 to 16 years. Percentiles based on maturity status can be used to categorize, monitor and evaluate physical performance during the growth and development of young soccer players.