Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2012

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Health and Nutritional Sciences

First Advisor

Jessica Meendering

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship technical soccer skills (passing, shooting, and juggling) have to markers of athletic ability (agility, power, and flexibility) and functional movement in female athletes. It was hypothesized that technical skills would have a positive relationship with power and agility but a negative relationship with flexibility. It was also hypothesized no relationship would exist between technical skills and functional movement. Methods: Forty female soccer players (24 Division I athletes from South Dakota State University and 16 high school athletes from the state of South Dakota) between the ages of 14-23 completed the research protocol. Each subject participated in seven assessments designed to evaluate their technical skills, athletic ability, and functional movement. To measure technical skills, participants completed a Longborough Passing test, Longborough Shooting test, and a Soccer Ball-Juggling test. To assess athletic ability, participants complete a Canadian Trunk Flexion test, Standing Long Jump test, and 20-yard Agility Shuttle. To assess functional movement, each participant completed a Functional Movement Screen (FMS). Pearson Product Moment Correlations were used to determine if there was a relationship between study variables. Significance was set at p :'.5 0.05. Results: No assessments of technical skill (passing, shooting, & juggling) had a significant relationship with markers of athletic ability (flexibility, power, & agility) . Passing had a significant weak relationship with FMS Total Score but was not related to any other FMS assessments (FMS Squat, FMS Hurdle, FMS Lunge, FMS SLR, & FMS Pushup) . Other measures of technical skill (shooting & juggling) had no significant relationship to FMS assessments (FMS Total Score, FMS Squat, FMS Hurdle, FMS Lunge, FMS SLR, & FMS Pushup). Conclusion: The findings suggest technical soccer skills have no independent relationship to markers of athletic ability or functional movement.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Soccer -- Ability testing
Athletic ability
Women soccer players -- South Dakota
Women athletes -- South Dakota

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright