Low-cost match analysis of Italian sixth and seventh division soccer refereeing

At every level, soccer referees and their assistants perform a significant amount of physical activity while refereeing; therefore, they must evaluate and keep an adequate physical condition. The author described the outcome of a functional evaluation protocol on adult healthy sportsmen refereeing in the Italian sixth and seventh division. Results have been compared with others published in the literature and gathered by means of different protocols. Referees and assistant referees have been monitored during official matches by means of wrist global positioning system receivers-instead of commonly used imaging techniques-and heart rate monitors. Total match distances covered, distances covered at different clustered speeds, match average heart rate, and its proportion over significant values have been measured. To detect differences over the match, first and second half total distance, distances covered at speeds over significant values, heart rate, and its proportion over significant values have been measured separately. Both whole-match and between-halves results were similar to highest literature data. Italian sixth and seventh division soccer referees show adequate physical capabilities and can use inexpensive wrist global positioning system receivers and heart rate monitors to evaluate them.