Uncovering Individual Training-Load Profiles in Young Female Footballers: Moving Beyond the Average

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Football (Soccer) Performance Analysis
• Youth Athlete Monitoring

Background:

• Understanding training load is vital for optimizing performance and preventing injury in elite youth athletes.
• Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and session duration are commonly used to calculate training load (TL).
• Individual variability in response to training load is expected but requires quantification in specific populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess total, weekly, and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) training load (TL) in elite youth female footballers.
• To identify factors influencing sRPE-TL within this cohort.
• To analyze interplayer, individual-relative-to-team, and intraplayer variability in sRPE-TL.

Main Methods:

• Monitoring of outfield players (U14) from a Spanish Women's First Division academy over a 19-week competitive period.
• Calculation of training load (TL) using sRPE multiplied by session duration for each training session and match.
• Individual- and team-level statistical analyses to quantify variability and influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Team training load averaged 1200 AU weekly, with players completing 95% of sessions.
• Training day significantly influenced session TL, with matches showing substantially lower TL than training sessions.
• Marked individual differences in TL were observed, with moderate to very large intraplayer variability (10%-53%).

Conclusions:

• Despite consistent team-level training load, significant individual variations in sRPE-TL exist among elite youth female footballers.
• Two distinct individual TL profiles (mean-aligned/divergent and stable/unstable) were identified, highlighting the need for individualized monitoring.
• Tailored training strategies based on individual TL profiles are recommended for optimal athlete development and performance.