Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Effects of a Novel Neuromuscular Training Intervention on Jump, Sprint, and Change of Direction in Adult Female Soccer Players
Published on: June 10, 2025
Athletic performance levels across biological maturity status in youth soccer players
Giuseppe Scardina1, Guglielmo Pillitteri1, Domenico Savio Salvatore Vicari1,2
1Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Introduction:
Biological maturation can produce substantial inter-individual variability in physical performance among youth soccer players. However, whether its influence differs in magnitude across physical domains has been little examined within a testing battery.
Methods:
Forty-four youth male soccer players (13.12 ± 1.75 years; U13-U16) were assessed for countermovement jump (CMJ) height, lower limb peak power, sprint speed over 10 and 30 m (reflecting acceleration and maximal velocity, respectively), and VO2max. Predicted maturity status was classified into pre-, circa-, and post-PHV (peak height velocity) groups using the modified Mirwald equation. Group differences were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA.
Results:
Post-PHV group outperformed both pre- and circa-PHV groups across all outcomes (p ≤ 0.05). Effect sizes were large in all outcomes, and the most significant were recorded for lower limb peak power (ε2 = 0.73), followed by 30-m sprint (η2 = 0.63), 10-m sprint (η2 = 0.51), VO2max (ε2 = 0.51), and CMJ height (η2 = 0.40).
Conclusion:
Maturity status is associated with large performance advantages across all tested domains in youth soccer players. Post-PHV players demonstrated significantly higher performance in jumping, sprinting, aerobic capacity, and lower limb peak power and support the integration of predicted maturity assessments in physical profiling, training program design, as well as for facilitating talent identification.
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