Dr. Hab., professor I.Y. Gorskaya¹
PhD, associate professor I.V. Averyanov¹
PhD, associate professor E.N. Mironenko^2
1Siberian State University of Physical Culture and Sports, Omsk
²Omsk State Transport University, Omsk

Keywords: movement coordination qualities, coordination fitness, football, model characteristics, training process

Background. Modern team sports give a special priority to the movement coordination qualities among the other physical qualities and abilities [3, 4] as they are considered particularly important for success and need to be trained by special methods and tools; although the range of individual coordination qualities and skills appears to be genetically predetermined to a degree. This is the reason why so much attention is paid to coordination trainings at every stage of the long-term training process in football, albeit in actual practice the coaches often apply very limited sets of the movement coordination tests dominated by the shuttle sprints and shooting accuracy rating tests [1, 2, 5, 6 ]. The question of whether or not some of the coordination qualities and abilities are really trainable still remains underexplored, as well as the question of what coordination progress rating criteria should be applied in the age-specific tests.

Objective of the study was to offer an integral coordination fitness test system to facilitate the coordination trainings of the 9-17 year old footballers.

Methods and structure of the study. We used for the coordination fitness testing purposes the common standard techniques including stabilographic (body balancing) and psychomotor progress tests in trainings; plus the relevant progress modeling (benchmarking) methods and mathematical statistical data processing tools. We sampled for the study 9-17 year old football players having adult Class III to CMS qualifications.

Results and discussion. The general coordination fitness of the sample was rated by a set of body balancing, reactive and kinesthetic abilities and the movement accuracy, timing, pacing, spacing and strength-controlling qualities rating criteria. Knowing that the movement coordination abilities are highly sensitive to many factors of influence (including fatigue, training season, current/ prior workloads etc.) the tests were standardized as much as possible in their schedules and conditions and timed to the preparatory phase of an annual training cycle.

The tests were designed to obtain the absolute values and profile movement coordination progress in the 9-17 year-olds. Based on the averaged test data with standard deviations, we worked out a set of the coordination progress rating criteria that may be used for progress tests on a group/ individual basis for the training system correction purposes (see Tables 1-3). The data averages were limited by X±0.5σ, with the higher and lower test rates interpreted as indicative of the high and low coordination fitness. For the coordination progress benchmarking/ modeling purposes, we recommend the benchmarks/ targets being set beyond the standard deviation range i.e. above or below X ± σ.

Based on our long practical experience, we would recommend to rate the athletes demonstrating model (ideal) test results in a few coordination ability tests as gifted and promising, particularly in the beginner selections/ qualifications for football groups. Movement coordination qualities are known to facilitate technical progress, particularly in the high-coordination-intensive and situational sports, including football. The athletes rated high on a few coordination fitness test scales are known to fast progress in the sport techniques mastering and excelling processes and being more efficient and versatile in the technical toolkit application in response to the game situations.

The static body balancing skills tests of the sample found this coordination quality being moderate versus the other sports samples – that may be explained by the fact that these qualities are not so critical for success in football. The Romberg tests of the static body balancing abilities showed progresses with age and skill level. As for the statodynamic stability test data, they showed less expressed progress with age and skill level, as demonstrated by the stabilographic tests with involute and stepped tests: they showed insignificant progress in the equilibrium function rates: see Table 1. These data may be interpreted as indicative of these qualities being less trainable – that means that they need to be well tested at the qualification stage to find the individuals with the highest test rates in the stabilographic and other similar tests.

Table 1. Equilibrium function test data of the sample, Х ± σ

Table 2. Reactive qualities test data of the sample, Х ± σ

Note: SVMR/ CVMR simple/ complex visual motor reaction; RMO response to moving object

Kinesthetic coordination abilities were rated by the repetition accuracy, timing and spacing ability rating tests. The highest progress in these tests was made by the 15+ year-olds with stable test rates thereafter, save for the angular discrimination accuracy (rotating angle) rating test); with the error rates tested to rapidly fall since 11 years of age. The timing (time intervals rating) accuracy was found the most stable in the sampled age band – that may be interpreted as indicative of a strict genetic dependence of this movement accuracy securing qualities: see Table 3.

Table 2. Kinesthetic coordination ability test data of the sample, Х ± σ

Conclusion. The integral coordination fitness rating test system in application to the 9-17 year old skilled football players was found beneficial as it makes possible to profile progress in the movement control and coordination accuracy, reactive abilities and equilibrium function (by statodynamic tests) on an age-specific basis. The test procedures and analyses are recommended for application in the coordination training systems to accurately forecast and rate the individual age-specific progresses in coordination abilities and adequately design and manage the individual trainings. The coordination fitness progress benchmarking by the model reference points helps to find the most gifted young athletes in the qualification progress and adjust the individual coordination training systems on a timely and well-grounded basis.

References

1. Voronovich A.S., Veselov V.I. Role of physical fitness in football. Scientific and methodological electronic journal «Kontsept». 2015. v. 7. pp. 16-20. Available at: http://e-koncept.ru/2015/95004.htm.
2. Guba V.P., Antipov A.V., Marinich V.V. Integral Approach in Integrated Control of Functional Status of Young Football Players. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2014. no. 4. pp. 30-35.
3. Lyakh V.I., Witkowski Z., Zhmuda V. Specific coordinating abilities as a criterion of forecasting of sports achievements of football players. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2002. no. 4. pp. 21-26.
4. Lyakh V.I., Witkowski Z. Coordination training in football. M.: Sovetsky sport publ., 2010. 216 p.
5. Poliskis M.M., Guba V.P. Comprehensive control of integral fitness of football players. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2016. no. 3. p. 77.
6. Prosandeev P.P. Optimization of pedagogical control by evaluating technical fitness of football players. Fizicheskaya kultura: vospitanie, obrazovanie, trenirovka. 2007. no. 5. pp. 36-39.

Corresponding author: mbofkis@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to develop quantitative criteria for evaluation of the level of development of coordination abilities in 9-17 year-old football players to improve the training process control and correction model.
Methods and structure of the study. The level of coordination preparedness of the football players was assessed using the standard methods currently applied by the researchers (stabilography, psychomotor and pedagogical testing). We also used the methods of mathematical modeling and statistics. Sampled for the study were 258 football players aged 9-17 years (qualification levels: Candidate Master of Sports, 1st-3rd senior categories).

Results and conclusions. Evaluation of the level of overall coordination preparedness of the 9-17 year-old football players enabled to analyze the dynamics of changes in the accuracy of motor actions, responsiveness and ability to maintain statodynamic equilibrium in the age aspect. The data obtained made it possible to monitor the subjects' level of coordination preparedness, more precisely forecast and estimate individual age-specific growth of coordination abilities rates in the football players and plan training loads accordingly. Fixation on the model level of development of coordination abilities facilitates the identification of gifted and talented athletes, timely correction and individualization of the process of coordination training of football players.