Fitness parameters in young football players are affected by training load and somatic-anthropometric variations

Abstract Purpose: Investigate fitness parameters, somatic-anthropometric parameters and training load variations in Italian elite soccer players during pre/mid and post-puberty. Methods: 36 Italian elite young soccer players (GIOVANISSIMI: 18; ALLIEVI: 18) participated in study. Their somatic-anthropometric and fitness parameters were assessed and training load (Session-RPE) was monitored during 119 days in the sporty season. Results: During the observational period meaningful variation in CMJ and 30-15IFT emerged in ALLIEVI and only in CMJ in GIOVANISSIMI. Meaningful correlations emerged between variations in CMJ and variations in numerous somatic-anthropometric parameters in ALLIEVI but only variations in ARM-GIRTH in GIOVANISSIMI. Meaningful correlations were found between variations in 30-15IFT and only variations in SUP-SKIN in ALLIEVI, training load during match in GIOVANISSIMI and ALLIEVI and training load during session training only in ALLIEVI. Conclusions: During puberty variation in fitness parameters are affected by variations in somatic-anthropometric parameters and training load parameters differently between GIOVANISSIMI and ALLIEVI. This study offers new interpretations about the effect of anthropometric and somatic parameters, as well as on training dose (volume, intensity and typology) on the variation of fitness parameters during puberty.