Comparison Of Game External Loads Across A Men's And Women's Soccer Season

Global positioning systems (GPS) have increased in utilization within sports science due to their ability to quantify external loads of athletes during competitions and practices. Currently, limited research exists examining gender differences in external load throughout a collegiate soccer season. PURPOSE: To compare game workloads across collegiate men (MSOC: n = 24) and women (WSOC: n = 18) soccer players. Division III MSOC and WSOC players wore GPS/GNSS devices during all games (MSOC games: 16; WSOC games: 18) throughout a 15-week competitive season. METHODS: Metrics analyzed from GPS/GNSS data were: total distance (TD), sprint distance (SD), deceleration efforts (>-3 m/s2), acceleration efforts (>3 m/s2), sprint efforts (SE), top speed (TS), player load per minute (PL/Min), player load (PL), and distances in five-speed zones (SZ1: 0-30%; SZ2: 30-50%; SZ3: 50-75%; SZ4: 75%-90%; SZ5: >90% of maximum speed). Only high-minute players were included in the analysis. An independent samples t-test assessed gender differences in external loads. A pairwise comparison using Bonferroni post-hoc analyses was used when a significant finding was observed (p < 0.05). RESULTS: MSOC had higher TD (p < 0.001, d = 0.92), acceleration efforts (p < 0.001, d = 1.29), TS (p < .001, d = 0.615), and PL (p < 0.001, d = 9.56) (Table 1). However, WSOC had higher SD (p < 0.001, d = -0.57), deceleration efforts (p < 0.001, d = -1.46), SE (p < 0.001, d = -4.59), and PL/min (p < .001, d = -13.84). CONCLUSIONS: Notable gender differences were found between game external load metrics. Results can be used to develop gender-specific programs to prepare athletes for the demands of their competitive seasons.