Physical Conditioning: Analysis of Elite Youth Soccer Players in West Sumatra

The problem in this research is that the physical condition of soccer players is not yet fully understood, such as their endurance, speed, or other physical characteristics. Therefore, further research is needed to assess and analyze the extent of these soccer players' physical condition. This study uses a quantitative descriptive method with a survey approach. The sample in this research was 30 young soccer players. The instruments used were 1) yoyo intermittent recovery test to measure endurance, 2) sprint 30 m to measure speed, 3) standing broad jump to measure leg muscle explosive power, and 4) Illinois agility run test to measure agility. The collected data will be analysed using statistical techniques with SPSS 26 and Microsoft Excel software. From the data analysis that has been carried out, it was obtained that: 1) endurance with an average VO₂Max of 47.08 is in the poor category, 2) speed with an average time of 4.27 seconds is in the good category, 3) leg muscles explosive power with an average jump of 2.35 m is in the moderate category, and 4) agility with an average time of 17.31 seconds is in the moderate category. The results of this study generally indicate that the physical condition of the players is still not in accordance with the standards of physical condition of soccer players required. Coaches must improve the physical condition of the players so that they can compete at a higher level. This data can be a reference for coaches to design and compile more effective training programs. The right training program will help improve the physical condition of the players.