Comparing Position Specific GPS Normative Data in Professional Female Club Soccer

Objective: To establish normative ranges in common performance tests for professional women’s club soccer. Setting:1st division professional women’s soccer club in the United States Participants: Twenty-eight healthy professional women’s soccer players (Age: 27.8 ± 5.1 years; Body Mass: 66.2 ± 6.7 kg). Main Outcome Measures: Season GPS data was analyzed and metrics included minutes, total distance, high speed running, total accelerations, total decelerations, and maximum speed. Statistical analysis was performed to determine differences between positions. Results: Statistically significant differences were found across all metrics in comparison to overall mean. Differences in each metric may be due to a variety of factors including general positional role, team formation and tactics, available space on the pitch, individual player instructions, and quality of opposition. Conclusion:These metrics help professionals (athletic trainers, physical therapists, sports scientists, and physicians) contextualize in season external loads, which may be helpful for general player health and performance, or when a player is new to the league or recovering from long term injury.