AEROBIC CAPACITY AND SOMATOTYPE OF FEMALE FOOTBALL PLAYERS

In football, determining the aerobic capacity of the players is of key importance in all teams. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) is defined as the “gold standard” for assessing aerobic capacity in endurance sports. For female football players between the ages of 15-18, the playing position has already been established. The position determines specific requirements to the aerobic capacity, to the body composition, and to the somatotype of the female football players. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the playing position of 15-year-old female football players and their somatotype and aerobic capacity. The study involved 19 female adolescent football players, with a mean age of 15.2 ± 1.3 years; the mean height was 166 ± 4.7 cm, and the mean weight was 55.6 ± 6.5 kg. The mean BMI was (kg/m2) 20.14±2.07. The mean VO2max of the defenders was 47.4±3.7, while that of the forwards was 52.8±4.7. The goalkeeper was only one, with VO2max of 43.9, statistical significance of the difference p = 0.018. The mean somatotype of the defenders was 3.7±0.8 - 4.2±0.9 - 2.7±1.0, while that of the forwards was 2.9±0.8 - 3.3±0.8 - 4.0±0.9. The somatotype of the goalkeeper was 2.8 - 3.9 - 2.9, statistical significance of the difference p = 0.01 - 0.029 - 0.01. The forwards had higher aerobic capacity compared to the defenders. Determining the somatotype can further help the selection of an appropriate playing position in adolescent female football players.