Specific muscular development in under-18 soccer players

A comparison of the under-18 (U-18) and under-16 (U-16) squads of the Canadian national soccer team with a representative sample of Canadians (Canada Fitness Survey, 1983) showed a tendency for the development or selection of the older players in teams of stature (U-18, 175.8 cm; U-16, 171.1 cm; CFS, 170.9 cm) and lean body mass (U-18, 63.4; U-16, 57.9; CFS, 54.2 kg). The larger lean mass of the older players could not be explained simply by size. The U-18s also showed greater isokinetic leg extension force (particularly for rapid movements) and explosive strength (vertical jump) relative to the younger players, although the knee extension force was less than in some classes of athlete. Part of the gain in mass seems due to local training of the hip and leg muscles and part to a more general muscular development. Contrary to some reports, the hip flexibility of the Canadian players (sit and reach test) was greater than for a national sample; this may be important in avoiding soft tissue injuries to the legs. However, aerobic power (58.3 +/- 5.3 ml kg-1 min-1) and body fat (8.0 +/- 1.1%) were unremarkable.