Ball velocity on the kick in futsal: comparison between youth with different performance levels and correlation of the predictive variables of performance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare and verify the possible correlations between ball velocity with foot velocity, knee angle and length of last stride between practitioners and non-practitioners of futsal game. Fourteen young males with aged between 13 and 15 years old divided into two groups: practitioners (G1) and non-practitioners (G2), according with the time of futsal structured practice. For the kinematic analysis we had used two cameras at a sampling frequency of 120 Hz, fixed laterally to the movement performed in order to focus the markers in the limb of kick. Each participant has performed ten kicks simulating a kick of ten meters in futsal. Three-dimensional data of the lower limb of kick were obtained in DVIDEOW software and treated in Matlab environment in order to obtain the variables of interest: ball velocity (VELBALL), foot velocity (VELFOOT), knee angle (ANGKNEE) and length of last stride (LLS). Statistically all data displayed higher levels in G1 compared to G2. In addition, no significant differences were found between trials in each group (p < 0.05). In G1 a multiple regression analysis revealed only influence on VELBALL 17% caused by LLS. Moreover, in G2 any variable have influenced VELBALL. However, we conclude that the variables are different between practitioners and non-practitioners of futsal game with aged between 13 and 15 years old, and the variable VELBALL could be little influenced by the LLS in this age band. Thus, we suggested that coaches maintain focus on development and monitoring this characteristic of movement, especially in novices, in order to identify players with different levels of performance of kicking in a futsal context.