Player-Coach Perceptions of Internal Load, Exertion, and Recovery in Collegiate Male Soccer Players

Periodization of athlete training load to improve performance and maximize recovery, while reducing injuries and overtraining, is essential in team sports. Understanding internal load responses and monitoring athlete exertion and recovery can help coaches during a competitive season. Recovery Status (PRS) and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) are two subjective scales used to help quantify training load and recovery. These scales are more useful if there is an agreement between coaches (C) and players (P) assessment of intensity and recovery. PURPOSE: To assess subjective measures (PRS and RPE scores) from P and C during a 13-week competitive soccer season. Furthermore, this study evaluated the relationship between P RPE and average practice heart rate (HR). METHODS: PRS scores prior to, and RPE scores after, practice were collected on 26 Division I male soccer P and 4 C. HR monitors were worn by P each practice and HR was averaged for the session. C were instructed to provide answers to PRS and RPE as to how P felt. Due to the categorical nature of the data, nonparametric Mann-Whitney U Tests were run comparing P to C data for each week (1-13). Spearman rank-order correlations were run comparing P RPE and average HR. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between P and C reported PRS (U = 59175.5, p = 0.03, r = 0.07), but no differences for RPE (U = 29153.5, p = 0.52) across the 13-week season. When separated by week, only Week 6 was significant for PRS and RPE (U = 305, p \u3c 0.01, ES = 0.26; U = 112, p = 0.02, ES = 0.22, respectively). A significant, strong, positive correlation (r =0.53, pCONCLUSION: P and C mostly agreed on intensity of training and recovery throughout the season. HR and P reported RPE were significantly correlated indicating harder practices resulted in higher HR. The agreement between P and C indicate that these scales may be a successful and valid tool in helping to monitor training load during a competitive season