The association between power and sprint performance in collegiate female soccer players

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, Kinesiology: Teaching/Coaching, 2009The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between measures of power clean (PC) performance, vertical jump height (VJ), and sprint times among Division II collegiate female soccer players. Hypotheses were (1) relative measures of PC and VJ height would be directly related to each other and inversely related to sprint times, and (2) relative measures of PC would distinguish soccer athletes with regard to sprint ability. PC performance was measured using a standard 3-repetition maximum (3-RM) protocol; 1-RM PC was estimated using a standard conversion table. VJ height was measured using a commercial measuring device; absolute and relative (to body mass) peak power were estimated using validated equations. Sprint times for 20 and 40 m distances were measured as best scores from two trials measured using an electronic eye timing device. Scores on relative PC and VJ height were related (r = .54, p < .05). VJ height and times in the 20-m (r = -.59, p < .01) and 40-m (r = -.69, p < .01) sprints were related. The relationships between relative 1-RM power clean and times for the 20-m (r = -.12) and the 40-m (r = -.36) sprints were not statistically significant. Those with ???high??? power clean scores performed better in 20- and 40-m sprints than those with ???low??? power clean scores, but the difference in mean time was not statistically significant for the 20-m sprint (t [16] = .90, p > .05) or for the 40-m sprint (t [16] = 1.54, p > .05). Lack of standardization in performance of the PC or inaccuracies in estimating 1 RM PC from multiple repetition max effort may explain why there was not a significant relationship between PC performance and sprint times