Effect of the Modification of the Number of Players, the Size of the Goal, and the Size of the Field in Competition on the Play Actions in U-12 Male Football

Antonio García-Angulo, José Manuel Palao, José María Giménez-Egido, Francisco Javier García-Angulo and Enrique Ortega-Toro
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Antonio García-Angulo: Department of Physical Activity and Sport, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Murcia, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, 30720 Murcia, Spain
José Manuel Palao: Health, Exercise science and Sport Management Department, University of Wisconsin (Parkside), Kenosha, WI 53144, USA
José María Giménez-Egido: Department of Physical Activity and Sport, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Murcia, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, 30720 Murcia, Spain
Francisco Javier García-Angulo: Department of Physical Activity and Sport, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Murcia, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, 30720 Murcia, Spain
Enrique Ortega-Toro: Department of Physical Activity and Sport, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Murcia, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, 30720 Murcia, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: A player’s sports development involves a long process. The modification of rules for youth players seeks to adapt the sport to the child and his/her development. The manipulation of rules affects the technical and tactical skills demonstrated by players and, therefore, their development. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of a reduction in the number of players (from 8 per team to 5 per team), the size of the goal (from 6 × 2 m to 3 × 2 m) and the playing space (from 58 × 38 m to 38 × 20 m), on the technical and tactical actions in youth football players. A quasi-experimental A-B-A design was implemented to assess the effect of the rule changes. The players ( n = 40) played three tournaments using two competition formats (official rules, modified rules, and official rules). The results show that the use of the modified rules generated a greater number and variability in the technical–tactical actions, a greater number of actions with teammates in the pass line, a greater continuity in the game, a greater number of attack and defence actions in areas close to the goal, and favours team play. The experimental format fits the players’ individual progression better (U-12) as well as the players’ and teams’ collective development, and it will allow players to evolve from the individual development of previous stages.

Keywords: children; player development; sport; competition; rules; technique; tactics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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