Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood
This study assessed the anthropometry and physical conditioning attributes of young male inter-county (national level) Gaelic football players, comparing possible differences according to age categories (under-14 [U14] to under-21 [U21]) and position. In total, 3547 assessments were undertaken in 2...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Strength and Conditioning |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.iusca.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/456 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849392581597724672 |
|---|---|
| author | Lorcan Daly Cathal Cregg Daniel Forde Ciarán Catháin David Kelly |
| author_facet | Lorcan Daly Cathal Cregg Daniel Forde Ciarán Catháin David Kelly |
| author_sort | Lorcan Daly |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This study assessed the anthropometry and physical conditioning attributes of young male inter-county (national level) Gaelic football players, comparing possible differences according to age categories (under-14 [U14] to under-21 [U21]) and position. In total, 3547 assessments were undertaken in 2588 players across a 10-year period (2013 to 2023). Assessments included anthropometry (stature, body mass, sum of 3 skinfolds), flexibility (sit and reach test), muscular power (countermovement jump and standing long jump), running speed (5-m and 20-m), muscular endurance (maximum push ups) and aerobic capacity (yo-yo intermittent recovery test level 1 [YYIRT1]). Increases were demonstrated when comparing age categories from U14 to U21 for anthropometry (e.g., height [cm] +5.7%), muscular power (e.g., Standing long jump [cm] +16.1%). running speed (e.g., 5 m speed [s] -4.8% from U14 to U20), running momentum (e.g., 20 m momentum [kg.ms-1] +41.5% from U14 to U20), muscular endurance (push-ups [n] +107.7%), flexibility (sit and reach [cm] +36.0%) and aerobic capacity (YYIRT1 [m] +42.3%). When comparing positions, goalkeepers and midfielders were taller and heavier than backs and forwards, respectively. Additionally, midfielders displayed superior aerobic conditioning when compared with other positions, while goalkeepers displayed significantly lower aerobic conditioning. These findings offer comparative data of young Gaelic football players from varying age categories (U14 to U21) which are further classified according to positions. Practitioners may utilize this data to inform player identification processes, characterize position-specific benchmarks and monitor physiological adaptations in young players.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e2cd91c596b849479dad2cce2d4af0b8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2634-2235 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Strength and Conditioning |
| spelling | doaj-art-e2cd91c596b849479dad2cce2d4af0b82025-08-20T03:40:44ZengInternational Universities Strength and Conditioning AssociationInternational Journal of Strength and Conditioning2634-22352025-08-015110.47206/ijsc.v5i1.456Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to AdulthoodLorcan Daly0Cathal Cregg1Daniel Forde2Ciarán Catháin3David Kelly4Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland; SHE Research group, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland & Sport and Human Performance Research Centre, University of Limerick, IrelandConnacht GAA Centre of Excellence, IrelandConnacht GAA Centre of Excellence, IrelandDepartment of Sport and Health Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland & SHE Research group, Technological University of the Shannon, IrelandDepartment of Sport and Health Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland & SHE Research group, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland This study assessed the anthropometry and physical conditioning attributes of young male inter-county (national level) Gaelic football players, comparing possible differences according to age categories (under-14 [U14] to under-21 [U21]) and position. In total, 3547 assessments were undertaken in 2588 players across a 10-year period (2013 to 2023). Assessments included anthropometry (stature, body mass, sum of 3 skinfolds), flexibility (sit and reach test), muscular power (countermovement jump and standing long jump), running speed (5-m and 20-m), muscular endurance (maximum push ups) and aerobic capacity (yo-yo intermittent recovery test level 1 [YYIRT1]). Increases were demonstrated when comparing age categories from U14 to U21 for anthropometry (e.g., height [cm] +5.7%), muscular power (e.g., Standing long jump [cm] +16.1%). running speed (e.g., 5 m speed [s] -4.8% from U14 to U20), running momentum (e.g., 20 m momentum [kg.ms-1] +41.5% from U14 to U20), muscular endurance (push-ups [n] +107.7%), flexibility (sit and reach [cm] +36.0%) and aerobic capacity (YYIRT1 [m] +42.3%). When comparing positions, goalkeepers and midfielders were taller and heavier than backs and forwards, respectively. Additionally, midfielders displayed superior aerobic conditioning when compared with other positions, while goalkeepers displayed significantly lower aerobic conditioning. These findings offer comparative data of young Gaelic football players from varying age categories (U14 to U21) which are further classified according to positions. Practitioners may utilize this data to inform player identification processes, characterize position-specific benchmarks and monitor physiological adaptations in young players. https://journal.iusca.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/456Team sportLong term athletic developmentPhysiological adaptationMaturationYouth athletes |
| spellingShingle | Lorcan Daly Cathal Cregg Daniel Forde Ciarán Catháin David Kelly Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood International Journal of Strength and Conditioning Team sport Long term athletic development Physiological adaptation Maturation Youth athletes |
| title | Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood |
| title_full | Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood |
| title_fullStr | Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood |
| title_full_unstemmed | Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood |
| title_short | Profiling the Physical Conditioning Attributes of Young Male Gaelic Football Players: From Adolescence to Adulthood |
| title_sort | profiling the physical conditioning attributes of young male gaelic football players from adolescence to adulthood |
| topic | Team sport Long term athletic development Physiological adaptation Maturation Youth athletes |
| url | https://journal.iusca.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/456 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lorcandaly profilingthephysicalconditioningattributesofyoungmalegaelicfootballplayersfromadolescencetoadulthood AT cathalcregg profilingthephysicalconditioningattributesofyoungmalegaelicfootballplayersfromadolescencetoadulthood AT danielforde profilingthephysicalconditioningattributesofyoungmalegaelicfootballplayersfromadolescencetoadulthood AT ciarancathain profilingthephysicalconditioningattributesofyoungmalegaelicfootballplayersfromadolescencetoadulthood AT davidkelly profilingthephysicalconditioningattributesofyoungmalegaelicfootballplayersfromadolescencetoadulthood |