Correlation between speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) in elite young soccer players

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the speed, agility and quickness, and to determine the correlation between tests with and without the ball in young soccer players. Research was carried out on a sample of 25 elite soccer players from the Serbian U-16 national team, (aged 15.19±0.32 ; height176.04±6.00 cm ; body mass 65.19±9.41 kg). The participants were tested on a 10-m Sprint (B10S), 30-m Sprint (B30S), Flying 20-m Sprint (B20S), Zigzag test (CC) and Zigzag With the Ball (CCL). Significant relationships were found between test CC and B30S (r=0.560), as well as between test CC and B20S (r=0.603). There were no significant relationships between CC and B10S (r=0.323). The agility test with the ball (CCL) has not shown significant correlation with speed and quickness (r=0.093-0.247). The SAQ training method has made training much more applied than previously although it is mainly represented by the movements during which the control and contact with the ball are at a minimum. This causes the loss of specificity between exercises and demands in the demonstration both during the testing and the game. This study has confirmed that the structure of the agility with the ball is much more complex in comparison with the one without the ball. In addition, this research has shown that the basic skills without the ball have much stronger relation among speed, agility and quickness than the skills with the ball.