Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.69589/hsv.40.1.8
Correlations between ball velocity and accuracy for dominant and non-dominant leg kick in U19 football players
Krešimir Šoš
; Prirodan pokret, Center for diagnostics, rehabilitation and training
*
Ivan Segedi
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Kinesiology
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Kicking performance is an important determinant of a player’s success during a soccer match. It is often divided into ball velocity and kicking accuracy and it is performed with either dominant or non-dominant leg. Although both components are crucial, little evidence has been provided regarding their mutual relationship, according to leg dominance. Thus, the main purpose of the present study was to examine the correlations between ball velocity and kicking accuracy as well as their differences in relation to the dominant and non-dominant leg in elite U19 soccer. We recruited 37 soccer players competing in the 1st
Croatian Football League for players under 19 years of age (U19). Ball velocity and kicking accuracy were objectively evaluated using the 356 Soccer Shooting Test (356-SST) for dominant and non-dominant leg.
Ball velocity did not significantly differ between dominant and non-dominant leg, while kicking accuracy
exhibited better results when using dominant leg (p < 0.001). In the total sample, the correlation between ball velocity and shooting accuracy was trivial and positive (r = 0.09, p = 0.438). However, even smaller and negative correlations between ball velocity and shooting accuracy for dominant (r = -0.05, p = 0.763) and non-dominant leg (r = -0.01, p = 0.977) were observed. In summary, null correlations between ball velocity and kicking accuracy occur, irrespective of leg dominance. This will suggest that faster ball velocity does not necessarily mean a more accurate kick in soccer players. Thus, the velocity-accuracy tradeoff in soccer needs further investigation.
Keywords
kicking performance, speed-accuracy tradeoff, leg dominance, team sports, soccer
Hrčak ID:
333492
URI
Publication date:
23.6.2025.
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