Meeting Abstract

46-7  Saturday, Jan. 5 09:30 – 09:45  Predicting success in physical activities: combining studies of sport and animal performance to enhance both disciplines SANDES DE SOUZA, AP*; SMITH, NM; WILSON, RS; University of Brasilia, Brazil; University of Sydney, Australia; University of Queensland, Australia r.wilson@uq.edu.au

Just as biologists seek to link phenotypes to fitness, sports scientists try to identify the traits that determine athlete success. Both disciplines would benefit from collaborations, but few of the tools used in one field are used to advance the other. In this study, we used an analytical approach common in evolutionary biology to isolate traits associated with success in a specific sporting activity – soccer performance. We also used a deconstructive approach common in sports science that could offer new insights into the study of physical performance and its influence on adaptation in nature. Specifically, we quantified the sprinting, dribbling, passing, and control performance of 30 elite Brazilian junior footballers, and showed which traits were associated with success in a custom-designed small-sided soccer game (3 attackers vs 1 defender). Practically, our study identifies a clear set of performance traits that can be used to identify talented midfield soccer players. In addition, our data show the benefits of deconstructing a highly complex team-sport into smaller sub-activities that can be more easily studied, an approach that could be beneficial for studying animal performance in nature.