Relationships Between Pre-Match Training Load Variables and Matchday Countermovement Jump Height in NCAA DI Women’s Soccer

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the repeated measures correlations between the sums of training load (TL) variables preceding matchday and matchday countermovement jump (CMJ) height in NCAA Division I (DI) women’s soccer athletes. Methods:  A total of 23 female soccer players (20 ± 1.2 years; 1.69 ± 0.06 m) participated in this study. Repeated measures correlations were used to determine the relationships between matchday CMJ height and TL variables. Results: Matchday CMJ height showed very weak to weak negative relationships with the sums of the TL variables for the microcycle preceding the match: sRPE-TL (r = -0.184, p = 0.036), TD (r = -0.229, p = 0.008), TLS (r = -0.192, p = 0.028), HSD (r = -0.229, p = 0.008), ML (r = -0.204, p = 0.020), and number of sprints (r = -0.237, p = 0.006). Conclusions: Although significant negative weak relationships were observed, the results suggest that the sums of TL variables preceding matchday may not be the most reliable indicators of matchday preparedness in collegiate DI women’s soccer. Future research should aim to investigate other strategies to predict matchday readiness in collegiate women’s soccer.