Is curve sprint performance in soccer related to other speed and power abilities across age categories?

This study investigated whether curve sprint (CS) performance in soccer was related to linear sprint (LS), change of direction (COD), and countermovement jump (CMJ) in highly trained soccer players across different age categories. One hundred and twenty-one soccer players (U-13, U-15, U-17, and Senior) from the same professional club were recruited and performed all tests. One-way ANOVA and effect sizes were used to compare CS across age categories, while Pearson’s r correlation coefficient measured the relationships between all physical test performance. CS performance improved from the U-13 to the Senior category, exhibiting very large differences across all age categories (Cohen’s d > 2.0), except between the U-15 and U-17 categories. Moderate-large correlations (r = from 0.38 to 0.77) were found in most relationships between the CS and LS (5 and 20 meters), COD, and CMJ performance. Based on the findings CS improved gradually from the U-13 to the Senior category, with the smallest improvement occurring from the U-15 to the U-17. Regarding the association between CS and the speed-power abilities assessed, we suggest that specific training and assessments for young and professional soccer players should be utilized to develop such capacities (i.e., CS, LS, COD, and CMJ).