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We investigated whether physical fitness and body composition in 8-10-year-old Danish children are associated with sports club participation. The study included 423 schoolchildren, comprising 209 girls and 214 boys, of whom 67 and 74%, respectively, were active in sports clubs. Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 for children (YYIR1C), balance, jump and coordination tests, together with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, were used to determine exercise capacity and body composition. Children active in sports clubs had better (p < 0.05) YYIR1C (33%, 767 ± 26 vs. 575 ± 29 m), 20-m sprint (3%, 4.33 ± 0.03 vs. 4.48 ± 0.04 seconds), coordination (6%, 68 ± 1 vs. 72 ± 1 second), and balance test performances (9%, 19.3 ± 0.5 vs. 21.2 ± 0.7 falls·min-1) and lower fat mass index (16%, 3.8 ± 0.1 vs. 4.5 ± 0.2 kg[fat]·m-2) than children not active in sports clubs. Ball game players had better (p < 0.05) YYIR1C (38%, 925 ± 39 vs. 671 ± 28 m), 20-m sprint (4%, 4.25 ± 0.03 vs. 4.42 ± 0.04 seconds), and coordination test performances (5%, 65 ± 1 vs. 69 ± 1 second), along with higher (p < 0.05) lean body mass (5%, 24.00 ± 0.22 vs. 22.83 ± 0.25 kg) and whole-body BMD (2%, 0.90 ± < 0.01 vs. 0.88 ± <0.01 g·cm-2) compared with children active in other sports. The study showed that 8--10-year-old Danish children engaged in sports-club activity, especially ball game players, have better exercise capacity and superior body composition compared with children not active in sports clubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate technical performance, heart rate (HR), and activity profile in 7v7 and 8v8 soccer games for 9- to 1 0-year-old girls (U11). A total of 24 female youth players participated in the study, all playing 20-minute 7v7 and 8v8 games with 1 60 and 223 m² per player, respectively. Technical actions, HR, and activity profile were measured during the games using video filming, HR monitors, and 5-Hz Global positioning system (GPS) units. The number of technical actions was higher in 7v7 than in 8v8 games (34 ± 19 vs. 28 ± 1 4; p = 0.03; d = 0.37), as was the number of successful actions (25 ± 16 vs. 20 ± 12; p = 0.01 ; d = 0.35), with no difference in success rate for technical actions (70 ± 13 vs. 69 ± 14%; p = 0.63; d = 0.07). No differences were found between 7v7 and 8v8 in total distance covered (1,574 ± 251 and 1,622 ± 281 m;p = 0.66; d=0.18), peak speed (19.5 ± 2.6 and 20.7 ± 1.5 km⋅h-1; p = 0.16; d =0.56), mean HR values (85 ± 5 and 86 ± 6% HRpeak; p = 0.85; d = 0.1 8), and time of >90% HRpeak (37 ± 16 and 35 ± 14% of playing time; p = 0.70; d = 0.13). Distance covered at the highest running speeds of > 16 km⋅h-1 was lower in 7v7 than in 8v8 games (34 ± 24 vs. 63 ± 34 m; p = 0.01 8; d= 0.98), as was the number of entries into this speed zone (8 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 7; p = 0.006; d = 0.82). In conclusion, more technical actions and successful actions were observed in 7v7 than in 8v8 games, but players covered more ground with high-speed running in 8v8 games. This study also revealed that HR values were high in both game formats for U11 adolescent female players, with no difference between formats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]