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Abstract: Fields, JB, Kuhlman, NM, Jagim, AR, Dulak-Sigler, C, and Jones, MT. Analysis of accumulated workloads and performance testing across a collegiate women's lacrosse season. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): 2213-2221, 2023-Monitoring accumulated workloads, acute:chronic workload ratios (ACWR), and training monotony (TM) are practical methods for monitoring athlete physical stress. Performance testing provides useful information about the changing nature of physical abilities. Therefore, the purpose was to examine differences in accumulated workloads based on session type, explore seasonal trends in ACWR and TM, and assess changes in performance assessments in collegiate women's lacrosse athletes. Athletes, who were identified as starters ( n = 12), wore positional monitoring technology during training sessions ( n = 61) and games ( n = 17) and completed preseason and postseason assessments of speed, agility, power (jump tests), strength, aerobic capacity, and body composition. Separate 1-way analyses of variance were used to determine differences in accumulated workloads for session type and differences in performance assessments from preseason to postseason ( p < 0.05). When compared with games, practice sessions elicited greater ( p < 0.001) accumulated total distance, player load, repeated high-intensity efforts, accelerations, change of direction, explosive efforts, high-speed efforts ( p = 0.002), and high-speed distance ( p = 0.002). Throughout the season, ACWR and TM ranged from 0.16 to 1.40 AU and 0.68-1.69 AU, respectively. The 40-yd sprint ( p < 0.001) and pro-agility ( p < 0.001) improved from preseason to postseason, whereas no changes in aerobic capacity, lower-body power, or strength were observed ( p > 0.05). The monitoring of accumulated loads, ACWR and TM, and performance tests revealed novel information about the seasonal demands of collegiate women's lacrosse. Women lacrosse players are able to improve speed and agility throughout the season, while maintaining strength, power, and endurance, with minimal reductions in fat-free mass., (Copyright © 2023 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Abstract: Fields, JB, Jones, MT, Feit, MK, and Jagim, AR. Athlete external loads across a collegiate men's lacrosse season. J Strength Cond Res 37(8): e455-e461, 2023-Tracking and quantifying athlete workload may provide insight into best practice periodization strategies and workload management. Limited information exists detailing the external demands associated with collegiate men's lacrosse. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate and compare practice, game, and positional differences across a lacrosse season. Male collegiate lacrosse athletes ( n = 17; body mass: 79.9 kg ± 9.7 kg; body fat %: 14.7 ± 3.8%) wore a global positional system device during practices ( n = 66) and games ( n = 19). External load metrics were total distance (TD), sprint distance (SD), accelerations (>3 m·s -2 ), sprint efforts, player load (PL), PL/min, and top speed. Multiple analysis of variances assessed differences in external loads across session (practice versus game) and sport position (attackers, midfielders, and defenders). A 3 × 4 analysis of variance was used to determine a position-by-time (first quarter [Q1], second quarter [Q2], third quarter [Q3], and fourth quarter [Q4]) interaction ( p < 0.05). Total distance ( p < 0.001, η2 : 0.047), SD ( p < 0.001, η2 : 0.093), sprint efforts ( p < 0.001, η2 : 0.077), PL ( p < 0.001, η2 : 0.022), and top speeds ( p < 0.001, η2 : 0.086) were all higher in games compared with practices. Attackers and defenders covered more TD ( p < 0.001, η2 = 0.0257), accelerations ( p < 0.001, η2 = 0.126), PL ( p < 0.001, η2 = 0.233), and PL/min ( p < 0.001, η2 = 0.193) than midfielders. Attackers and midfielders covered more SD ( p = 0.002 η2 = 0.043), sprint efforts ( p < 0.001, η2 = 0.053), and achieved higher top speed ( p < 0.001, η2 = 0.0063) than defenders. Volume and intensity metrics declined by Q4 in attackers and defenders ( p < 0.05), whereas external load measures did not differ across quarters for midfielders. Monitoring in-game external loads can assist coaches with individualizing training programs and preparing athletes for game demands., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)