Activity profile of high-level Australian lacrosse players

Activity profile of high-level Australian lacrosse players

Despite lacrosse being one of the fastest growing team sports in the world, there is a paucity of information detailing the activity profile of high level players. Microtechnology systems (global positioning systems (GPS) and accelerometers) provide the opportunity to obtain detailed information on the activity profile in lacrosse. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the activity profile of lacrosse match-play using microtechnology. Activity profile variables assessed relative to minutes of playing time included relative distance (mmin), distance spent standing (0-0.1 ms), walking (0.2-1.7 ms), jogging (1.8-3.2 ms), running (3.3-5.6 ms), sprinting (≥5.7 ms), number of high, moderate, low accelerations and decelerations and player load (PLmin), calculated as the square root of the sum of the squared instantaneous rate of change in acceleration in three vectors (medio-lateral, anterior-posterior, vertical). Activity was recorded from fifteen lacrosse players over four matches during a national tournament. Players were separated into positions of attack, midfield, or defense. Differences (ES ± 90% CI) between positions and periods of play were considered likely positive when there was ≥75% likelihood of the difference exceeding an effect size threshold of 0.2. Midfielders had likely higher (mean ± SD) m·min (100 ± 11) compared to attackers (87 ± 14; ES = 0.89 ± 1.04) and defenders (79 ± 14; ES = 1.54 ± 0.94) and more moderate and high accelerations and decelerations. Almost all variables across positions were reduced in quarter four compared to quarter one. Coaches should accommodate for positional differences when preparing lacrosse players for competition.

Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions.