UNIFEB uses science to enhance talents in grassroots football in Barretos — Photo: Credit: Disclosure Unifeb
Barretos' grassroots football is gaining a new ally: science. Young athletes from the Under-11, Under-12, Under-13 and Under-14 categories are participating in scientific initiation research developed by UNIFEB (University Center of the Barretos Educational Foundation), which uses physical, physical fitness and motor assessments to learn, on an individual basis, the characteristics and potential of each player.
The initiative brings together three scientific initiation projects developed in an integrated manner, under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Tadeu Cardoso de Almeida, coordinator of the Physical Education course at UNIFEB. Participating as student researchers are Gabriel Caramori, Gabriel de Almeida and Rafael Saloio, with the collaboration of Prof. Cintia Rodrigues. The technical committee also counts on the experience of Professor Lucas (Grandpa), responsible for leading the athletes on the field.
The proposal is to bring the knowledge produced within the University Center closer to the sporting reality, using scientific data to assist in the training of young people and in the planning of activities carried out by the youth categories.
According to Tadeu, the main difference of the initiative is precisely in considering the particularities of each athlete.
"The central proposal is to see each athlete in a strictly individualized way. There are three complementary projects — Physical Assessment, Physical Fitness and Motor Assessment — that work in an integrated and harmonious way to build a detailed and comprehensive portrait of each player", he explains.
According to the professor, the objective is to evaluate and classify athletes based on their own results, contributing to the organization of training and enhancing individual and collective performance.
“The project replaces guesswork with rigorous technical criteria, ensuring that each methodological decision is based on concrete data”, he highlights.
A COMPLETE SPORTS CHECK-UP
To reach this diagnosis, young people undergo a series of assessments. In the Physical Assessment stage, anthropometric and body composition parameters are analyzed, such as weight, height, fat percentage, muscle mass percentage and residual weight percentage.
Physical Fitness tests check different capabilities related to the demands of football, including flexibility, strength and power of upper and lower limbs, agility, speed and cardiorespiratory endurance capacity.
The third front involves Motor Assessment, carried out using validated protocols that allow analyzing fundamental and specialized motor skills related to the modality.
With the information obtained in the evaluations, the technical committee now has indicators capable of assisting in planning activities. For Tadeu, the results work as
“a true pedagogical and technical compass for the technical committee”.
"Based on the individual diagnosis, the multidisciplinary team accurately identifies weaknesses and strengths in terms of technical ability and physical strengths. This clarity allows the planning for each season to be structured with personalized interventions, both in general physical conditioning blocks and in tactical and sport-specific training", he explains.
The expectation is that this monitoring will contribute to the formation of athletes who are more prepared for competitive demands. For the coordinator of the Physical Education course at UNIFEB, starting this monitoring in the youth categories is fundamental to understanding the development of athletes throughout the training process.
In addition to the benefits for athletes, the initiative also expands the experience of students involved in scientific initiation. By directly participating in the evaluations and analysis of results, students have the opportunity to apply knowledge acquired during graduation in a concrete sporting situation.
"The unfolding of the research generates a virtuous cycle that positively impacts all parties involved. Teachers and researchers deepen their understanding of the profile of young people who represent the city, diagnosing technical capabilities and demands to structure more competitive squads", explains Professor Tadeu.
content under the responsibility of the advertiser
