Effects of Environmental Conditions, Core Temperature, and Hydration Status on Women’s Soccer Performance

Women’s Soccer Performance

Abstract

National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division III athletes have restrictive rules on preseason practice timelines leading to questions about how performances are affected by environmental conditions during preseason practices.

Purpose: The purpose was to determine how heat, humidity, core body temperature, hydration status, and reported sleep affected the performances of women’s Division III soccer players during preseason training.

Methods: Ten female collegiate soccer players (age=19.5±1.43 years, mass=62.14±5.01 kg, height=167.78±7.65 cm) were recruited.  Core temperature was collected every 10 minutes during practice via an ingestable thermistor. Before each training session, participants recorded the previous night's sleep quantity and quality via the Karolinska Sleep Diary (KSD). Internal and external loads were monitored via heart rate, training load session rate of perceived exertion (TL-sRPE), and Global Position System (GPS) metrics. WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) was continuously recorded throughout each training session as well as participant total fluid consumption. 

Results: TL-RPE, Δbody mass (ΔBM), ΔWBGT and maximum HR (maxHR) explained approximately 53% of the variance in intensity (r=0.73, F_4,82=23.506, P<.001). Whereas sleep metrics, session duration, and average heart rate had no significant (p>0.05) impact on intensity.

Conclusion: The changes in exercise intensity observed were most associated with the perceived training load, body mass loss, heat indices, and maximum heart rate. These variables should be controlled to elicit the desired training outcome while keeping player safety at the forefront during preseason soccer.