The purpose of this study was to quantify load across an entire season for professional youth football players and assess the effects of stage of season, playing position and training day relative to match day (MD). Data from ratings of perceived exertion and seven global positioning system (GPS) derived measures of external training load were collected from 20 players across a 47-week season. Mixed linear models were used to assess the effects of stage of season, training proximity to match day (e.g. MD-1, MD-2) and position across each dependent variable. Training proximity to match day was found to have the most substantive effect with effect sizes ranging from small (${\eta }_G^2=0.08)$ to large (${\eta }_G^2=0.29)$. Across training load measures, mean values collected on match day were on average 47% higher than all other sessions. Whilst significant regression coefficients were obtained for playing position (p ≤ 0.003) and stage of season (p ≤ 0.049), effect sizes were close to zero (${\eta }_G^2<0.01)\mathrm{ }$in each instance. This study provides insight into the season-long training and match-play demands of a professional youth football team. It highlights the significant impact of match-play on load and supports the use of multiple methods of collecting training load data. Overall, there was limited variation in mean values of dependent variables across playing position, stage of the season and loading during midweek training. These findings highlight the need for future research to investigate whether greater systematic variations in training load can be used to increase physical fitness and maximise physical performance during competition.

这项研究的目的是量化职业青年足球运动员整个赛季的负荷，并评估赛季阶段，比赛位置和训练日（相对于比赛日）的影响。在一个为期47周的赛季中，从20位运动员那里收集了来自感知的运动评分和七个全球定位系统（GPS）得出的外部训练负荷量度的数据。混合线性模型用于评估季节，训练接近比赛日（例如MD-1，MD-2）以及每个因变量位置的影响。发现在比赛日附近进行训练具有最大的效果，效果范围从小到大（${\eta }_G^{\mathrm{2个}}=0.08）$ 到大（${\eta }_G^{\mathrm{2个}}=0.29）$。在所有训练负荷量中，比赛当天收集的平均值平均比所有其他课程高47％。尽管获得了比赛位置（p≤0.003）和赛季阶段（p≤0.049）的显着回归系数，但效应大小接近于零（${\eta }_G^{\mathrm{2个}}<0.01）\mathrm{ }$在每种情况下。这项研究深入了解了一支职业青年足球队在整个赛季的训练和比赛需求。它强调了比赛对负荷的重大影响，并支持使用多种方法收集训练负荷数据。总体而言，在比赛中位置，赛季的阶段和周中训练期间的负荷之间，因变量的平均值变化有限。这些发现强调了未来研究的必要性，以调查在训练过程中是否可以使用更大的系统训练负荷来增加体能并最大程度地提高体能。