ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to examine factors that influence playing level and position selection in a school youth soccer programme. In particular, by investigating a sub-elite, grassroots level, it attempts to examine how playing level and playing positions may be influenced by maturation, anthropometry, physical capacity, technical ability and motor competence. To analyse differences in maturation, anthropometry, physical capacity, technical ability and motor competence between playing levels, a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with chronological age as a covariate was used. The main findings of this study were that large significant differences were present between both playing levels and playing positions in a range of physical- and coordination-related factors. In summary, the present findings support previous literature showing physical- and coordination-related factors to influence playing level and position selection in youth soccer. It revealed a combination of motor competence, technical ability and fitness to determine an individual's playing level.
