All Outputs (54)

Comparing the technical and individual possession statistics of academy players across different age groups in match-play (2025)
Journal Article
Escreet, E., Barrett, S., Toner, J., Iga, J., & Towlson, C. (2025). Comparing the technical and individual possession statistics of academy players across different age groups in match-play. PLoS ONE, 20(1), Article e0316833. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316833

Background Youth soccer players in the UK transition into the professional game at 16 years of age. Understanding the differences between youth and professional standards can help coaches and clubs to support player development during this transition... Read More about Comparing the technical and individual possession statistics of academy players across different age groups in match-play.

Validation of field-based running tests to determine maximal aerobic speed in professional rugby league (2024)
Journal Article
Bennett, T., Marshall, P., Barrett, S., Malone, J., Simpson, A., Bray, J., Christopherson, C., Nickolay, T., Metcalfe, J., & Towlson, C. (2024). Validation of field-based running tests to determine maximal aerobic speed in professional rugby league. PLoS ONE, 19(7 July), Article e0306062. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0306062

Practitioners place importance on high-speed running (HSR) to monitor training practice and match-play demands, whilst attempting to maximise fitness and minimize the risk of injury occurrence. Practitioners apply various methods to quantify HSR, suc... Read More about Validation of field-based running tests to determine maximal aerobic speed in professional rugby league.

The effect of maturation on children's experience of physical education: Lessons learned from academy sport (2024)
Journal Article
Towlson, C., Cumming, S., Donnan, K., & Toner, J. (2024). The effect of maturation on children's experience of physical education: Lessons learned from academy sport. European Physical Education Review, https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X241251654

Students’ experiences of physical education (PE) are considered important for lifelong attitudes towards physical activity. Sex-related differences and the individualised tempo in anthropometric growth because of biological maturation lead to seconda... Read More about The effect of maturation on children's experience of physical education: Lessons learned from academy sport.

Talent identification in soccer: The influence of technical, physical and maturity-related characteristics on a national selection process (2024)
Journal Article
King, M., Brown, M., Cox, J., McLellan, R., Towlson, C., & Barrett, S. (2024). Talent identification in soccer: The influence of technical, physical and maturity-related characteristics on a national selection process. PLoS ONE, 19(3), Article e0298359. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298359

The present study examines the influence of technical, physical, and relative age characteristics on players selection success within the Scottish Performance School trials. Ninety adolescent players (81 males, 9 females; mean ± standard deviation: a... Read More about Talent identification in soccer: The influence of technical, physical and maturity-related characteristics on a national selection process.

Professional soccer practitioners' perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment: A category 1 club case study (2024)
Journal Article
Davidson, T. K., Barrett, S., Toner, J., & Towlson, C. (2024). Professional soccer practitioners' perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment: A category 1 club case study. PLoS ONE, 19(3), Article e0298346. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298346

This study aimed to identify professional soccer practitioners' perceptions of the application of performance analysis technology within a single academy club. Secondary aims were to understand the importance that practitioners place on monitoring te... Read More about Professional soccer practitioners' perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment: A category 1 club case study.

A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool (2024)
Journal Article
Robinson, J., Cumming, S., Salter, J., Toner, J., & Towlson, C. (2024). A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool. PLoS ONE, 19(3 March), Article e0295953. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295953

The aim of this research was to assess the validity and reliability of a newly developed scoring tool, designed for monitoring youth soccer players during match-play performance to support coaches/scouts with the talent identification process. The me... Read More about A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool.

Talent identification in soccer: the influence of technical, physical and maturity-related characteristics on a national selection process - Anonymised dataset (2024)
Data
McLaren-Towlson, C. (2024). Talent identification in soccer: the influence of technical, physical and maturity-related characteristics on a national selection process - Anonymised dataset. [Data]

The present study examines the influence of technical, physical, and relative age characteristics on players selection success within the Scottish Performance School trials. Ninety adolescent players (81 males, 9 females; mean ± standard deviation: a... Read More about Talent identification in soccer: the influence of technical, physical and maturity-related characteristics on a national selection process - Anonymised dataset.

Professional soccer practitioners’ perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment. (2024)
Data
McLaren-Towlson, C., Toner, J., & Kate Davidson, T. (2024). Professional soccer practitioners’ perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment. [Data]

This study aimed to identify professional soccer practitioners’ perceptions of the application of performance analysis technology within an academy. Secondary aims were to understand the importance that practitioners place on monitoring technical and... Read More about Professional soccer practitioners’ perceptions of using performance analysis technology to monitor technical and tactical player characteristics within an academy environment..

Validation of Field-Based Running Tests to Determine Maximal Aerobic Speed in Professional Rugby League: Anonymised data set (2024)
Data
McLaren-Towlson, C., Marshall, P., Simpson, A., Bray, J., & Nickolay, T. (2024). Validation of Field-Based Running Tests to Determine Maximal Aerobic Speed in Professional Rugby League: Anonymised data set. [Data]

Practitioners place importance on high-speed running (HSR) to monitor training practice and match-play demands, whilst attempting to maximise fitness and minimize the risk of injury occurrence. Practitioners apply various methods to quantify HSR, suc... Read More about Validation of Field-Based Running Tests to Determine Maximal Aerobic Speed in Professional Rugby League: Anonymised data set.

Comparing the technical and individual possession statistics of academy players across different age groups in match-play (anonymised dataset) (2024)
Data
McLaren-Towlson, C. (2024). Comparing the technical and individual possession statistics of academy players across different age groups in match-play (anonymised dataset). [Data]

Background: Youth soccer players in the UK transition into the professional game at 16 years of age. Understanding the differences between youth and professional standards can help coaches and clubs to support player development during this transitio... Read More about Comparing the technical and individual possession statistics of academy players across different age groups in match-play (anonymised dataset).

A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool (Anonymised dataset) (2024)
Data
McLaren-Towlson, C., & Toner, J. (2024). A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool (Anonymised dataset). [Data]

The aim of this research was to develop a valid and reliable Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool suitable for youth soccer match play. The method used to design the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool comprised of a five-stage process of (i) conduc... Read More about A new method to identify key match-play behaviours of young soccer players: Development of the Hull Soccer Behavioural Scoring Tool (Anonymised dataset).

The efficacy of virtual reality in professional soccer (2024)
Thesis
Greenhough, B. The efficacy of virtual reality in professional soccer. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4500542

Professional soccer clubs have taken an interest to virtual reality, however, only a paucity of evidence exists to support its use in the soccer training ground environment. Further, several soccer virtual reality companies have begun providing solut... Read More about The efficacy of virtual reality in professional soccer.

Methods to predict the timing and status of biological maturation in male adolescent soccer players: A narrative systematic review. (2023)
Journal Article
Sullivan, J., Roberts, S. J., Mckeown, J., Littlewood, M., McLaren-Towlson, C., Andrew, M., & Enright, K. (2023). Methods to predict the timing and status of biological maturation in male adolescent soccer players: A narrative systematic review. PLoS ONE, 18(9), Article e0286768. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286768

The aim of this review was to summarise the methods used to predict and assess maturity status and timing in adolescent, male, academy soccer players. A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline and SPORTDiscu... Read More about Methods to predict the timing and status of biological maturation in male adolescent soccer players: A narrative systematic review..

Practitioners perceived effectiveness and application of maturity status bio-banding for talent identification and development (2023)
Thesis
Watson, D.-J. Practitioners perceived effectiveness and application of maturity status bio-banding for talent identification and development. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4448211

Bio-banding is an approach used to group athletes based on their characteristics in relation to growth and maturity, rather than their chronological age. Although recent research has explored the effect of bio-banding on various markers (e.g., techni... Read More about Practitioners perceived effectiveness and application of maturity status bio-banding for talent identification and development.

Practitioners Perceived Effectiveness and Application of Maturity Status Bio-Banding for Talent Identification and Development (2023)
Thesis
Watson, D.-J. Practitioners Perceived Effectiveness and Application of Maturity Status Bio-Banding for Talent Identification and Development. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4415720

Bio-banding is an approach used to group athletes based on their characteristics in relation to growth and maturity, rather than their chronological age. Although recent research has explored the effect of bio-banding on various markers (e.g., techni... Read More about Practitioners Perceived Effectiveness and Application of Maturity Status Bio-Banding for Talent Identification and Development.

Soccer academy practitioners' perceptions and application of bio-banding (2023)
Journal Article
Towlson, C., Watson, D. J., Cumming, S., Salter, J., & Toner, J. (2023). Soccer academy practitioners' perceptions and application of bio-banding. PLoS ONE, 18(1), Article e0274079. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274079

The primary aims of this study were to examine the application of maturity status bio-banding within professional soccer academy programmes and understand the methods employed, the intended objectives, and the potential barriers to bio-banding. Using... Read More about Soccer academy practitioners' perceptions and application of bio-banding.

Bio-banding in soccer: past, present, and future (2022)
Journal Article
Towlson, C., & Cumming, S. P. (in press). Bio-banding in soccer: past, present, and future. Annals of Human Biology, https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2022.2129091

Maturity-related selection biases are engrained within professional academy soccer programmes. The process of grouping of children by biological maturity (“bio-banding”), rather than age is not new. However, practice of bio-banding is becoming incre... Read More about Bio-banding in soccer: past, present, and future.

Does transforming subjective measures of load better represent training and match-play intensity in youth soccer players? (2022)
Journal Article
Maughan, P. C., MacFarlane, N. G., Towlson, C., Barrett, S., & Swinton, P. A. (2023). Does transforming subjective measures of load better represent training and match-play intensity in youth soccer players?. International journal of sports science & coaching, 18(5), 1541-1549. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221114739

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of relationships between measures of training load and assess whether these can be modified through non-linear transformations. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and seven external load mea... Read More about Does transforming subjective measures of load better represent training and match-play intensity in youth soccer players?.

Quantifying high-speed running in rugby league: An insight into practitioner applications and perceptions (2022)
Journal Article
Bennett, T., Marshall, P., Barrett, S., Malone, J. J., & Towlson, C. (2022). Quantifying high-speed running in rugby league: An insight into practitioner applications and perceptions. International journal of sports science & coaching, https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221112825

High-speed running has previously been documented as a popular metric among rugby league researchers. Researchers place importance on high-speed running due to its inclusion in assessing the demands of training and match-play to help prescribe accura... Read More about Quantifying high-speed running in rugby league: An insight into practitioner applications and perceptions.

Soccer academy practitioners’ perceptions and application of bio-banding (2022)
Data
McLaren-Towlson, C., Jo-Watson, D., Cumming, S., Salter, J., & Toner, J. Soccer academy practitioners’ perceptions and application of bio-banding. [Data]

The primary aims of this study were to examine the application of maturity status bio-banding within professional soccer academy programmes and understand the methods employed, the intended objectives, and the potential barriers to bio-banding. Using... Read More about Soccer academy practitioners’ perceptions and application of bio-banding.