Footie research to aid talent spotting
An innovative sports science tool based on the research of a University of Stirling academic is aiming to revolutionise talent identification and development in youth football players.
The Soccer PDP platform provides football clubs with reliable information on a player’s ability and gives individuals the opportunity to access data, developmental resources and opportunities not usually available to amateur or youth players.
In addition, it provides children and youth players with information that will be of a wider benefit outside of football, including material on physical activity, psychological skills, and nutrition.
The web-based technology,which is commercially available and already being used by football teams,is based on the work of Dr James Dugdale, a postdoctoral researcher in the faculty of health sciences and sport at Stirling.
He started on the project while a PhD researcher at Stirling and is now working with colleagues – and the Stirling-based company behind Soccer PDP – on a new three-year, multidisciplinary study to support its further development.
Dr Dugdale said:“My research focuses on identifying the best measures and tests to assess youth players and interpret the results of these tests appropriately.
“My PhD research concentrated solely on physical tests and measures, however, the intention is that the Soccer PDP platform will be an interdisciplinary tool incorporating additional contributing factors to development – such as psychology, nutrition, skill and technical ability.”
Soccer PDP aims to provide a similar level of support to youth players that many professional football players receive, in terms of education, coaching and the testing and monitoring of various attributes associated with successful development.