Measuring and visualising elite youth soccer training load (and the training response) with GPS and Power BI

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See how we quantify external training load, measure training response, & gain insights from #PowerBI & @statsports... See below the work we do with @QPR academy⚽️ *pic- individual weekly TL Thanks always to Ross Bennett @Ross201189 & @ShaneMalonePhD A Thread 🧵

Power BI is best place to visualise a lot of different variables over a period of time (month/phase/season), and with a simple drop down menu…each individual player ⚽️💥 - Total Distance - High Speed Running 🏃🏽‍♂️(relative) - Accels - very HSR - % max speeds - Density

Individual player weekly loads (across multiple variables) And whether they hit your targeted values All your main external TL variables (TD/HSR/Accels etc) But also how many sprint have your players hit per week (above 90% max speed) AND what was your weekly max speed %

Here's part of our session report... Again, have you hit those daily targets Across each variable For each day And each player (Yellow/Green/Amber/Red threaholds...based off %'s)

Drill breakdown of the session also Where are the players getting their 'load' from...within the session? Are there differences from rep 1 to rep 4 of SSG for instance? How were the timings of the session? Graph of intensity (m/min) gives a quick reference of each drill

Maximum Intensity Periods also important to look at MiP 1min MiP 3min What % of their max has each player hit in this session? Tables for both high load / and low load days

Goalkeeper session report needed also Tracked with GK-specific variables tracked through @statsports Main training load variable we look at: GK Accels And Dives (though needs a few more validity studies)

Important to quantify the external training load Weekly ones a little later in the thread, and some cool other ones ;-) But vital also to measure the response of your athletes to the session Of course RPE of session But also next day Wellness Questionnaires & jumps (CMJ)

Look at daily CMJ heights over time... ...against moderate & large threshold drops (mean - [06. x SD]) for each individual player But also average weekly CMJ (& wellness Q scores) To get a holistic view of athlete preparedness (Obj+Subj)

Match reports Again look at each variable With targets (based off typical match loads [average 6 matches]) And ability to break down into each half But also each 15min period (have yet to do this...but an exciting possibility!)

Also... Different threshold targets for variables across different positions For match day But also each 'Red' conditioning day ...and 'Amber' moderate extensive day (focus on high HSR/vSHR/sprints)

Finishing up with a few additional 'cool' ones that I like ;-) I’m really enjoying the below use of ‘Player Weekly Target Dials’ 🎯 for player individual targets across the week Nice graphic and gauge to show sport science / medical / coaches And Rehab players

One of my favourites… Load Crosshairs Take your 2 most important variables Plot them against each other on a crosshair graph on different axis Profile each player, each week: - high TD: High HSR - high TD: low HSR - low TD: high HSR - low TD: low HSR

Acute Chronic Work Ratio (ACWR) not one of my favourites... But here it is anyway (if needed) Across your main variables (Distance/HSR/Accels)

One for the Medical team Availability Analysis Over a 8 week period Make sure you have your categories standarised: - Full - Modified - Rehab - Off-loaded - Illness - Absent - Injured Works out your %'s quite nicely

Weekly analysis breakdown of the week - what % of the total week load does each training session & match constitute? - across each main GPS variable 👍 see breakdown of week & where the players are getting physical stimuli

Training Loads across the week A nice quick reference table to show all the variables, for all your players for the week Also, a graphical daily breakdown of your 3 main variables (TD/HSR/Accels) across each day of the week With match day references (MD-2 ...etc)

...and important to keep an eye on those Goalkeepers each week also!

And I'll finish with one of my new favourites... 'Start Screen' !! The User enters the Start Screen each time the Power BI is opened And you can then quickly choose which Dashboard you want to enter /end of Thread🧵👍

See more of my (and Ross Bennett's @Ross201189 ) work on DeelySportScience.com Or feel free to send me a twitter DM Email me on ciaran.deely@qpr.co.uk (And keep an eye open for my upcoming Frontiers article on Fatigue Monitoring in Youth Soccer Players from my PhD!)