2023, Volume 3 (Issue 1): 1 OPEN ACCESS Research Directs in Strength and Performance Relationships Between Pre-Match Training Load Variables and Matchday Countermovement Jump Height in NCAA DI Women’s Soccer Original Research Silvio P. da C. Valladão 1 , Julia Phillips 1 , Adriana Logan 2 , and Thomas L. Andre 1 1 Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA 2 University of Mississippi Athletics, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the repeated measures correlations between the sums of training load (TL) variables preceding matchday and matchday countermovement jump (CMJ) height in NCAA Division I (DI) women’s soccer athletes. Methods: A total of 23 female soccer players (20 ± 1.2 years; 1.69 ± 0.06 m) participated in this study. Repeated measures correlations were used to determine the relationships between matchday CMJ height and TL variables. Results: Matchday CMJ height showed very weak to weak negative relationships with the sums of the TL variables for the microcycle preceding the match: sRPE-TL (r = - 0.184, p = 0.036), TD (r = -0.229, p = 0.008), TLS (r = -0.192, p = 0.028), HSD (r = -0.229, p = 0.008), ML (r = -0.204, p = 0.020), and number of sprints (r = -0.237, p = 0.006). Conclusions: Although significant negative weak relationships were observed, the results suggest that the sums of TL variables preceding matchday may not be the most reliable indicators of matchday preparedness in collegiate DI women’s soccer. Future research should aim to investigate other strategies to predict matchday readiness in collegiate women’s soccer. Key Words: Periodization, Neuromuscular, Fatigue, GPS, Athletes Corresponding author: Silvio P. Valladão, svallada@go.olemiss.edu Introduction Training load (TL) quantification and monitoring is used in collegiate athletics to help coaches and supporting staff to determine whether players are prepared for upcoming matches with the main goals being to maximize physical fitness and to minimize injury risk. Preparedness is dependent upon the athlete’s fitness and neuromuscular status, which can change daily in response to the physical activities performed 1,2 . Acute fatigue (i.e., within hours following a match) is the result of the metabolic response to high TLs (i.e., high volume and intensity of physical work performed and the physiological responses to these workloads) while chronic fatigue is linked to the hormonal, metabolic, structural, and neuromuscular responses to accumulating TLs over time 3 . The athlete’s ability to recover from fatigue-inducing events, such as training sessions and matches, is directly related to the athlete’s fitness status. The current literature suggests that relative moderate to high TLs (absolute values of TL variables vary across genders and competition levels) are necessary for positive training adaptations in physical fitness but this can lead to increased risk of fatigue, injury, or illness 4–7 . Adequate recovery is crucial to avoid overuse injuries and a congested schedule can Published: January 10, 2023 Copyright, 2023 by the authors. Published by Pinnacle Science and the work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons .org/licenses/by/4.0/ Research Directs in Strength and Performance: 2023, Volume 3 (Issue 1): 1 ISSN: 2768-5187 Open Access