Comparison of Soccer Referee Physical Fitness Assessments

Soccer officiating is a physically and mentally challenging activity consisting of intermittent activities that mainly stresses the aerobic system. Because of the physical demands, some referee organizations require their referees to complete and pass a battery of physical fitness tests. PURPOSE: To compare the results between the new National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) physical fitness test and the old NISOA fitness test. METHODS: 45 members (41.2 Â ± 12.4 y) of the North Dakota and Minnesota chapters of NISOA voluntarily agreed to have their annual NISOA physical fitness test results analyzed for this study. The old NISOA physical fitness test consisted of a 12-minute (min.) run, a 50-meter (m) sprint, a 40-m agility run, and a 60-m anaerobic shuttle run. The new NISOA physical fitness test consists of a 12-minute run, a Pro-agility run, a Brazilian assistant referee run, and a 30-m anaerobic shuttle run. RESULTS: The distance covered during the old 12-min. run test (2876 Â ± 521 m) was significantly greater (p<0.001) than the distance covered during the new 12-min. run test (2304 Â ± 373 m), however, the old and new tests were positively correlated (r = 0.598, p<0.001). In addition, the old 40-m agility run was positively correlated with the Brazilian assistant referee run (r = 0.768, p<0.001), and the old 3×60-m anaerobic shuttle run was positively correlated with the new 30-m anaerobic shuttle run (r = 0.786, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the distance covered during the new 12-min. run test was significantly shorter than the old test, due to the stopping and starting during the new test. In addition, the old and new agility and anaerobic tests were positively correlated, suggesting that either test may be valid. These results indicate that the new physical fitness protocol produces similar results to the old, except for the 12-min. run. However, the new protocol may be more reflective of the actual activities the referee and assistant referee perform during a soccer match.