Are change of direction speed and agility different abilities from time and coordinative perspectives?

Abstract

This study aimed to test whether agility and change of direction speed (COD) are independent capacities using the same movement pattern (1) in terms of the completion time and (2) the entropy. Seventeen semi-professional female football players participated in the study. The agility task consisted of a Y-shaped (45° COD) task with three possible exit options (center, right and left) performed pre-planned or in reaction to the movement of two testers (i.e., blocking exit gates). Players’ acceleration was measured using an inertial measurement unit. Entropy was calculated from the acceleration signal and completion time was extracted using a magnet-based timing system. Significantly greater times and lower entropy (p<0.001) were found during agility runs to pre-planned COD runs. [...]