Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology - contenuto non piu disponibile

Height, body weight and body composition are different among American football players and this is due to the different movement demands for each playing position (1). The results of the National Football League (NFL) Combines are different for playing position and they are used by coaches and scouts to assess players’ physical abilities as a determinant of their success in the professional level (2). The purpose of this study was to examine anthropometric and performance differences among young football players of a top Italian team (Rhinos Milan) and to compare these values with the American high school football players. Participants (N=62) were categorized by position in 3 groups based on playing position: Skill players (SP) included wide receivers, cornerbacks, safeties, and running backs; Big skill players (BSP) consisted of fullbacks, linebackers, tight ends, and defensive ends; Lineman (LM) included centers, offensive guards, offensive and defensive tackles. Body weight and percentage of body fat were determined using the TANITA Body Composition Monitor BC-418 and we obtained performance results of the following Nike SPARQ Combine drills: 40-yard dash, vertical jump, 20-yard shuttle and the kneeling power ball toss (KPBT). The one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey-Kramer post-hoc test showed significant differences for all the variables among the 3 playing categories: LM had higher anthropometric and body composition values than SP (p