Comparison of Kicking Motion Characteristics at Ball Impact between Female and Male Soccer Players

Abstract

Kicking, and particularly foot–ball impact, is a fundamental soccer skill. To date, most studies of ball impact have examined only male players. However, gender differences among soccer players might affect kicking performance. The competitiveness of female players might therefore be enhanced by providing gender-specific training and coaching. Here we compared the technical characteristics of ball impact during instep and inside kicks between male and female players. Female players exhibited significantly lower ball velocity, foot velocity immediately before impact, striking mass, and average ball-to-foot velocity ratio than male players (p < 0.05). The ball-to-foot velocity ratio decreased as the distance of the impact point from the centre of gravity (CoG) of the foot increased. Our results suggested that training for female players should focus on making contact with the ball near the foot's CoG under various conditions.