Criterion metric choice alters high-intensity phase demands in university female soccer players.

High-intensity phases (HIP) or worst-case scenarios (i.e. the highest demand phase for a set time interval) are commonly reported in football codes as the peak value for each criterion metric (Whitehead et al. 2018, Sports Medicine, 48, 2549-2575). However, in practice these demands may not occur concurrently. Therefore, this study aimed to 1) determine if demands are affected by the criterion metric used to calculate 5-minute HIP demands. and 2) identify the timing of 5-minute HIPs for criterion metrics (total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR), and sprint distance (SD)) After institutional ethical approval, twenty female university soccer players (age 20.0 ± 1.3, mass 64.9 ± 12.9 kg) were monitored over 6 competitive fixtures using Global Positioning Systems (GPS; Catapult, Australia). Players were required to play >60 minutes to be included in the analysis, totalling 53 observations with 5-minute HIP based on TD, HSR and SD. Speed zones were calculated as HSR; 15.6-20.0km/h, sprinting >20.0km/h. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs were calculated using Jamovi (version 2.3.28) to determine differences between metrics and occurrence time based on the criterion metric and position. Where appropriate post-hoc Tukey pairwise comparisons were calculated. Differences were observed for TD (P<0.001), HSR (P<0.001), SD (P<0.001), and time (P=0.001) depending on the criterion metric. Interaction effects between metric and position did not show differences (TD P=0.386; HSR, P=0.843; SD, P=0.334), similarly for time and position (P=0.189). Post-hoc testing showed TD phases yielded greater TD (P<0.001) than HSR (d=1.14) and SD (d=1.34) and HSR TD was greater than SD (P < 0.036; d = 0.28). Defenders had lower TD than attackers (P = 0.025) HSR phases produced greater HSR (P<0.001) than TD (d=0.68) and SD (d=0.39) and TD was lower compared to SD phases (P=0.006; d=0.22). Attackers had greater HSR values than defenders (P<0.001) and midfielders (P=0.002). SD phases contained greater SD (P<0.001) values compared to TD (d=0.85) and SD (d=0.32) and HSR contained greater SD compared to TD (P<0.001; d=0.53). Attackers had greater SD values than defenders (P<0.008) and midfielders (P=0.011). Timing of the TD phase was different to HSR (P<0.001; d=0.62) but not sprint distance (P<0.095; d=0.36). HSR and SD did not appear different (P<0.77; d=0.25). Positional differences were not observed (P=0.644). These data show that the criterion metric used to determine HIPs will alter the amount of high-intensity running for the phase. Further, these phases can occur at different time points which can have implications for the replication of HIPs.