Physical and Skills characteristics according to playing positions among Soccer Beginners in West Bank

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of the physical and skill sets of players in different play positions of soccer beginners in the West Bank (Palestine), in order to achieve this, the study was conducted in a sample of (100) players representing young people enrolled in the Union of Palestinian football clubs in the South of West Bank for the year (2011/2012), they represent (10) clubs selected intentionally out of (19) Club, The sample has (play strikers, (4) central players, (4) defense players) of each club, and the use of descriptive study of the researcher scanning is due to its consistency to the objectives of the study, by using physical tests (speed, flexibility, agility, muscle strength, endurance), skill sets’ tests (running with the ball, handball throwing, passing, ball control, shooting, hitting the ball by head). After the data was collected, it was analyzed by using Statistical package of Social Sciences program (SPSS), The average results which the study showed for the physical tests ( running test (30) m, flexibility test of long sitting, Barrow way of zigzag running, long jump, endurance running (5 X 55) meters were as the following: (4.23) seconds , (2.93) centimeter, ( 22.88) seconds,(184.76)centimeter,(53.67) seconds, The best percentile rank was( 90%) and more as shown in the following: speed (3.79) seconds, flexibility(10.00) centimeter, agility(20.59) seconds, long jump(219.00) centimeter, endurance (49.78) seconds. The results of the study also showed that the average of the skill sets’ tests (zigzag running tests among lists, handball throwing for longer distances tests, the accuracy of short passing tests, ball bouncing test, the accuracy of shooting test on goals, the accuracy of head ball hitting test) were as the following: (21.62) seconds, (12.19) centimeter, (4.73) goal, (33.42) time,(6.22) goal, (1.64) goal, The best percentile rank was (90%) and more as follows: (zigzag running (19.41) seconds, hand ball throwing ( 15.15) centimeter, the accuracy of short passing (6.00) goal, ball bouncing (83.50) time, the accuracy of shooting on the goal (8.00) goal, the accuracy of ball hitting by the head(2.90) goal. The level of the physical characteristics was medium and good, The study concluded that there are no differences in the statistical significance for the level (a < 0.05) in the physical characteristics in the different playing positions for football soccer beginners in the West Bank, whereas the level of the characteristics of the skill sets became good, since the study concluded that there were differences in the statistical significance for the level (a< 0.05) in the characteristics of the skill sets in different playing positions for football soccer beginners in the West Bank, The differences became clear in hand ball throwing between the centre and the defense players, it was for the favor of the defense, and between the defense and striking players, it was for the favor of the defense. Moreover, in testing the accuracy of passing the ball between the defender and the striker, it was for the favor of the striker and between the centre players and the strikers, it was for the favor of the centre players. The study also concluded to construct standard levels by using percentile ranks for the physical and skill sets in the sample of the study, The conductor recommended to adopt the percentile ranks and the levels that lead to them in choosing the football soccer beginners for different playing positions either for the national team or for the clubs.