Differences in Metabolic-Energy Potential in U16 Football Players (Cadet Age) in Relation to Competition Level

In order to determine the difference in metabolicenergy potential in U16 football players (cadet age) at different levels of competition, a survey was conducted on a sample of sixty players aged 14 to 16. The sample of respondents is divided into the following subsamples: players of Serbian national football team (n=20), players from highquality league of Vojvodina (n=21) and the players from the regional competition levels (n=19). The lactate blood level was determined by testing capillary blood from the finger during three stages of Cooper test: the concentration of lactate in the standstill stage was measured before the start of the test – before the load; the concentration of lactate during the load stage was measured one minute after completion of the test; and the concentration of lactate in the recovery stage was measured in the tenth minute of recovery. The survey results indicate a statistically significant difference between the said groups of players in relation to the analyzed metabolic-energy parameters of the players.