Evaluation of athlete load and relationship between equation variables in division I women’s lacrosse

Athlete monitoring companies have created an “all-in-one” variable to provide a composite score for external load, measured in arbitrary units (AU). This study aimed to evaluate the proprietary metric from VX Sport, Athlete Load (AL), for collegiate women’s lacrosse across different positions, and compare training (T) to games (G). A secondary aim was to evaluate the relationship between AL, equation variables, and session rating perceived exertion. METHODS: Global positioning system units and heart rate monitors were worn by athletes (n = 22) during T and G. RESULTS: Analyses indicated no differences (p = 0.186) between T AL (48.0 ± 5.8 AU) and G AL (57.7 ± 32.8 AU), along with no positional differences (p = 0.913). Correlation analyses between equation variables indicated strong correlations during T and G for distance (T: r= 0.72; G: r = 0.99), HID (T: r = 0.78; G: r = 0.94), and sprints (T: r = 0.85; G: r= 0.81), all p<0.001. Session rating perceived exertion was strongly correlated with G AL (r= 0.91, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest there was no difference between T and G, with AL more related to the intensity of the session rather than the duration.