The Effect of 6-Month Fundamental Soccer Training on Body Composition, Soccer Skill and Biomotor Abilities of Aged 10-12 Sedentary Male Children

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 6 months fundamental soccer training program on body composition, soccer skill and biomotor abilities of sedentary young men who were aged 10-12 years.

Materials and methods: Thirty and six healthy sedentary male children who were aged 10-12 years participated voluntarily in this research. Participants were equally distributed into three different age groups, according to age level. Fundamental soccer exercises were applied to all groups in an hour for a day in a week for duration of 6 months. Participants’ stature, body mass (BM), percentage of body fat (%BF), body mass index (BMI), 30-meter sprint (30mS), Illinois agility (IA), shoot to goal (SG) and ball control with the body (BC) tests were measured and compared according to age groups before and after the 6 months of soccer training program.

Results: At the end of pre and post-test results of three age groups, there were significant improvements between the average parameters of stature, BM, BMI, %BF, 30mS run, IA, SG and BC (p<0.05). Due to increase of 12-age group's stature was much more than other age groups (F_2,33=18.52, P<0.05), significant improvements in BM values were observed in favour of 12 years age group (F_2,33=6.01, p<0.05). It was found at moderate level of correlation (pre-test: r=0.62, post-test: r=0.57) between the IA and 30mS test. The 30mS sprint time in 10-age group had significant improvements compared to other age groups (F_2,33=13.60, p<0.05). Although the development of the SG and BC parameters of 12-age group were more higher compared to other age groups, there was no significant relation between them (p> 0.05).

Conclusion: After the 6-month fundamental soccer training program, age factors had an impact on the parameters of body composition, soccer skill and motor abilities. Due to significant increase of body composition values in the higher age groups, the significant improvement of sprint time was observed in favour of the lower age group. It was found at moderate level of correlation between the IA and 30mS test. Hence, the relations between them were lower than expected. The obtained data as a result of fundamental soccer training can keep the important lights especially to the infrastructure trainers, and thus can make a major contribution to the growth of soccer players in higher ability in the future.

Key Words: Fundamental training, body composition, soccer skill, biomotor ability, sedentary boy, soccer.