Ioan Neag, Ion Mihaila, Leonard Julien Fleancu, Maura Stancu, Vladimir Potop, Dumitru Barbu, Laurian-Ioan Păun, Ilie Mihai
{"title":"Agility development in youth soccer: the efficacy of fixed-role small-sided games.","authors":"Ioan Neag, Ion Mihaila, Leonard Julien Fleancu, Maura Stancu, Vladimir Potop, Dumitru Barbu, Laurian-Ioan Păun, Ilie Mihai","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1593906","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Fixed-Role Small-Sided Games (FRSSGs) on youth soccer players' agility and its components: reaction time, linear speed, and change-of-direction speed (CODS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-one male U-12 regional soccer players were randomly assigned to the FRSSG group (<i>n</i> = 16; age: 10.63 ± 0.48 years) or the control group (CON) (<i>n</i> = 15; age: 10.89 ± 0.31 years). The intervention program lasted 18 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention tests assessed reaction time, linear sprint speed (10 m and 20 m), CODS (505 and zig-zag tests with/without the ball), and agility (Y-shaped with/without the ball and multiple-signal tests). Statistical analysis included paired <i>t</i>-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and effect sizes (Cohen's d).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant baseline differences were observed between groups in 10-meter linear speed, and zigzag test performance (<i>p</i> < .05). Within-group improvements were observed for the FRSSG group in the 505 Test (-6.85%, <i>p</i> < .001, <i>d</i> = 1.375), Zigzag Test (-10.77%, <i>p</i> < .001, <i>d</i> = 2.148), CODS Zigzag Ball Test (-9.42%, <i>p</i> < .001, <i>d</i> = 1.434), Y-shape Ball Test (-9.49%, <i>p</i> < 0.001, <i>d</i> = 2.195), and Agility Multi-signal Test (-8.42%, <i>p</i> = .002, <i>d</i> = 0.821). Significant between-group differences favoring FRSSG were found for the 505 Test (<i>p</i> = 0.005, <i>η</i> <sup>2</sup> = 0.038), Zigzag Test (<i>p</i> < .001, <i>η</i> <sup>2</sup> = 0.435), CODS Zigzag Ball Test (<i>p</i> = 0.004, <i>η</i> <sup>2</sup> = 0.04), and Y-shape Ball Test (<i>p</i> = 0.006, <i>η</i> <sup>2</sup> = 0.027).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>FRSSGs have been shown to effectively enhance agility and change of direction speed, both with and without the ball, in youth soccer players.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1593906"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12061991/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1593906","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"SPORT SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Fixed-Role Small-Sided Games (FRSSGs) on youth soccer players' agility and its components: reaction time, linear speed, and change-of-direction speed (CODS).
Methods: Thirty-one male U-12 regional soccer players were randomly assigned to the FRSSG group (n = 16; age: 10.63 ± 0.48 years) or the control group (CON) (n = 15; age: 10.89 ± 0.31 years). The intervention program lasted 18 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention tests assessed reaction time, linear sprint speed (10 m and 20 m), CODS (505 and zig-zag tests with/without the ball), and agility (Y-shaped with/without the ball and multiple-signal tests). Statistical analysis included paired t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and effect sizes (Cohen's d).
Results: Significant baseline differences were observed between groups in 10-meter linear speed, and zigzag test performance (p < .05). Within-group improvements were observed for the FRSSG group in the 505 Test (-6.85%, p < .001, d = 1.375), Zigzag Test (-10.77%, p < .001, d = 2.148), CODS Zigzag Ball Test (-9.42%, p < .001, d = 1.434), Y-shape Ball Test (-9.49%, p < 0.001, d = 2.195), and Agility Multi-signal Test (-8.42%, p = .002, d = 0.821). Significant between-group differences favoring FRSSG were found for the 505 Test (p = 0.005, η2 = 0.038), Zigzag Test (p < .001, η2 = 0.435), CODS Zigzag Ball Test (p = 0.004, η2 = 0.04), and Y-shape Ball Test (p = 0.006, η2 = 0.027).
Conclusion: FRSSGs have been shown to effectively enhance agility and change of direction speed, both with and without the ball, in youth soccer players.
目的:本研究旨在评估固定角色小边游戏(frssg)对青少年足球运动员敏捷性及其组成成分:反应时间、线性速度和方向变化速度(CODS)的影响。方法:31名男性U-12地区足球运动员随机分为FRSSG组(n = 16;年龄:10.63±0.48岁)或对照组(n = 15;年龄:10.89±0.31岁)。干预计划持续18周。干预前和干预后测试评估了反应时间、线性冲刺速度(10米和20米)、CODS(505和带/不带球之字形测试)和敏捷性(带/不带球y形测试和多信号测试)。统计分析包括配对t检验、重复测量方差分析和效应量(Cohen’s d)。结果:组间10米线速度、之字形测验成绩(p p d = 1.375)、之字形测验(p p d = 2.148)、CODS之字形球测验(p p d = 1.434)、y形球测验(p p d = 2.195)、敏捷多信号测验(p p = 2.195)均有显著基线差异。002, d = 0.821)。在505检验(p = 0.005, η 2 = 0.038)、z形检验(p η 2 = 0.435)、CODS z形球检验(p = 0.004, η 2 = 0.04)和y形球检验(p = 0.006, η 2 = 0.027)中,FRSSG组间差异显著。结论:frssg已被证明能有效提高青少年足球运动员的敏捷性和方向变化速度,无论是有球还是无球。