Effects of Non-Sport-Specific Versus Sport-Specific Training on Physical Performance and Perceptual Response in Young Football Players

Damiano Formenti, Alessio Rossi, Tindaro Bongiovanni, Francesco Campa, Luca Cavaggioni, Giampietro Alberti, Stefano Longo and Athos Trecroci
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Damiano Formenti: Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Alessio Rossi: Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Tindaro Bongiovanni: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milano, Italy
Francesco Campa: Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, 47921 Rimini, Italy
Luca Cavaggioni: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milano, Italy
Giampietro Alberti: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milano, Italy
Stefano Longo: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milano, Italy
Athos Trecroci: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milano, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to compare the effects of non-sport-specific and sport-specific training methods on physical performance and perceptual response in young football players. Seventy-nine under 11 participants were selected and assigned to non-sport-specific (NSSG), sport-specific (SSG), and control (CNTG) groups. The NSSG training protocol consisted of combined stimuli based on balance, agility, and jump rope drills. The SSG training protocol included technical exercises, defensive and offensive game-based drills, and a small-sided game. The CNTG included the participants not taking part in any sport training. All participants were tested for general motor coordination (Harre test), dynamic balance (Lower Quarter Y-balance test), and dribbling before and after 10 weeks of training (NSSG and SSG) or habitual activity (CNTG). At post-intervention, perceived enjoyment was requested by the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). A two-way repeated measure analysis of covariance was used to detect interactions and main effects of time and groups controlling for baseline values. Whereas, a one-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate PACES-related differences between groups. NSSG gained greater improvements ( p < 0.05) compared with SSG in the Harre and Lower Quarter Y-balance tests, while dribbling skills improved similarly in both groups. Regarding PACES, NSSG and SSG presented a comparable perceived enjoyment. These findings suggest that a 10-week non-sport-specific training is an enjoyable practice capable to promote greater improvements in general motor coordination and dynamic balance compared with sport-specific training in youth football players. This can occur without impairment of football-specific skills.

Keywords: motivation; youth training; physical activity; enjoyment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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