Abstract:
The main objective of the study was designed to investigate the effect of plyometric traini
ng on the augmentation of soccer players’ performance of power, speed and agility of
Dambi Dollo University male football club Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. To achieve
the purpose of the study true experimental research design was used. The total
population of the study was (n=25) subjects. All subjects were taken as the sample of
study by using comprehensive sampling technique. These samples were classified into
Experimental group (N=13) and Control group (N=12) by using simple random
sampling techniques. Both of group participated in the regular football training, but
plyometric training was given only for experimental group for three days per week 45
minutes per session in addition to their regular training program for 8 weeks. The
physical fitness variables tests were vertical jump test for power , 30m acceleration tests
for speed and Illinois agility test for agility. Both groups were tested before (pre-test) and
after (post-test) 8 weeks of plyometric training. The collected data were analyzed using
SPSS version 26. A paired sample t-test, mean, standard deviation, was used to observe
the difference between the pre-test and post-test results of subjects of the study. The result
of the study shows that after 8 weeks of plyometric training a significant improvement
were found in power(vertical jump test) (MD= -6.6) P= .000, in speed (30m acceleration
test) (MD=.3) P= .001 and in agility (Illinois agility test) (MD=.46) P= .000. Therefore,
the result of the experimental group study shows that after 8 weeks of plyometric
training, there was a significant change ( p<.05) in power, speed and agility. whereas in
a control group the results were found for power (vertical jump test) P=.214, speed (30m
acceleration test) P = .390 and agilty(Illinois agility test) P= .135 respectively.
Therefore, there was no significant improvement (P >.05) on those variables in the
control group. it was observed that 8 weeks plyometric training in addition to football
trainings contributed to the power, speed and agility development among footballers;
Generally the study recommended Plyometric training can be an effective of training
technique with regular football training program for the improvement of a soccer
player’s power, agility and speed performance
