Effect Of Plyometric Training On The Augmentation Of Soccer Players’ Performance Of Power, Speed And Agility At Dambi Dollo University Male Football Club, Oromiya, Ethiopia.

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