This study aims to evaluate the effects of Speed, Agility, and Quickness (SAQ) training on the physical, cognitive, and skill performance of university soccer major students in China. The hypothesis is that SAQ training will significantly improve students' physical fitness (e.g., speed, agility), cognitive functions (e.g., reaction time, decision-making), and soccer skills (e.g., ball control, passing). The study will recruit 52 university soccer major students, randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group, with 26 students in each group. The study will last for 12 weeks, and tests will be conducted before, during, and after the intervention. The expected outcome is that the intervention group will show superior performance in various tests compared to the control group, thereby validating the effectiveness of SAQ training.
This study adopts a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT) design to evaluate the impact of SAQ training on the physical, cognitive, and skill performance of university soccer major students. The study will recruit 52 eligible university soccer major students, randomly assigned to the intervention group and the control group, with 26 students in each group. The study will last for 12 weeks, with the intervention group undergoing SAQ training three times a week, while the control group continues their regular training. The SAQ training program includes the following components: Warm-up and Cool-down: Each training session begins and ends with a 10-minute warm-up and cool-down to ensure safety. Training Content: The SAQ training includes speed runs, agility exercises, and quick reaction drills, each session lasting 60 minutes. Assessment Metrics: The study will assess students' physical fitness (speed, agility), cognitive functions (reaction time, decision-making), and soccer skills (ball control, passing). Testing Time Points: Pre-test: Initial assessment of all participants before the intervention. Mid-test: Mid-term assessment after 6 weeks of intervention. Post-test: Final assessment after the completion of the intervention. Data Collection and Analysis: Data Collection: Standardized testing methods will be used to assess all participants before, during, and after the intervention. Data Analysis: Data will be analyzed using SPSS software, employing independent sample t-tests and ANOVA to compare differences between the intervention and control groups across various metrics. Quality Assurance and Data Validation: Quality Assurance Plan: An independent quality control team will oversee data collection and entry to ensure accuracy and completeness. Data Validation: Data will be validated by comparing it with external sources (e.g., medical records, paper reports) to ensure authenticity and representativeness. Sample Size Estimation and Statistical Analysis Plan: Sample Size Estimation: Based on preliminary studies, the required sample size is estimated to be 52 to ensure statistical significance of the results. Statistical Analysis Plan: Multivariate regression analysis and other methods will be used to control for confounding variables and analyze the impact of SAQ training on various metrics in detail.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
52
The SAQ training will include exercises designed to improve speed, agility, and quickness, such as ladder drills, cone drills, sprint drills, and reaction drills.
Participants in the control group will follow a standard soccer training regimen, which includes general conditioning exercises, skill drills, and tactical training.
Faculty of Educational Studies
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia
Flexibility
Measured by the sit-and-reach test. Results are recorded in centimeters (cm), with higher scores indicating better flexibility.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Agility
Measured by the Arrowhead Agility Test. Results are recorded in seconds (s), with shorter times indicating better agility.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Sprint
Measured by sprints at 5m, 10m, 20m, and 30m. Results are recorded in seconds (s), with shorter times indicating better speed.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Upper Body Strength
Measured by pull-ups. Results are recorded as the number of completed pull-ups, with more pull-ups indicating greater upper body strength.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Lower Limb Explosiveness
Measured by vertical jump. Results are recorded in centimeters (cm), with higher jump heights indicating greater explosiveness.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Aerobic Endurance
Measured by the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo2). Results are recorded as maximum distance covered（m）, with higher distances indicating better aerobic endurance.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Reaction Time
Measured by a computerized reaction time test. Results are recorded in milliseconds (ms), with shorter reaction times indicating faster responses.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Selective attention
Through the computer flanker task, the results are recorded in milliseconds (ms), with higher accuracy and shorter reaction time indicating better decision-making ability.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Dribbling Agility
Measured by the 22-meter slalom dribble test. Results are recorded in seconds (s), with shorter times indicating better dribbling skills.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Passing performance
When measuring passing performance using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT), results are recorded as total time and passing accuracy. Total time is measured in seconds (s) and includes the time from the start of the test to the completion of the last pass, including all penalty time. Shorter total times indicate better performance. Passing accuracy is recorded by the number of successful passes into target areas, with more successful passes indicating better passing skills. Penalties are applied as follows: five seconds for completely missing the target area or passing to the wrong target, three seconds for missing the target area, three seconds for handling the ball, two seconds for passing from outside the designated area, and two seconds for the ball touching any cone.
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Height
The height of the participant is recorded, typically measured to two decimal places, in meters (m).
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
Weight
The weight of the participant is recorded, measured to one decimal place, in kilograms (kg).
Time frame: Pre-intervention: Week 0 Mid-intervention: Week 6 Post-intervention: Week 12
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