Agility Training to Improve Dribbling Skills in 12–14-Year-Old Satria Mandala FC Players

Abstract

Objectives. This study aims to evaluate the effect of agility training on improving the dribbling ability of youth football players aged 12–14 years at SSB Satria Mandala FC in Campursari Village. The study was motivated by the observation that many young players struggled with ball control and agility, which are essential for effective dribbling in match situations.

Materials and Methods. A quasi-experimental design using a one-group pretest-posttest model was employed. The participants consisted of 32 male players aged 12–14. The intervention included 16 training sessions over four weeks, focusing on zigzag cone drills to develop agility. Dribbling performance was assessed before and after the training using a standardized ball control and agility test. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests with SPSS version 26.

Results. The pretest mean score was 18.81, while the posttest mean score increased to 24.69. The paired t-test showed a statistically significant improvement (p = 0.001), indicating that agility training had a strong positive effect on the players’ dribbling ability.

Conclusions. The study concludes that structured agility training using zigzag cone drills is effective in enhancing dribbling performance in youth football players. This method can be recommended for coaches and football academies aiming to improve technical skills and agility in young athletes.