The Effect of Side-to-Side Dribbling Training on Dribbling Performance and Arm Muscle Strength in Children Aged 14–15 Years at the National Basketball Academy in 2023

Abstract

Objectives: Dribbling ability and arm muscle strength are important physical components in basketball performance, particularly among adolescent players. Based on initial observations at the National Basketball Academy, children aged 14–15 years still showed limited dribbling ability and arm muscle strength. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of side-to-side dribbling training on dribbling performance and arm muscle strength among players aged 14–15 years.

Materials and Methods: This study employed a pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest–posttest approach. The population consisted of players aged 14–15 years at the National Basketball Academy, and all 20 players were included using total sampling. The research instruments were a basketball dribbling test and a push-up test. Data were analyzed using a normality test and a paired-sample t-test to determine the effect of the training program on the measured variables.

Results: The findings showed that side-to-side dribbling training significantly improved dribbling performance and arm muscle strength. For dribbling performance, the paired-sample t-test showed a t-value of 18.699 with a significance value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant improvement between pretest and posttest scores. For arm muscle strength, the paired-sample t-test produced a t-value of -26.486 with a significance value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), also indicating a significant improvement after the training intervention.

Conclusions: Side-to-side dribbling training was effective in improving both dribbling performance and arm muscle strength among 14–15-year-old players at the National Basketball Academy. This training method may be considered a practical and beneficial approach for supporting the physical and technical development of young basketball players.