Teaching Games for Understanding Improves Inside-Foot Passing Ability in Soccer Learning among Senior High School Students

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the effect of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) learning model on students’ inside-foot passing ability in soccer learning. Materials and Methods: A quantitative pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest model was used. The participants were 25 Grade XI students at SMA Pembina Palembang selected through purposive sampling. The intervention consisted of five TGfU-based meetings using modified 4 vs 4 small-sided games. Inside-foot passing ability was measured before and after the intervention using a performance-based passing test and rubric adapted from soccer passing skill indicators. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk normality tests, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and a paired-samples t-test at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean passing score increased from 51.20 ± 5.56 at pretest to 80.00 ± 3.83 at posttest, with a mean improvement of 28.80 points. The pretest and posttest data were normally distributed (p = 0.579 and p = 0.527). The pretest-posttest correlation was very strong and significant (r = 0.994, p < 0.001). The paired-samples t-test showed a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores, t(24) = -79.877, p < 0.001, with a 95% confidence interval for improvement of 28.06 to 29.54 points. Conclusions: The TGfU learning model significantly improved inside-foot passing ability among Grade XI students. Learning through modified games helped students practice passing in meaningful situations that combined technical execution, tactical understanding, decision-making, and teamwork.