Effects of Recreational Soccer Training on Physical Fitness and Gross Motor Coordination in Prepubertal Boys and Girls

What this Trial Is About

Physical activity plays a vital role in the healthy growth and development of children, particularly in improving their physical fitness and motor skills. This trial focuses on prepubertal boys and girls aged 7 to 9 years to assess how recreational soccer training influences their physical fitness and gross motor coordination. The study aims to compare these effects between boys and girls to better understand gender differences in response to such physical activity. Participants will be divided into two groups based on gender: boys and girls. Both groups will engage in the same recreational soccer training program consisting of three 60-minute sessions weekly for eight weeks. Each session includes warm-up exercises, technical skills training like dribbling and passing, small-sided games emphasizing teamwork, and a cool-down period. The training progresses over time, starting with basic skills and moving to more complex drills and structured gameplay. Children will be assessed before and after the eight-week training program using a physical fitness test battery designed for children and the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) to measure gross motor coordination. Somatotype will be evaluated using Rohrer’s index. Data will be analyzed statistically to evaluate improvements. The study will monitor participants’ activity and health throughout, with total participation lasting at least eight weeks.

Effects of Recreational Soccer Training on Physical Fitness and Gross Motor Coordination in Prepubertal Boys and Girls