The Influence of Small-Sided Games and Floaters Intervention on Physical Components of Soccer Players
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background. In soccer, numerical superiority enhances the effectiveness of both offensive and defensive actions performed by players. To improve the performance of the players, small-sided games (SSGs) with numerical inferiority and superiority should be incorporated into training sessions. Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of a 12-week training program using floaters and small-sided games (SSGs) on the physical performance of soccer players. Materials and methods. A total of 52 soccer players participated in the study. The age ranged from 14 to 16 years. The participants were divided into small-sided games with the floater’s group (Group I, SSGs+Floaters, n = 26) and the control group (Group II, n = 26). A 12-week program of small-sided games with floaters intervention was completed by the experimental group, who trained five days per week. Each session lasted 90 minutes, including warming up, small-sided games incorporating floaters intervention, lead-up games, and cooling down. The control group did not practice the floaters training program. The Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test was used to assess maximal aerobic endurance (VO2max), the Sargent jump test measured leg explosive strength, the Illinois agility test assessed soccer-specific agility, and the 50-meter sprint test evaluated speed. A paired t-test was conducted to measure the within-group differences from pre- to post-test, while the effects of the training were evaluated using ANCOVA and effect size analysis. Results. The results indicated that small-sided games with floaters intervention significantly improved maximal aerobic endurance, leg explosive strength, and agility except speed. In contrast, the control group did not demonstrate similar improvements. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in maximal aerobic endurance, leg explosive strength, and agility, although speed did not show such a difference. Conclusions. The findings of this study suggest that implementing small-sided games with floaters intervention can effectively enhance physical performance variables in junior soccer players.
Authors: Midhun Kumar MA, Vinod Kumar G, Vinu W
Institution: Pondicherry University
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $200
OpenAlex ID: W4408972201