The Effect Of Box Jump Training On The Heading Ability Of SSB Syamsul 08 Parangrea Football Players In Gowa Regency

Abstract

Football heading ability is a crucial technical skill that is influenced not only by technique but also by explosive lower-limb power and jumping ability. However, preliminary observations at SSB Syamsul 08 Parangrea, Gowa Regency, revealed that players’ heading performance was still below expectations, particularly in terms of jumping height, timing, and ball contact accuracy. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of box jump training on the heading ability of football players at SSB Syamsul 08 Parangrea, Gowa Regency. This study employed a quantitative experimental approach using a two-group pretest–posttest design. The population consisted of 30 football players, and 20 participants were selected through random sampling and divided equally into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received box jump training for 16 sessions, while the control group followed regular training activities. Data were collected using a heading test and analyzed through descriptive statistics, normality and homogeneity tests, paired-samples t-tests, and independent-samples t-tests using SPSS version 22. The results showed that the experimental group experienced a substantial increase in heading ability, with the mean score improving from 8.90 ± 2.51 to 23.40 ± 2.41, whereas the control group improved only from 9.00 ± 2.45 to 11.10 ± 1.73. The paired-samples t-test revealed a significant effect of box jump training (t = 14.790; p = 0.000 < 0.05). Furthermore, the independent-samples t-test indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control groups, with a mean difference of 12.30 points. In conclusion, box jump training is an effective and practical training method for improving the heading ability of youth football players by enhancing explosive power and jumping performance.