The Effect of Zig-Zag Run Practice on Dribbling Ability In Football Games

Abstract

This study was motivated by the low dribbling ability of students at Syamsul 08 Soccer School, particularly in controlling the ball while changing direction, maintaining speed, and avoiding opponents during football play. Dribbling is a fundamental football skill that requires the integration of agility, coordination, balance, speed, and precise ball control. Therefore, an appropriate training method is needed to improve students' technical performance. This study aimed to determine the effect of zig-zag run training on the dribbling ability of Syamsul 08 Soccer School students. The research employed a quantitative pre-experimental method using a one-group pretest–posttest design. The population and sample consisted of 10 students selected through total sampling. The research instrument was a football dribbling test, while the intervention consisted of zig-zag run training conducted for 16 sessions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality testing, and a paired-samples t-test with SPSS version 22. The results showed that the mean dribbling time decreased from 17.70 ± 2.67 seconds in the pretest to 13.50 ± 1.96 seconds in the posttest. The paired-samples t-test produced t-observed = 11.699, which was higher than t-table = 2.262, with p = 0.000 < 0.05. These findings indicate that zig-zag run training significantly improves football dribbling ability. It can be concluded that systematic zig-zag run training is effective for enhancing agility-based dribbling performance among youth football players.