Effect of FIFA 11+ warm-up program on selected motor parameters in young football players

In this thesis study, the effects of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program, applied over a period of 8 weeks, on certain motor performance characteristics of young football players were investigated. A quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control groups was used as the research model. A total of 24 male football players, aged between 17 and 18, voluntarily participated in the study, with 12 athletes assigned to the experimental group and 12 to the control group. While the FIFA 11+ program was implemented three days a week for the experimental group, the control group performed traditional warm-up routines. As a result of the study, pre-test and post-test values of the participants were analyzed in terms of the following parameters: speed (10 m and 20 m sprints), flexibility (sit-and-reach), vertical jump height and leg strength, upper body strength (medicine ball throw backwards), balance (flamingo test), and agility (505 agility test). The statistical analyses of the collected data were carried out using the SPSS software. Initially, normality analyses were conducted, and the Shapiro-Wilk test confirmed that the data were normally distributed. To determine differences between the groups, a Mixed ANOVA test was applied.Regarding the effect of time, statistically significant differences were found in the balance error score (F = 26.321, p < .000, η² = .545), medicine ball throw (F = 65.212, p < .000, η² = .748). For the time × group interaction, significant differences were observed in vertical jump (F = 8.203, p < .009, η² = .272), power (F = 7.640, p < .011, η² = .258), strength (F = 8.449, p < .008, η² = .277), flight time (F = 9.203, p < .006, η² = .295), 10-meter sprint (F = 17.643, p < .000, η² = .445), and 20-meter sprint (F = 24.268, p < .000, η² = .525) parameters. However, no statistically significant differences were found for the group effect alone. Nevertheless, the improvements observed in the experimental group in parameters such as flexibility, agility, speed, and vertical jump were practically noteworthy. The effect size (Cohen's d) in some of the tests ranged from small to medium. In conclusion, the FIFA 11+ warm-up program demonstrated a positive effect on improving certain performance parameters in young football players. Notably, improvements were observed in parameters such as jumping, agility, and speed, which directly contribute to success in sports.