Effect of the massage given to football players before matches upon their state anxiety

56 ABSTRACT This study researches the effect of the massage given to football players before matches upon their state anxiety. Sixty-five players from six amateur football clubs in Ankara Amateur League involved in the research. At the beginning of the research, important football matches were determined through discussions with the coaches. Forty minutes before these matches, Spielberger's Inventory of State Anxiety and a poll were applied to the players. Next, the players were divided into test and control groups. The test group was given a massage whereas the control group was given the inventory. The statistical data obtained through the research reveals that no significant disparity was observed between the anxiety points of the players in the control group and the test group. As a result of the massage given to the test group, it was detected that the state anxiety points of the players registered a significant decrease. Moreover, it was noted that there was no disparity between the state anxiety points of the control group obtained through the preliminary and final tests. It was also observed that, according to the biological age variables, the average of state anxiety points of the test group increased along with the increase in age, and it constituted a significant disparity between 18-& underl8 and 23&23+ age groups. The disparity of state anxiety points of the players between 19-22 age groups registered a noteworthy decrease after the massage. According to the sportive age variable, both the state anxiety points of the players İn the test group before and after the massage did not display a significant disparity. A significant disparity was observed between the state anxiety of the players in 1-3 sportive age in the test group before and after the massage. Consequently, it can be stated that massage relieves the state anxiety before a match.