Speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) training: Is it effective in increasing the speed, agility, and leg power of football athletes?

Background and study aim. Agility, speed, and leg muscle power are considered highly important for every football player. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) training in increasing the speed, agility, and leg power of football athletes. Material and methods. This study is experimental. SAQ training was conducted for six weeks with a frequency of three times per week. The population consisted of 31 football players from the Sorong Football Club, aged 13–18 years, who were randomly selected. The instruments used were the agility test (Illinois Agility Test), the vertical jump test, and the speed test (30-meter sprint). The statistical method applied was the t-test, specifically the paired sample test. Results. The results showed that SAQ training is effective in increasing speed (p-value 0.018 < 0.05), agility (p-value 0.000 < 0.05), and leg power (p-value 0.000 < 0.05) in football athletes. The improvements after SAQ training were 0.10 seconds in speed, 0.02 seconds in agility, and 1.00 cm in leg power. Conclusions. These results suggest that SAQ training is effective in improving football players' speed, agility, and leg power performance, but further research is needed to determine the ideal training method for enhancing these attributes. Researchers who intend to continue or replicate this study are advised to implement stricter control measures throughout the experiment to mitigate threats to external and internal validity.