The Effect of Different Command Method Exercises on Reaction Time in Adolescent Soccer Players

This study investigated the effects of visual, auditory, and tactile command-based exercises on reaction time in adolescent soccer players. Thirty-two male players aged 10–15 years participated to determine which command method was most effective over a short period. The study was designed according to a controlled pre-posttest experimental design from quantitative research methods. The participants in the study were divided into four groups: Visual, Auditory, Tactile, and Control (VG, AG, TG, CG) using a complete randomization method. Performed command trainings 2 days a week for a total of 8 weeks. One day before the 8-week training program, the visual reaction times of the soccers were tested for pre-test data. After completing the 8-week training period, visual reaction times were tested again one day after the last training week for post-test data. The visual reaction tests of the football players were measured in 5 repetitions with appropriate application programs and averaged. After conducting the normality test on the obtained data, a Paired Sample t-test was used to compare the pre- and post-test reaction times. One-way ANOVA was used for comparing the mean differences in reaction times between the groups from the pre-post test, and the LSD test was used for multiple group comparisons. As a result of the statistical analysis of the data obtained, a significant difference was found in favor of the post-test in visual reaction times in all groups except the control group (p<0.05). In the comparison of mean differences between groups, significant differences were found in the visual, auditory, and tactile command training groups and the control group (p < 0.05). As a result of the study, exercises with different command methods have positive effects on visual reaction time in adolescent soccer players.