IMPACT OF SPEED, AGILITY, AND QUICKNESS (SAQ) TRAINING ON AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC FITNESS IN JUNIOR NETBALL PLAYERS AT GALAHITIYAWA CENTRAL COLLEGE

Speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) training is used to improve the performance of players but evidence of the impact of SAQ on the aerobic and anaerobic fitness of junior netball players is limited. The nine week SAQ training intervention program on the aerobic and anaerobic fitness was observed in junior netball players from Galahitiyawa Central College in Sri Lanka. 20 female players, ages 12 to 15, played junior netball were assigned a quasi-experimental pre and post-test design. The participants went through a structured training program of 9 weeks with the SAQ and the performance was evaluated by the 30m sprint test, 5/10/5 agility test, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 and Running Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST). Data were analyzed and compared for pre and post intervention performance. Significant improvements were observed in sprint performance (7.04 ± 1.04 s to 6.59 ± 0.74 s, p = 0.006), Agility (8.04 ± 0.60 s to 7.26 ± 0.50 s, p < 0.001), and fatigue index (1.36 to 0.91, p = 0.008). maximum power reduced significantly (127.96 W to 106.93 W, p = 0.005), while aerobic capacity remained unchanged (402m). significant correlations were identified between body mass index (BMI) and sprint performance (r=0.511. p=0.021), and between sprint performance and Yo-Yo IR1 distance (r=-0.555, p=0.011). A nine-week SAQ training program was able to significantly enhance fatigue tolerance, agility and sprint speed in junior netball. To maintain maximum anaerobic power and increase aerobic capacity, SAQ training alone was not enough, indicating that resistance and anaerobic training should be combined in school based netball training programs to improve player development.