Effects 6 weeks of Psychological Skill training on the dribbling skills of male U-20 football project players

Abstract

Football Training programs need to incorporate different forms of training components, which includes physical, technical, tactical and psychological. Psychological skills training (PST) is a process that relates to the development of daily routine activities and capability in relation to settings in sport and exercise. This study aims to search effects of 6 weeks psychological skills training on football skills of male U-20 in Dilla Gedeo Zone, Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, the researcher selected twenty five (N=25) male football players using comprehensive sampling. Their age between 17-19 years (Mean ± SD: age 18.04 ±.77years, height 168±15.25, body mass 59.95±8.72kg) selected. The trainees were regularly participated in Psychological skill training program three days/week for six weeks fifteen up to forty minutes. Informal design (quasi-experimental) and quantitative methods were used in this study. The football skill variable selected for this study was football dribbling (slalom dribbling test). Data was taken two times at pre-training and post training and, the data was analyzed using SPSS software version 24. A mean difference between pre-training and post-training was contrasted by Paired T-test. The results revealed that significant differences were observed on football skills of the trainees were improved due to the psychological skill training that was given. After six weeks, the trainee’s football skills namely dribbling skill (p=0.000) was significantly improved after psychological skill training (p=0.05). This study assured that after psychological skill training significantly improves football skill of male U-20 football players.