Interactive Improvements of Visual and Auditory Function for Enhancing Performance in Youth Soccer Players

Abstract

We analyzed the effects of a regular training program on the health- and skill-related physical fitness (PF) of talented soccer players aged < 12 years; visual reaction time (VRT) and auditory reaction time (ART) were also assessed. In this single-group interventional study, 78 talented male youth soccer players (mean age, 9.54 years) were critically selected by the Korean Educational Development Institute and underwent a 22-week training program consisting of 16 weeks of PF and basic skill training (90 min/week) and 6 weeks of intensive training (3, 150-min sessions/week). We assessed the pre- and post-training body composition, cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and endurance, and flexibility. We also measured power, agility, coordination and speed, passing ability, VRT, and ART. All variables improved after training. Post-training VRT correlated with ART, muscle mass, power, cardiovascular endurance, 10-m dribble time, 10-m ball touch count, and 10-m successful pass count. ART only correlated with muscle mass. ART and 10-m ball-touch count influenced VRT, and VRT influenced ART. In conclusion, the training program enhanced the PF and visual- and auditory-related reactions in talented youth soccer players. This study suggests the importance of the assessed relationships, indicating that a training program that improves these parameters enhances the players' performance.

Keywords: auditory function; physical fitness; talented players; training; visual function.

Figure 1

Overview of single group intervention study design. ART: auditory reaction time; PF: physical fitness; VRT: visual reaction time.

Figure 2

Experimental setup of reaction function. Note: Subjects were asked to press the button as quickly and accurately as possible following a random sequence of lights (blue, red, yellow) and sounds (500, 1000, 3000 Hz) while sitting on a chair with a reaction timer installed 3 m away from the screen.

Figure 3

Effect of the training program on health-related physical fitness in talented youth soccer players. Positive changes in all health-related physical fitness parameters including muscle mass (A), fat mass (B), 20-m shuttle run (C), push-up (D), and sit and reach (E) of youth players after 22 weeks of training (p < 0.001). All values are presented as mean ± SD (N = 78). Note: *** p < 0.001 vs. pre-training (paired t-test).

Figure 4

Effect of the training program on skill-related physical fitness in talented youth soccer players. Clear positive changes in all skill-related physical fitness parameters including standing long jump (A), side-step (B), 10-m dribble (C), 10-m dribble touch count (D), and 10-pass success (E) of youth players after 22 weeks of training (A, B, C, D and E: p < 0.001). All values are presented as mean ± SD (N = 78). Note: **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. pre-training (paired t-test).

Figure 5

Effect of the training program on reaction function in talented youth soccer players. Reaction function parameters, including visual reaction time (A) and auditory reaction time (B) of youth players decreased significantly after 22 weeks of training (p < 0.001). All values are presented as mean ± SD (N = 78). Note: ***p < 0.001 vs. pre-training (paired t-test).

Figure 6

Correlation between reaction function (RF) and physical fitness (PF) parameters after training in talented youth soccer players. (A) The visual reaction time (VRT) significantly correlated with auditory reaction time (ART) (r = 0.50, p < 0.001). (B,C) Muscle mass significantly correlated with VRT (r = −0.44, p < 0.001) and ART (r = −0.24, p < 0.05). (D,E) The VRT positively correlated with power (r = −0.35, p < 0.01) and cardiovascular endurance (r = −0.23, p < 0.05). (F–H) VRT negatively correlated with 10-m dribble time (r = 0.28, p < 0.01) and 10-m dribble touch count (r = 0.43, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with 10-m pass success count (r = −0.31, p < 0.01). The black circles are the individual subjects’ (N = 78) levels (Pearson’s and Spearman correlation analysis was performed).