Coll. Antropol.

32 (2008) 1: 241–247
Original scientific paper

The Impact of Football Training on Motor

Development in Male Children
Marko Erceg1, Neboj{a Zagorac2 and Ratko Kati}1
1 Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia
2 Millennium Institute for Sport and Health, Auckland, New Zealand

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of football school program and physical education curriculum on
changes in the motor abilities of 7- and 8-year-old boys. The study included a sample of 180 boys divided into group 1
(7-year-old boys), subdivided to experimental (n=40) and control (n=50) groups, and group 2 (8-year-old boys), subdi-
vided to experimental (n=40) and control (n=50) groups. Experimental groups included children attending three train-
ing units of football training over a 9-month period, in addition to the conventional physical education curriculum. Con-
trol groups included children attending only conventional physical education curriculum. All study subjects underwent
testing with a battery of 12 motor tests at the beginning and at the end of the study. Results obtained by discriminative
canonic analysis showed no statistically significant between-group difference in motor abilities at the beginning of the
study. However, significant differences in favor of experimental groups were recorded at the end of the study. Favorable
changes in all motor variables were observed in both experimental and control groups of children from the initial through
the final state. These changes were more pronounced in experimental groups. Analysis of variance for difference vari-
ables (final to initial measurement) indicated programmed education in the form of football training in addition to regu-
lar physical education curriculum to predominantly influence the development of aerobic endurance, agility, speed and
flexibility in 7-year-old boys, and of explosive strength, aerobic endurance, flexibility and speed in 8-year-old boys. In the
latter, football training led to the formation of a motor complex integrating explosiveness, speed, coordination, endurance
and flexibility as a general motor factor determining future quality development in football.

Key words: football, motoricity, boys, transformational process

Introduction
The development of motor abilities is in part deter- sic movement structures have been properly acquired
mined by genotype (genetic structure inherited from par- (about age 6), besides the child’s developmental charac-
ents), and is greatly influenced by transformational ki- teristics, the role of physical activity gains importance as
nesiologic processes. The right ratio of the innate and the a significant factor influencing the development of motor
acquired in particular motor abilities poses constant abilities1–3. From age 6 to 8, most neural structures have
challenge to sports coaches and scientists. Natural move- reached a nearly adult stage, while basic motor abilities
ments or biotic motor skills are used from the youngest have properly developed, thus providing preconditions
age to reach the set goals. These motor programs enable for differentiation of latent motor dimensions. Motor de-
human beings to efficiently master the space and various velopment is predominated by the formation of two me-
types of obstacles, and to successfully manipulate various chanisms responsible for motor efficiency, i.e. the mecha-
objects. In young elementary school children, motor abil- nism of energy regulation and the mechanism of mo-
ities are homogeneously and continuously improved in vement structuring manifestation. The former is mostly
the function of age and sex. As early as preschool age, responsible for the energy component, and the latter for
these abilities are characterized by gradual neuromus- the information component of movement4,5.
cular maturation and development of basic models of The best effects of training with target development
movement (walking, running, jumping). Once these ba- of motor abilities are recorded at a younger school age,

Received for publication December 31, 2007

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M. Erceg et al.: Football Training and Motor Development, Coll. Antropol. 32 (2008) 1: 241–247

while developmental status, i.e. biological maturity, ex- Hansen et al. (1999)12 carried out a study in 98 foot-
erts considerable impact on motor performance6. At a ball players aged 11, divided according to their character-
younger school age, agility, psychomotor coordination, istics into two groups: elite players and beginners. Growth
rhythm, equilibrium, flexibility and aerobic endurance and development changes were monitored during a two-
can be considerably influenced upon, thus kinesiologic year period, while strength and endurance were assessed
operators should preferably address these abilities7–9. by isokinetic dynamometric exercise testing. The mea-
The effect of specially programmed physical educa- surements included extension of both lower extremities
tion on motor development in elementary school first- and each lower extremity, strength of dorsal and abdomi-
graders was investigated by Babin et al. (2001)9 in a sample nal muscles, and hand force. The level of testosterone
of 633 children. The children were divided into control was also determined. Analysis of variance for repeat
group attending standard physical education curriculum measurements showed the elite players to have achieved
and experimental group attending specially programmed significantly better results than the beginners in all the
physical education. A battery of 12 motoricity tests was parameters measured. This study pointed to the major
used at the beginning and at the end of the 9-month role of testosterone in the development of strength in
study period. Analysis of changes (using the model of dif- young football players. The young elite players with a
ferences) pointed to significantly greater quantitative higher testosterone level developed significantly greater
changes in the experimental group as compared with the strength and endurance than their non-elite counter-
control group of children. In male first-graders, changes parts.
were recorded in the tests of aerobic endurance, static Malina et al. (2000)13 investigated growth and matu-
strength, flexibility, speed, explosive strength (of run- ration in a group of 135 elite Portuguese football players
ning and throwing type), and equilibrium. Results of this aged 10.7 to 16.5 years, divided into three subgroups ac-
study suggest that at this age, more pronounced and cording to the level and length of football training, and to
more complex transformational effects on the relevant the biologic and chronologic parameters of late, interme-
basic motor abilities are obtained by use of variable ki- diate and early maturation. Results of this comparative
nesiologic contents. analysis suggested that football ruled out late matura-
According to the criterion of structural complexity, tion while favoring intermediate or early maturation in
football belongs to a group of polystructural complex young football players.
sports. In football, the level of performance depends on Investigating the impact of pliometric training on mo-
the complex of anthropologic features and specific ability tor abilities, Diallo et al. (2001)14 concluded that signifi-
of the player to manage the system and game concept, cant favorable changes in the motor space of football
the game rate and rhythm, and his own bioenergy capac- players could be achieved in a relatively short time with
ity and functional states during the game (Gabrijeli}, properly planned and programmed training.
1972)10. Hierarchic structure of football performance
Similarly, Helgerud et al. (2001)15 also report on a sig-
contains three groups of factors11. The first group of fac-
nificant effect of programmed interval endurance train-
tors includes basic anthropologic features, i.e. health sta-
ing on functional abilities (increase in maximal oxygen
tus, morphological characteristics, basic functional abili-
input and lactate threshold) and football performance in
ties, basic motor abilities, intellectual abilities, and per-
young football players. The favorable impact of interval
sonality. The second group of factors includes specific
endurance training on physiologic characteristics was
abilities and skills of the player, i.e. technical abilities,
also recorded in elite football players (McMillan et al.,
specific motor abilities, tactical abilities and skills, theo-
2005)16.
retical knowledge, and characteristics relevant for micro-
social adaptation. The third level includes situation effi- Investigating relations of the growth, maturation and
ciency and contest results. Motor and functional abilities functional capacity in a group of 69 young football play-
are of utmost importance. Motor abilities refer to endur- ers, Malina et al. (2004)17 found the level of biologic mat-
ance, speed, strength, coordination, precision and flexi- uration to significantly influence functional capacity in
bility, which are underlain by the efficiency of organ system, football players aged 13–15. Football training contrib-
neuromuscular system in particular, as it is responsible uted substantially to the development of aerobic endur-
for the intensity, duration and regulation of movement. ance, while body height and body weight contributed sig-
Functional abilities imply energy transport through the nificantly to the development of speed and explosive
body. This system depends on the function of the respira- strength.
tory, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous and other organ Results of the studies reported to date point to ex-
systems. tremely great possibilities and modes of influencing the
Currently, elite football requires strong and tough health and abilities in young children. The development
athletes with superior motor and functional abilities of these abilities may greatly vary; therefore, systematic
(speed, explosive strength, aerobic and anaerobic capac- and controlled kinesiologic activities aimed at upgrading
ity, coordination), and sense of improvising and collective all body functions are of utmost importance8,9,18. Inade-
game. In football, performance also depends on how well quate frequency of physical activity and relatively inert
particular characteristics of individual players fit in the environment result in rather modest support to the
whole to make a coherent team. child’s growth and development in general, and the po-

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tential failures occurring at that age usually prove irrep- ways taking individual child’s progress in consideration.
arable. Concerning the mode of load distribution, interval me-
The main issue of interest in the present study was thod with variable load distribution was most commonly
analysis of changes in motor abilities of elementary used. The interval method of training with standard load
school first- and second-graders as influenced by the con- was employed as needed, as dictated by the specific train-
ventional physical education curriculum and special foot- ing tasks. The load volume increased on each training
ball training program. The aim of the study was to assess unit, so designed as to first repeat the information given
the effect of the special football training program and in the preceding lesson, followed by learning the items
physical education on changes in motor abilities of ele- deriving from the motor information acquired. In this
mentary school first- and second-graders, as determined way, the ratio of energy load increased from lesson to les-
at two time points. son, following the rising level of motor skills. Some parts
of elementary technique and tactics were repeated suc-
cessively on several occasions, while increasing the ac-
Subjects and Methods quired segments and the volume of work. Accordingly,
the load increased continuously, and progressive discon-
Subjects tinuity was achieved by inserting educational units with
A group of 180 boys, Split elementary school first- and a more pronounced information component.
second-graders, chronologic age 7 and 8 years, were in-
cluded in the study. Study sample was divided into group Variables
1 of 7-year-old children, subdivided into experimental A battery of 12 standard motor measuring instru-
(n=40) and control (n=50) groups; and group 2 of 8- ments was chosen for assessment of basic motor dimen-
year-old children, subdivided into experimental (n=40) sions2–4,7–9,19,20. The following motor tests were used: co-
and control (n=50) groups. Both experimental groups in- ordination (side steps and polygon backward); flexibility
cluded children attending three football school training (forward bow and shoulder dislocation); movement fre-
units (45 min) per week for nine months, in addition to quency (hand tapping and foot tapping); explosive strength
conventional physical education curriculum. Control (standing long jump, standing ball throw and high start
groups attended exclusively conventional physical educa- sprint 20 m); repetitive strength (sit-ups – supine trunk
tion curriculum. Experimental groups consisted of male lift with knees bent); static strength (bent arm hang);
children from four Split downtown elementary schools. and aerobic endurance (3-min run).
Only clinically healthy children that were not included in
any other extra-curricular activities were included in the Statistics
study. Statistica for Windows Version 5.5 was used on statis-
Experimental groups attended special training pro- tical data analysis. The analysis included basic statistical
gram led by an expert group of the same coaches (profes- parameters of arithmetic mean and standard deviation
sors of kinesiology) and took active part in at least 80% of (mean ± SD) of all study variables in experimental and
training activities along with standard physical educa- control groups of subjects. Differences between control
tion curriculum. The teachers were instructed to per- and experimental groups at initial and final measure-
form physical education for control group children ac- ment were determined by use of discriminative canonic
cording to the first- and second-grade curriculum. Only analysis (DF, CanR). Then, univariate analysis of vari-
children attending at least 80% of physical education ac- ance of between-group differences in the mean values
tivities were included in the study. from initial to final measurement of motor variables was
In experimental groups, programming of activities performed.
was primarily focused on acquiring necessary knowledge
and experience in active playing. Free playing was gradu-
Results
ally steered towards the real game demands. On teaching
and learning techniques, the first requirement was that Comparison of the basic statistical parameters of the
the motion and movements be properly and softly per- study variables (mean ± SD) indicated significant chan-
formed, in order to acquire correct and rational tech- ges to have occurred during the time elapsed from initial
nique through the process of teaching and training. The to final measurement in all variables of motor abilities in
process of technique teaching and training was predomi- both control and experimental groups of study subjects
nated by basic or central technical elements, i.e. kicking, (data on 7- and 8-year-old boys are shown in Tables 1 and
receiving and taking the ball away, tending to introduce 2, respectively). However, in all tests used for motor abil-
as much as possible situation exercise in technical prepa- ity assessment, the progress was by far more pronounced
ration, thus to ensure conditions similar to football game in experimental groups, as expected because these indi-
conditions. viduals attended three training units weekly in addition
The synthetic method of learning was mostly used, to their standard physical education curriculum.
with the analytical method introduced as needed. A com- Multivariate differences between the control and ex-
bined and situation method of exercise was employed in perimental groups of children, determined by canonic
later stage of learning particular technical elements, al- discriminative analysis (DF, CanR) on initial and final

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M. Erceg et al.: Football Training and Motor Development, Coll. Antropol. 32 (2008) 1: 241–247

TABLE 1
RESULTS OF DISCRIMINATIVE ANALYSIS OF MOTOR VARIABLES ON INITIAL AND FINAL MEASUREMENT BETWEEN CONTROL
AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF 7-YEAR-OLD BOYS

Initial measurement Final measurement

Variable
Control Exp DF Control Exp DF
#
SIDESTEP 13.79±1.76 13.69±1.67 0.13 13.54±2.01 11.76±1.23 –0.47
POLYGON# 17.01±2.86 16.99±3.74 0.02 15.11±3.14 13.81±3.27 –0.18
FORWARD 38.18±8.80 39.17±4.30 –0.32 43.24±7.36 50.08±6.90 0.44
SH-FLEX# 54.27±8.03 53.82±12.09 0.10 49.34±6.42 42.07±11.21 –0.38
HANDTAP 20.29±2.08 20.71±2.84 –0.45 22.59±1.72 25.57±3.14 0.57
FOOTTAP 25.64±1.46 26.28±2.75 –0.73 28.58±1.66 32.02±3.16 0.66
L-JUMP 121.06±17.3 123.50±15.8 –0.35 132.23±15.4 135.48±12.9 0.10
THROW 11.84±3.36 11.99±2.78 –0.11 14.17±3.56 15.54±3.09 0.18
20M# 4.74±0.43 4.66±0.45 0.43 4.48±0.29 4.24±0.39 –0.19
SIT-UP 24.63±7.69 25.72±6.52 –0.36 29.07±6.02 32.00±5.55 0.23
BENTARM 14.00±7.85 14.39±11.22 –0.10 19.37±11.31 24.24±18.88 0.15
3MINRUN 503.96±65.8 513.62±75.4 –0.33 521.40±70.4 622.57±80.2 0.62
Centroids 0.17 –0.24 –0.88 1.26
CanR 0.20 0.73*

Control – control group; Exp – experimental group; DF – structure of discriminative function; CanR – coefficient of canonic
discrimination; #variable with opposite metric orientation, *p<0.001;
SIDESTEP – sidesteps, POLYGON – polygon backwards, FORWARD – forward bow, SH-FLEX – shoulder flexibility,
HANDTAP – hand tapping, FOOTTAP – foot tapping, L-JUMP – long jump, THROW – ball throwing, 20M – 20-m run,
SIT-UP – sit- ups, BENTARM – bent arm hang, 3MINRUN – 3-min run

TABLE 2
RESULTS OF DISCRIMINATIVE ANALYSIS OF MOTOR VARIABLES ON INITIAL AND FINAL MEASUREMENT BETWEEN CONTROL
AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF 8-YEAR-OLD BOYS

Initial measurement Final measurement

Variable
Control Exp DF Control Exp DF
SIDESTEP# 13.88±1.68 13.55±1.28 –0.28 12.16±1.39 11.09±0.95 0.42
POLYGON# 18.09±5.56 16.01±2.49 –0.58 16.86±4.29 12.53±2.00 0.58
FORWARD 44.14±8.59 45.56±8.66 0.21 46.94±8.65 54.76±7.56 –0.46
SH-FLEX# 54.56±8.33 52.12±12.41 –0.32 49.81±6.95 43.07±9.69 0.41
HANDTAP 20.96±2.60 22.60±3.22 0.76 22.70±2.21 25.71±3.86 –0.50
FOOTTAP 24.44±1.79 25.63±2.87 0.69 26.52±1.99 29.54±3.09 –0.60
L-JUMP 123.66±17.5 124.76±13.4 0.08 126.39±17.6 140.49±12.5 –0.43
THROW 13.06±2.88 13.24±3.62 0.07 14.29±3.10 17.25±3.83 –0.43
20M# 4.74±0.37 4.64±0.37 –0.38 4.54±0.34 4.07±0.32 0.69
SIT-UP 24.97±5.25 26.06±6.27 0.25 27.72±6.01 31.14±6.27 –0.27
BENTARM 11.39±10.99 14.30±11.49 0.34 19.08±9.20 27.41±17.52 –0.32
3MINRUN 522.04±54.5 539.13±70.14 0.37 544.63±62.89 619.75±73.9 –0.55
Centroids –0.27 0.49 0.73 –1.31
CanR 0.34 0.70*

Control – control group; Exp – experimental group; DF – structure of discriminative function; CanR – coefficient of canonic
discrimination; #variable with opposite metric orientation, *p<0.001;
SIDESTEP – sidesteps, POLYGON – polygon backwards, FORWARD – forward bow, SH-FLEX – shoulder flexibility (maximal
both-arm circumduction in shoulder joints), HANDTAP – hand tapping, FOOTTAP – foot tapping, L-JUMP – long jump (standing
jump), THROW – ball throwing, 20M – 20-m run, SIT-UP – sit-ups, BENTARM – bent arm hang, 3MINRUN – 3-min run

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measurement in 7- and 8-year-old boys are also presen- Univariate differences in motor changes between the
ted in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. experimental and control groups of 7- and 8-year-old
In 7-year-old children (Table 1), results of discrimina- boys are presented in Table 3. Differences in the mean
tive analysis showed no significant motor space differen- values of results recorded on initial and final measure-
ce between the control and experimental group on initial ment were calculated for both groups. The level of differ-
measurement. It should only be noted that the position ence significance was tested by use of univariate analysis
of group centroids defined experimental group as the one of variance.
with slightly better results in all tests on initial measure- Data presented in Tables 1 and 2 indicate significant
ment. improvement of all motor tests to have occurred during
Analysis of the results obtained on final measurement the 9-month period in both 7- and 8-year-old boys. Data
yielded a statistically significant discriminative function shown in Table 3, however, suggest that improvement in
(p<0.001) with canonic coefficient of correlation (CanR= the tests of aerobic endurance, agility, speed, movement
0.73). The position of group centroids defined experimen- frequency and flexibility to be significantly greater in the
tal group as the one with superior results in all tests on experimental group of 7-year-old boys as compared with
final measurement. Accordingly, the 9-month football their control group counterparts. Table 3 data reveal
training had favorable effect on changes of all motor abil- that a significantly greater improvement in all motor
ities in 7-year-old boys, movement frequency, aerobic en- tests was also recorded in the experimental group of
durance, agility and flexibility in particular. 8-year-old boys as compared to their control group coun-
In 8-year-old children (Table 2), results of discrimina- terparts, in particular in the tests for assessment of ex-
tive analysis yielded no significant differences in motor plosive strength, aerobic endurance, flexibility and mo-
abilities between the control and experimental group on vement frequency. Besides growth and development, this
initial measurement. On final measurement, however, obvious progress was definitely influenced by additional
numerical indicators of between-group differences in mo- physical exercise in the form of football training.
tor abilities pointed to the formation of a significant
discriminative function. On final measurement, canonic
correlation (CanR) of 0.70 at the level of significance
p<0.001 was recorded. The position of group centroids Discussion
defined experimental groups as the one with superior re-
sults in all study tests on final measurement. Thus, the The present study was so designed as to provide data
9-month football training predominantly influenced mo- on two fundamental items: identification of basic motor
tor abilities in the experimental group of 8-year-old boys, abilities to determine primary selection in football in 7-
i.e. explosive strength, upper and lower extremity move- and 8-year-old boys, and assessment of the impact of
ment frequency, coordination in mastering complex mo- football training (in the form of football school) on the
tor tasks, aerobic endurance and flexibility. development of basic motor abilities in these children.

TABLE 3
UNIVARIATE DIFFERENCES IN MOTOR CHANGES (FINAL – INITIAL MEASUREMENT) BETWEEN CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL
GROUPS OF 7- AND 8-YEAR-OLD BOYS

7-year-old 8-year-old

Variable x2–x1 x2–x1 x2–x1 x2–x1

F-test F-test
Control Exp Contro Exp
Sidesteps# (s) –0.25 –1.93 61.17c –1.71 –2.46 8.87b
Polygon backwards# (s) –1.90 –3.17 8.75b –1.24 –3.48 6.65a
Forward bow (cm) 5.06 10.90 13.96c 2.80 9.20 37.75c
Shoulder flexibility # (cm) –4.92 –11.74 31.99c –4.74 –9.05 11.99c
Hand tapping (f) 2.30 4.86 29.02c 1.74 3.11 13.49c
Foot tapping (f) 2.94 5.74 45.29c 2.07 3.91 28.70c
Standing jump (cm) 11.17 11.97 0.06 2.73 15.74 40.75c
Ball throwing (m) 2.33 3.54 4.65a 1.24 4.01 52.82c
20-m run# (s) –0.35 –0.42 1.12 –0.19 –0.57 46.69c
Sit-ups (per min) 4.43 6.27 4.31a 2.75 5.08 8.08b
Bent arm hang (s) 5.36 9.84 3.06 7.68 13.11 5.26a
3-min run (m) 17.43 108.95 176.44c 22.58 80.63 42.18c

Control – control group; Exp – experimental group; x2–x1 – arithmetic mean differences between final and initial measurement; F-test
– univariate test of differences; #variable with opposite metric orientation, ap<0.05, bp<0.01, cp<0.001

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Although differences recorded between experimental Accordingly, in 7-year-old boys the development of
and control groups of children on initial measurement football sports quality proceeded in parallel with the de-
were not statistically significant, they were present and velopment of psychomotor speed and aerobic endurance,
ascribed to natural selection, i.e. the boys chose the ex- and with the development of muscle tone regulation
tra-curricular sports activity that was consistent with (flexibility), indicating that primary selection of boys for
their anthropologic characteristics, in this case motor football training should rely on these abilities.
abilities. On initial measurement, the 7-year-old boys at- In 8-year-old boys, the next stage of the football
tending additional extra-curricular football training had sports quality set in, continuing the previous one, and
slightly better results in the tests of speed and leg explo- was characterized by marked development of explosive
siveness, repetitive trunk strength, aerobic endurance strength and coordination in the form of solving complex
and trunk flexibility, in comparison with their peers at- motor tasks. This means that the number of predictors
tending only conventional physical education without determining football sports quality increased, and along
additional training. Differences recorded on initial mea- with it the number of motor abilities upon which selec-
surement between the experimental and control groups tion should be based at this stage.
of 8-year-old boys were even greater in the tests of speed,
whole body coordination, explosive strength of running
type (sprint) and aerobic endurance. The above data sug- Based on the results presented (Table 3), it is con-
gested that inclusion in football training was limited by cluded that changes induced by football training and re-
motor abilities of speed and explosive strength of run- corded between the measurements, being significantly
ning type in 7-year-old boys, and by speed, coordination more pronounced in experimental groups as compared
and explosive strength of running type in 8-year-old with control groups of study children, were more respon-
boys. The between-group differences recorded on initial sible for the formation of discriminative functions on fi-
measurement were accumulated, i.e. integrated with the nal measurement (Tables 1 and 2). In 7-year-old chil-
changes induced by football training, which in turn led to dren, they included development of aerobic endurance,
the formation of discriminative functions on final mea- agility, movement frequency and flexibility, and in 8-
surement. year-old children development of explosive strength, aer-
obic endurance, flexibility and movement frequency.
In 7-year-old boys, discriminative function determi-
Great between-group differences were recorded in both
ned after 9-month training differentiated experimental
groups in the variable assessing aerobic endurance, thus
and control group according to general motor efficiency
confirming the hypothesis on changes in the oxygen
underlain by speed regulation, aerobic endurance and
transport system and extraction of muscle work metabo-
muscle tone regulation. According to general motor effi-
lites to be predominant and desirable, as also demon-
ciency thus defined, the experimental group subjects
strated in previous studies8,9,21,22.
showed superior performance.
In 8-year-old boys, discriminative function determi-
ned on final measurement formed a motor complex inte-
grating almost all relevant basic motor abilities responsi-
ble for general motor efficiency in football. General mo- Acknowledgements
tor efficiency was determined by force regulation, speed
regulation, mechanisms of cortical movement regulation, This research is a part of a project of the Ministry of
aerobic endurance and muscle tone regulation4,5. Science, Education and Sport of the Republic of Croatia
(No: 0177190 head researcher: Prof. R. Kati}).

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 M. Erceg et al.: Football Training and Motor Development, Coll. Antropol. 32 (2008) 1: 241–247

N. Zagorac

Millennium Institute for Sport and Health, Auckland, New Zealand

e-mail: zagoracneb@yahoo.co.nz

UTJECAJ NOGOMETNOG TRENINGA NA MOTORI^KI RAZVOJ DJE^AKA

SA@ETAK

Ovo istra`ivanje provedeno je s ciljem utvr|ivanja u~inkovitosti programa nogometne {kole, te nastave tjelesne i
zdravstvene kulture (TZK) na promjene motori~kih sposobnosti sedmogodi{njih i osmogodi{njih dje~aka. Istra`ivanje
je provedeno na uzorku od 180 dje~aka, podijeljenih u dvije podskupine: prva grupa – sedmogodi{nji dje~aci, podijeljena
je na eksperimentalnu (N=40) i kontrolnu (N=50) skupinu, a druga – osmogodi{nji dje~aci, tako|er je podijeljena na
eksperimentalnu (N=40) i kontrolnu (N=50) skupinu. Eksperimentalne skupine dje~aka sa~injavali su ispitanici koji
su osim redovite nastave tjelesne i zdravstvene kulture (TZK), tijekom tjedna bili tretirani i s tri trena`ne jedinice
dodatnog tretmana {kole nogometa u trajanju od devet mjeseci. Kontrolne skupine sa~injavali su ispitanici koji su
poha|ali samo redovitu nastavu tjelesne i zdravstvene kulture (TZK). Na po~etku i na kraju eksperimenta svi su ispi-
tanici izmjereni baterijom od 12 motori~kih testova. Rezultati diskriminativne kanoni~ke analize su pokazali kako nije
bilo zna~ajnih razlika u motori~kim sposobnostima izme|u grupa na po~etku eksperimenta, dok su te razlike bile zna-
~ajno izra`ene u finalnom stanju u korist eksperimentalnih skupina. U svim primjenjenim motori~kim varijablama od
inicijalnog do finalnog stanja, kako za kontrolne tako i za eksperimentalne skupine ispitanika, do{lo je do promjena
pozitivnog smjera. Promjene su zna~ajno vi{e izra`ene kod eksperimentalnih grupa ispitanika. Analiza varijance nad
varijablama razlika (finalno – inicijalno mjerenje) je pokazala kako programirana nastava u vidu dodatnog tretmana
{kole nogometa uz redovitu nastavu tjelesne i zdravstvene kulture, kod sedmogodi{njih dje~aka dominantno utje~e na
razvoj aerobne izdr`ljivosti, agilnosti, brzine i fleksibilnosti, a kod osmogodi{njih dje~aka na razvoj eksplozivne snage,
aerobne izdr`ljivosti, fleksibilnosti i brzine. Trening nogometa ve} kod osmogodi{njih dje~aka dovodi do formiranja
motori~kog sklopa koji integrira eksplozivnost, brzinu, koordinaciju, izdr`ljivost i fleksibilnost kao generalni motori~ki
faktor koji determinira budu}i razvoj kvalitete u nogometu.

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