Effect of integrated training with assistive equipment on eye–foot coordination, agility and Euro Step in U-18 basketball players
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v80.119343Keywords:
Agility ladder, assistive equipment, eye–foot coordination, integrated training, youth basketballAbstract
Introduction. Integrated training that couples physical and skill stimuli within the same session is advocated for adolescent team-sport athletes, but transfer to deceptive finishing skills such as the Euro Step has not been examined in a controlled trial.
Objective. To test whether an 8-week integrated programme using assistive equipment (agility ladders, mini-hurdles, cones, hoops) was superior to traditional coach-led practice for developing eye–foot coordination, agility and the Euro Step in male U-18 basketball players.
Methodology. Fourteen sub-elite players (age 15.6 ± 0.8 yr) were randomised 1:1 to an experimental group (n = 7; integrated training, 3 sessions/week, 8 weeks) or a volume-matched control (n = 7). Eye–foot coordination (Numbered Circles, s), agility (s) and Euro Step skill (0–12 points) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Independent and paired t-tests with Cohen's d (95% CI) were used.
Results. Pre-test outcomes did not differ between groups (all p > 0.20). At post-test, the experimental group significantly outperformed the control on all outcomes: eye–foot coordination (d = 3.39, 95% CI [1.76, 5.03]), agility (d = 8.63, 95% CI [5.27, 12.00]) and Euro Step (d = 1.76, 95% CI [0.53, 3.00]); all p ≤ 0.006. Relative improvements were 3–4 times larger than control.
Discussion. Findings extend evidence that combined ladder, hurdle and skill-coupled training drives larger adaptation than isolated modalities in youth athletes, and provide the first peer-reviewed evidence of transfer to the Euro Step.
Conclusions. An 8-week integrated programme with assistive equipment produced substantially larger gains than volume-matched traditional practice. Replication in larger multi-club samples is the priority next step.
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