Reliability and Validity of New Tests on Agility and Skill for Children Soccer Players

Abstract

Recently developed the agility and skill tests (AS) were reevaluated to assess the children’s agility together with the soccer shoots to ball for goal. Children (male) soccer players (N = 68) (age = 11.6 ±0.5 yrs; height = 147 ±6.6 cm; weight = 35.5 ±5.6 kg) participated in this study. Test-retest and comparisons, including 20 m Sprint, Long Jump, T-Drill Test, AS (with ball), AS (goal success) and Zigzag Tests were used to assess the children’s sprinting, jump power, and agility with shooting ball. All handled test results showed that there were significant differences between the test-retest sessions (p < 0.01) except for the 20 m Sprint. There were a near perfect correlations between test and retest values (r = 0.90–0.99). A higher level of correlation between the AS tests (goal success, with ball) (r = 0.99) was found. There were very high levels of correlations between the AS (goal success and with ball) tests and Zigzag tests (r = 0.71, r = 0.70 respectively). These results suggest that the AS tests are reliable and valid agility and skill tests for children players. Because the AS tests have unique values and are composed of soccer specific agility and active shooting skills, they are very important in identifying the talent and ability of children.