Effectiveness of Plyometric Training to the Skill Related Fitness of High School Volleyball Athletes

Abstract

This experimental study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an eight-week plyometric training program on the skill-related fitness of high school female volleyball athletes from Antonio A. Maceda Integrated School. Sixteen (16) athletes were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=8), which underwent a structured plyometric training program, or a control group (n=8), which continued with regular training. Skill-related fitness components—agility (L-drill), balance (one-leg stand), coordination (hand-eye wall ball test), and power (standing long jump)—were assessed through pre-test and post-test measurements. Results indicated that while both groups showed improvements from pre-test to post-test, the experimental group demonstrated greater mean gains in all four components. Statistical analysis using t-tests revealed a significant difference between the two groups in agility (p = 0.04), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis for that component. However, no significant differences were found for balance (p = 0.838), coordination (p = 0.072), and power (p = 0.059), leading to a failure to reject the null hypothesis for these components. The study concludes that the plyometric training program was particularly effective in enhancing agility. It is recommended that such programs be incorporated into athletes' training regimens, with further investigation needed to optimize protocols for improving balance, coordination, and power.