A study of how different small-sided game formats affect agility in football players

ISRCTN	ISRCTN16284284
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16284284

Submission date: 11/06/2025
Registration date: 16/06/2025
Last edited: 16/06/2025

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
This study aimed to examine how different football training methods, particularly small-sided games (4 v 1 and 6 v 2 formats), affect players’ agility.

Who can participate?
Male football players aged 17–19 years from Çanakkale Dardanelspor Club with at least 5 years of experience

What does the study involve?
Participants were divided into three groups. One group followed standard training, the second performed closed-skill agility drills, and the third practised small-sided games. All groups trained for 8 weeks.

What are the possible benefits and risks?
Participants might improve agility and decision-making. There were no significant risks. No medication, supplements, or food interventions were involved.

Where is the study run from?
Manisa Celal Bayar University (Türkiye)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2015 to October 2016

Who is funding the study?
Manisa Celal Bayar University Scientific Research Projects Unit (BAP) (Türkiye)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Barış Baydemir, barisbaydemir@comu.edu.tr

Contact information

Mr Barış Baydemir
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator

Cevat Paşa Mah. Yüzbaşı Kemal Sok. Maviladin Apt. No:16 D:5
Merkez
17100
Türkiye

ORCID ID	0000-0002-8653-0664
Phone	+90 (0)5439014515
Email	barisbaydemir@comu.edu.tr

Study information

Study design	Randomized controlled experimental study with a parallel group design
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)	Fitness/sport facility
Study type	Other
Participant information sheet	Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific title	The effects of 4V1 and 6V2 small-sided games on agility performance
Study objectives	Hypothesis 1: The Sport-Specific Reactive Agility Test System (SSRATS) is a valid and reliable measurement tool. Hypothesis 2: As a result of football-specific training, there is no significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores of the control group (CG) in terms of movement time, sprint time, decision-making time, and total agility time measured by SSRATS. Hypothesis 3: As a result of football-specific training combined with closed-skill agility training, there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the Closed-Skill Agility Training Group (CSATG) in terms of movement time, sprint time, and total agility time measured by SSRATS. Hypothesis 4: As a result of football-specific training combined with 4V1 and 6V2 small-sided games, there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the Small-Sided Games Group (SSGG) in terms of movement time, sprint time, decision-making time, and total agility time measured by SSRATS. Hypothesis 5: As a result of football-specific training combined with closed-skill agility training, there is no significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the CSATG in terms of decision-making time measured by SSRATS.
Ethics approval(s)	Approved 30/09/2015, Local Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University (Manisa Celal Bayar University Campus Road, No 14, Muradiye Neighborhood, Yunusemre, Manisa, 45140, Türkiye; +90 (0)236 233 51 77; etikkurul@cbu.edu.tr), ref: 20478486-358
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Agility performance in amateur football players
Intervention	The study evaluates the effects of football-specific small-sided games and closed-skill agility training on agility performance measured by the Sport-Specific Reactive Agility Test System (SSRATS). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups using a simple randomisation method. The assignment was performed manually by drawing group codes from a container to ensure allocation concealment. 1. Control Group (CG): Participants continued their standard football training and were additionally assigned basic endurance runs that did not include any sprint-specific content. 2. Closed-Skill Agility Training Group (CSATG): In addition to their football training, participants performed closed-skill agility exercises where the start and end of movement tasks were pre-determined. These included cone drills and pre-set change-of-direction exercises. 3. Small-Sided Games Group (4V1 and 6V2 SSGG): This group received football training combined with small-sided game formats (4 versus 1 and 6 versus 2) designed to simulate real match scenarios, encouraging reactive agility and decision-making under pressure. Each group followed the intervention protocol for 8 weeks with three sessions per week.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure	Total agility time measured using the Algıya Dayalı Tepkisel Çeviklik Test Sistemi (ADTÇTS – Perception-Based Reactive Agility Test System), which records movement initiation, sprint, and decision-making responses in milliseconds, measured at baseline (pre-test) and after 8 weeks of training (post-test)
Secondary outcome measures	1. Sprint time: sprint duration over a reactive course recorded using ADTÇTS pre-test and post-test 2. Decision-making time: time taken by the participant to make the correct directional choice in response to a visual stimulus, as recorded by ADTÇTS pre-test and post-test 3. Movement initiation time: time between stimulus presentation and the initiation of body movement, measured by the same system pre-test and post-test. All measurements were conducted using the same test system under identical conditions, ensuring consistency and reliability.
Overall study start date	01/01/2015
Completion date	30/10/2016

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Healthy volunteer
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	17 Years
Upper age limit	20 Years
Sex	Male
Target number of participants	45
Total final enrolment	45
Key inclusion criteria	1. Players must be members of the Çanakkale Dardanelspor U17 or U19 football team 2. Players must have at least 5 years of football experience 3. Players must have undergone a training period of at least 8 weeks prior to the study
Key exclusion criteria	1. Players with any chronic medical condition 2. Players who sustained an injury during training or competition
Date of first enrolment	30/10/2015
Date of final enrolment	30/10/2016

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Türkiye

Study participating centre

Çanakkale Dardanelspor Kulübü

Deniz Street No. 1
Barbaros Neighborhood
17020 Canakkale City Center
Çanakkale
17100
Türkiye

Sponsor information

Manisa Celal Bayar University
University/education

Scientific Research Projects Unit (BAP)
Muradiye Campus
Yunusemre
Manisa
45140
Türkiye

Phone	+90 (0)236 201 1000
Email	bap@cbu.edu.tr
Website	https://www.mcbu.edu.tr
"ROR"	https://ror.org/053f2w588

Funders

Funder type

University/education

Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi
Government organisation / Universities (academic only)

Alternative name(s): Manisa Celal Bayar University, Celal Bayar University, Celal Bayar University at Manisa, Celal Bayar Üniversitesi, Celal Bayar Üniversitesi, Manisa, Manisa Celal Bayar Üni., MCBÜ, MCBU, CBU, CBÜ
Location: Türkiye

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date	30/10/2025
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	Yes
IPD sharing plan summary	Available on request
Publication and dissemination plan	The findings of this study are intended to be submitted to a peer-reviewed sports science journal indexed in the Web of Science database. The results will also be presented at national and international academic conferences related to sports performance and training. A plain language summary may be shared with the participating sports clubs.
IPD sharing plan	The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be available upon request from Dr Barış Baydemir (barisbaydemir@comu.edu.tr). Type of data shared: Anonymized individual-level performance data, including reaction time, sprint time, decision-making time, and total agility time measured via the ADTÇTS test system. Dates of availability: From November 2024 onwards, upon reasonable academic request. Consent for data sharing: Informed consent for participation and future use of anonymized data was obtained from all participants prior to the start of the study. Anonymization comments: All datasets have been fully anonymized by removing personal identifiers. Each participant is coded with a unique ID to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Ethical or legal restrictions: There are no legal restrictions. Data sharing is limited to non-commercial, academic research purposes only, in accordance with institutional ethical approval.

Editorial Notes

16/06/2025: Study's existence confirmed by the Ethics Committee of Manisa Celal Bayar University.