Rusmanto1, Tomoliyus1, Awan Hariono1, Karuppasamy Govindasamy2, Amayra Tannoubi3, Novri Gazali4, Ahmet Kurtoğlu5, Joseph Lobo6, Jarosław Muracki7, Vlad Adrian Geantă8
1State University of Yogyakarta, Faculty of Sport Science, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Department of Sports, Recreation and Wellness, Hyderabad Campus, Modallaguda (V), Nandigama (M), Rangareddy, Telangana, India
3University of Gafsa, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Gafsa, Gafsa, Tunisia
4Universitas Islam Riau, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
5Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Faculty of Sport Science, Bandirma, Türkiye
6Bulacan State University, College of Sports, Exercise and Recreation, Malolos City, Philippines
7University of Szczecin, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, Department of Physical Culture and Health, Szczecin, Poland
8National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Doctoral School of Sport Science and Physical Education, Pitesti University Center, Pitesti, Romania
Effects of Integrating 3-D Virtual Reality Prior to Small- Sided Games on Intention to Continue Exercising, Teamwork, and Technical Performance in Young Soccer Athletes
Sport Mont 2026, 24(2), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/smj.260611
Abstract
In soccer, the use of small-sided game (SSG) is still a trend among professional coaches, but previous studies combining 3-DVR before SSG are still very limited. Our current study aims to analyze the effects of 3-DVR before SSG on intention to continue exercising (ItCE), teamwork (TW) and technical performance (TP) among young soccer athletes. Fifty young soccer athletes were involved as voluntary participants in a true experimental study with a randomized design and they were allocated into 3-DVR before SSG (n=25) and training control group (TCG, n=25). Measurements of ItCE, TW, and TP were conducted at pretest (T1), midtest (T2), and posttest (T3). The results of the mixed repeated measures ANOVA analysis showed that there was an interaction effect of training conditions × time, there was an effect of training conditions, and there was an effect of time for the variable parameters of ItCE (p<0.05 [large effect]), TW (all, p<0.05 [large effect]) and TP (all, p<0.05 [large effect]). Meanwhile, the results of the post hoc pairwise comparisons analysis showed that both the 3-DVR before SSG and TCG (only SSG) groups experienced an increase in ItCE, TW and TP scores at stages T1, T2 and T3. However, we observed that the increase was higher in the 3-DVR before SSG group than in the TCG (only SSG) group. Thus, our study adds to the literature proving the positive effects of 3-DVR before SSG on increasing ItCE, TW and TP among young soccer athletes.
Keywords
soccer performance, virtual-based teaching, modified game, youth athletes
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