Comparison between natural grass and synthetic turf on sprinting and agility performance among young soccer players / Muhammad Syafiq Haqimie Rmeli

Football on synthetic turf is presently nonnal in several of European nations, for the most part since natural grass surface or field are usually to use for training and match during hot or cold condition. Athletic perfonnance in soccer is a function of aerobic fitness, anaerobic fitness, speed, muscular strength, muscular power, and agility. Therefore, the purpose for this study was to compare between natural grass and synthetic turf on sprinting and agility perfonnance among young soccer players. Moreover, thirty young soccer players were from National Football Development Program at MSN Bukit Jalil. The sample were doing the 30 meter sprint test for sprinting perfonnance and L run test for agility performance. The result was found that there was significant difference in the mean scores for sprinting perfonnance on natural grass (M = 4.57, SD = 0.17) and the sprinting perfonnance on synthetic turf (M = 4.32, SD = 0.17) conditions; (t = 5.69, p = 0.00). This can be concluded that there was a significant difference between natural grass and synthetic turf on sprinting perfonnance among young soccer players. For agility perfonnance, the result was found that there was a significant differences in the mean scores for agility perfonnance on natural grass (M = 10. 73, SD = 0.17) and agility performance on synthetic turf (M = 10.51, SD = 0.20) conditions; (t = 4.67, p = 0.00). This can be concluded that there was a significant differences between natural grass and synthetic turf on agility perfonnance among young soccer players. Therefore, this study can be concluded that young football players have better sprinting and agility perfonnance on synthetic turf compared to natural grass.