The aim was to examine the effects of a series of on-field proprioceptive-coordinative (P-C) exercises on motor performance (MP) in prepubertal soccer players. Fifty-three male soccer players aged 10.1-11.8 years were randomized among 2 experimental programs receiving P-C training (P-CT; n = 26) or regular training (RT; n = 27). A control group (C; n = 22) consisted of age-matched (10.3-11.9 years) cohorts not involved in any regular physical activity. Both experimental groups completed an identical 12-month comprehensive soccer program except training in P-CT was modified to substitute small-sided conditioning games with 24 multimode P-C exercises with modulated exercise intensity (every 8-9 weeks based on predicted maximal heart rate [HRmax]). Pre-, peri-, and posttraining measures included anthropometry and 5 tests assessing soccer-specific MP: movement rhythm (turning the ball backwards—T1), motor adaptation (running with the ball around poles—T2), spatial orientation (running to sequentially numbered balls—T3), balance (single-leg static balance—T4), and kinesthetic differentiation of movement (landing the ball on a 2 × 2 m sector—T5). Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed no significance between-group differences for age, anthropometry, and body-fat percentage at baseline. Significant main effects for group (P-CT vs. RT) were found in all tests (T1-T5) and main effects for time (group P-CT) in T3-T5, whereas a significant group × time interaction was observed only in T4 (F = 2.98, p = 0.0204). Post hoc tests indicated that P-CT attained significantly better results than RT at peritraining (by 26.4%; p < 0.01) and posttraining (by 31.9%, p < 0.01). Modulated exercise intensity had little effect on soccer performance (T1-T3, T5). Based on the results, it is recommended that the training of young soccer players be supplemented with the bilateral balance exercises and games used in the study. Furthermore, the suitability of monitoring HR in P-C exercises targeting the analyzed MP skills is questionable.
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