Prior to the training sessions, to maintain if a progression had been made there needed to be carried out a `pre-test` for each individual of the group of subjects of which there were six. All of these subjects were sports scientists, as to maintain a constant throughout, although these six subjects, me included are of mixed ability. These six subjects represent the population of sports scientists, with any large number of this population obviously inaccessible, the results gained shall be indicative of the sports-inspired populous we are concentrating on.
The pre-test would be carried out by each member of the group, one after the other, in the same goal, in the same environment, from the same distance away, and using the same football, so that the results would remain as fair and as constant as possible. These variables of environment, setting and equipment need to have as little relative influence on the outcome of the results as possible, thus insuring that the only influence on the results is the actual subject we are testing for, that is the response to training of the six subjects.
There are, of course, variables that may affect the outcome of the results, which for one reason or another at the time may be out of control of the group. The natural variations of six individuals may be considered, the general fitness of the six needs to remain as close to constant as possible, allowing for the case of injury and/or illness. The problem of attendance to training and to the pre/post tests leads to some individuals training in their own time, or in some cases due to circumstance not at all.
Non-attendance to the pre/post tests may require that the absent subject performs the test(s) in a different environment or using different equipment to those present at the original tests, although the influence of this and other factors are under interpretation to scrutiny, they nevertheless have an influence, reducing the possibility that the final results obtained could be applied correctly, without question, to the population that we are studying. All in all it can be said that the lesser amount of unwanted variables that there are, the more accurate the results of the tests will be.
Each member of the group was asked to hit a moving ball within a certain area, the area, marked by four cones in a square ran at an angle to the goal approximately 10 metres from the target. The goal itself; a normal indoor 5 a-side goal would be divided into six equal sections, with tape, detailing the points allocation for each section that the ball was scored into. NB. The ball must go into the goal for the correct points to be allocated; shots that rebound of the posts/crossbar will be scored at 1 point regardless of the section(s) the ball passes through.
Diagram of the set-up There are two different areas for shooting, situated to the left and right of the goal, this caters for those players who shoot with their left foot and those that shoot with their right, regardless of foot preference each shot must travel to the furthest post away from the player (across goal) to score the maximum 3 points per shot. The points were accumulated accordingly after each person had 10 shots on goal. Following the pre test the group participated in three training sessions per week, focusing on technique building exercises.
Initial exercises entailed the shooting of a stationary football; hitting a target approximately 5-10 metres away depending on the pre-test scores of the individual. Those with lower pre-test scores had to hit the target from a shorter distance, whilst those with higher pre-test scores would move further away, in every case the `target` initially would be a normal indoor 5 a-side goal. This `target` practice put emphasis on correct technique, and whilst not focusing on hitting specific areas of the goal, which we would again progress to into the duration of the six week sessions, focused on just scoring into the goal.
The target practice drill would form the vast majority of each 30 minute training session, with alternate drills consisting of perfecting technique, but not in hitting a target but reaching the goal of improving the fundamentals of each shot. i. e. keeping the ball low, and striking the ball with the instep of the foot. After the duration of the six week training schedule, a post test was to be taken by each member of the group, each member would take part in an identical test to the pre training test, taking 10 shots at the 5 a-side goal, and scoring their accumulative points total against the score in the pre test.