Impact Assessment of a Functional Training Program on Upper Body Strength and Performance of Under-15 Youth Goalkeepers: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Esmeraldas

Abstract

The study analyzes the relevance of developing upper-body strength in under-15 soccer goalkeepers, given the lack of specific training programs in local contexts such as Esmeraldas, thereby addressing a gap in the specialized physical preparation of this group. A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design was adopted. The sample consisted of three under-15 goalkeepers from the Esmeraldas regional team. An initial assessment was conducted using the pull-up test, followed by the implementation of a functional strength training program called Power Archery over eight weeks (three sessions per week). Upper-body strength was evaluated before and after the intervention, and the data were analyzed using Student’s t-test for dependent samples in SPSS. The results showed increases in the number of pull-ups performed by all goalkeepers across the standard, pronated, and supinated variations. These improvements were statistically significant (p < 0.05), indicating a consistent increase in functional upper-body strength following the implementation of the program. The findings confirm that a specific functional strength program contributes to improving the performance of youth goalkeepers; however, the small sample size and the absence of a control group are acknowledged as limitations, opening avenues for future research.