Comparison of physical fitness status of Ethiopian youth football players trained by coaches from formal and informal coach learning systems

The purpose of the present study was to compare physical fitness status (agility, flexibility, speed, and strength endurance) of Ethiopian youth under-17 football players trained by coaches from formal and informal coach learning system. To achieve the objective of the study a quantitative approach in harmony with purposive sampling was employed. Hence, the researchers have participated and measured the fitness level of 75 (62.5%) volunteer elite youth U-17 players. An independent sample t-test was conducted to compare the physical fitness status of players being trained by coaches from formal and informal learning system. There were statistically significant agility difference between players coached by formally learned coaches (M = 16.38, SD = .77) and players of informally learned coaches M = 16.86, SD = 1.06; t (73) = -2.16, P = .03. Conversely, the findings of the present study showed that statistically significant speed difference between players coached by formally learned coaches (M = 4.48, SD = .21) and players coached by informally learned coaches M = 4.11, SD = .31; t (73) = 6.16, P = .00. On the contrary, the findings of the present study indicated that statistically significant flexibility difference between players coached by formally learned coaches (M = 10.40, SD = 4.44) and players of informally learned coaches M = 6.10, SD = 5.30; t (73) = 3.66, P = .00. The result elucidates that players trained by formally learned coaches were significantly fast (16.38 seconds) agility mean time score than players trained by informally learned coaches (16.86 seconds). Conversely, players trained by informal learned coaches’ show significantly faster (4.11 seconds) than players coached by formal learned coaches. However, players coached by formally learned coaches were significantly flexible (10.40 centimeters) than trainees of informally learned coaches. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in strength endurance of players trained by formally learned coaches (M = 28.20, SD =10.17) and strength endurance of players trained by informally learned coaches (M = 31.29, SD = 11.69). However, there was no significant difference in strength endurance of players trained by formal learned coaches (M = 28.20, SD = 10.17) and strength endurance of players trained by informally learned coaches M = 31.29, SD = 11.69; t (73) = -1.18, P = .24. Ultimately, the result of the current study suggests that the type of coach learning surely have an impact on physical fitness status of elite youth under-17 football players. Therefore, the findings of the current study conclude that the collaborative work of formally learned and informally learned coaches recommended to bring the needed changes across all physical fitness qualities of elite youth under-17 football players of Ethiopia. Keywords: agility, speed, flexibility, strength endurance, formal learning, informal learning