Effect of sports vision training on selected visual skills and playing ability of table tennis players

Abstract

As the study received approval from the departmental research committee and recommendation given by committee for selecting the sample from apex sports academy. The researcher contacted different academies and finally a consent received from Zappers table tennis academy. Consent was also obtained from the participating players, their parents and their coaches. For the purpose of the study a total forty (40) male (age 14 to 17 years) state level table tennis players from Zappers table tennis academy, Uttarakhand with no previous history of systematic training is selected as participant. The research design of the study was random group design. The selected subjects were randomly assigned into two equal groups (n=20) namely, Group-I acted as Sports Vision Training Group (SVTG). Group-II acted as control group (CG). Eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, visual reaction time and peripheral awareness were selected as visual skills variables and alternate push, alternate counter, target service and forehand drive after playing push were selected as table tennis playing ability variables for the study. The trainees of control group undergone regular table tennis practice only. The participants of sports vision training group went through the sports vision training program. Which was scheduled for three session (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) per week in the morning between 7.00 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. for twelve weeks. The sports vision training programme schedule includes warm up and stretching for 12- 15 minutes, sports vision training session and newlinecool down for 8-10 minutes. In evening they went for their regular table tennis practice. Tests were conducted pre-training and post training for both the groups. The data obtained from the experimental groups before and after the experimental period were statistically analyzed with dependent t test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)