The Effect of Thai Southern Traditional Sport Training Program on Motor Fitness of Upper Primary School Students, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

This study is aimed to 1) develop a Thai southern traditional sports training program which can improve the motor fitness of upper primary school students and 2) To compare the results of using Thai southern traditional sports training program which can improve the motor fitness of upper primary school students before the training, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks of training. The research participants consisted of 30 upper primary school students from Wat Khok Pikul School, Hua Sai District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Academic Year 2023. The students were selected using purposive sampling method to engage in 8 weeks of training, three times a week, each session lasting an hour. The research instruments include: 1) a Thai southern traditional sports training program designed by the researcher to enhance the motor fitness of upper primary school students and 2) a motor fitness questionnaire developed by Manitha Nittayasuk (2020), derived from the study by Kanokwan Unburee (2014), comprising six components: 1) 50-meter sprint, 2) long jump, 3) shuttle run 4) throwing tennis ball against the wall with one hand and catching with the other hand, 5) single-leg stance, and 6) response to hand grip stimuli. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis including means, Standard Deviations (SD), and One-Way Repeated Measure ANOVA. In cases of significant differences, Bonferroni pairwise comparison tests will be utilized.

            Research finding

            1) Comparison of the effects of using a Thai southern traditional sports training program which can improve the motor fitness of upper primary school students indicated statistically significant differences (p < .05) in shuttle run, throwing tennis ball against the wall with one hand and catching with the other hand, single-leg stance and response to hand grip stimuli over the course of practice. As for 50-meter sprint and long jump, statistically significant differences (p < .05) were found before and after Week 4 and Week8 but not after Week 4 and Week 8.

            2) Comparison of the effects on motor fitness of upper primary school students suggested statistically significant differences (p < .05) before the training, after Week 4 and Week 8.