The effect of special exercises using the visual stimuli device on the speed of motor response, visual tracking, the skills of cutting and dispersing the ball, and various defensive movements for young handball players

Abstract

The research is significant because it aims to improve the speed of motor response and visual tracking through targeted exercises using the visual stimuli device that the two researchers created as part of the training program for the sample. This program also supports the individual defensive movements of the players, which are exemplified by the skills of cutting and dispersing the ball and other defensive movements for young handball players. Regarding the research issue, the researchers observed a deficiency in the players' defensive performance, which manifests as slow movement and reaction to the ball's movement. This deficiency could be attributed to a lack of interest in handball player training programs as well as a weakness in visual abilities and motor response speed to the attacker's and the ball's movement. Preparing unique workouts with visual stimuli to enhance young handball players' motor reaction speed, visual tracking abilities, ball-cutting and ball-dispersing capabilities, and defensive maneuvers is one of the research's goals. The research population was purposefully selected and sampled; specifically, the goalkeepers, who numbered two, were omitted, and the youth players of the Diyala Handball Club for the 2022–2023 sports season, numbered eighteen. As a result, the sample size increased to sixteen participants, who were split into eight players, representing the experimental group, and eight players, representing the control group, at random (even and odd numbers). After conducting an exploratory experiment on two handball players, the researchers came to the conclusion that the experimental study sample's development of visual tracking and motor reaction speed was positively impacted by workouts on the visual stimulus device. The researchers suggest that in order to improve handball players' efficiency, it is imperative to engage in visual stimulus workouts that enhance skill performance and physical and visual capacities.