title: Plyometric training improves power and agility in Jamaica's national netball team.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plyometric training is widely used in conditioning, power training and in prevention and rehabilitation of injuries in some sports. This study sought to investigate the effect of a three-week plyometric training programme on jump performance and agility in Jamaican national netball players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen national netballers participated in a Plyometric training programme. Subjects were evaluated using the Vertical Jump Test, the Broad Jump Test and the Illinois Agility Test prior to the start of the programme and at week 3.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were analysed using SPSS version 12 for Windows. A One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test showed normal distribution of data and a paired samples t-test was used to determine whether the mean change in jump performance and agility was significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All eighteen subjects completed the three weeks of training. Three subjects were shown to be outliers at week 3 and this resulted in data from 15 subjects being analysed. At the end of the three weeks, there were significant improvements in Vertical Jump Scores (p = 0.023), Broad Jump Scores (p = 0.002) and Agility scores (p = 0.045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three weeks of Plyometric training can lead to significant improvements in jump performance and agility and should be integrated into the national training programme at intervals yet to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Section of Physical Therapy, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica, West Indies. sharmella3@hotmail.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roopchand-Martin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lue-Chin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D026241:Exercise Movement Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D013177:Sports; D055815:Young Adult