This study aims to examine the effects of integrating Turkish folk dance exercises into the training routines of U14 football players on their kinesthetic sense, balance, agility, core stabilization, and flexibility. The study includes 15 young male football players actively participating in league matches in Istanbul, randomly assigned to either control or intervention groups. The intervention group participates in an additional Turkish folk dance training program for eight weeks alongside their regular football practice, while the control group continues with regular training only. Both groups undergo assessments on agility, flexibility, core stabilization, balance, and kinesthetic sense using standardized field tests. The study seeks to explore whether Turkish folk dance training can provide added value to conventional youth football training programs.

This randomized controlled study investigates the potential impact of Turkish folk dance-based exercises on core region stabilization, balance, and agility among U14 male football players in Istanbul. Fifteen participants are divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group participates in an eight-week Turkish folk dance exercise program in addition to their regular football training. Pre- and post-intervention assessments include the Illinois Agility Test, Y-Balance Test, joint position sense measurements, flexibility assessments, and the Core Stabilization Test (CST). Statistical analysis methods planned for evaluating the outcomes include normality analysis, independent samples t-tests for group comparisons, and paired samples t-tests for within-group differences, with a significance level set at p<0.05. The study aims to assess whether incorporating Turkish folk dance movements into youth football training programs may contribute to improvements in motor skills relevant to athletic performance and injury prevention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male football players actively participating in the U14 league in Istanbul.
• Age between 12 and 14 years.
• Actively training and participating in official football matches.
• Voluntary participation with parental/guardian consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of musculoskeletal, neurological, or chronic health conditions that would prevent participation.
• History of injury or surgery affecting balance or mobility within the last 6 -months.
• Participation in other structured exercise or dance programs outside of football training.
• Non-compliance with the training or assessment schedule.

Male U14 football players actively competing in the Istanbul youth football league. Participants were healthy, regularly training, and had no existing injuries or chronic health conditions affecting physical performance.

The study protocol does not include provisions for sharing individual participant data (IPD) outside the research team, in accordance with participant privacy and institutional regulations.