A Projection-Based, Ground-Level Reactive Agility Test for Soccer: Development and Validation

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Abstract
Most existing reactive agility assessments rely on screen-based or light-based stimuli that are spatially separated from the movement execution plane, thereby limiting ecological validity. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a novel projection-based, ground level reactive agility test (RAT) designed to better reflect the perceptual motor demands of soccer. A total of 57 male soccer players (24 professional and 33 amateur) participated in the study. The system projects sport-specific visual stimuli onto the ground and uses a three-dimensional depth camera to track foot–stimulus interactions in real time. Two reactive agility protocols—a randomized simple reaction test and a randomized selective reaction test—were implemented. Construct validity was examined by comparing reactive agility and planned change-of-direction (PCOD) performance between professional and amateur players, as well as by analyzing relationships between PCOD and RAT outcomes. Professional players demonstrated significantly faster performance than amateurs across all tests (p < 0.01), with larger between-group differences observed in reactive agility compared with PCOD measures. Correlations between PCOD and reactive agility outcomes were low to moderate (r = 0.34–0.61), indicating that reactive agility captures performance components beyond planned movement ability. The reactive agility protocols showed excellent test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.92–0.99) with low measurement error (CV = 0.96–3.47%). In conclusion, the proposed projection-based, ground-level RAT provides a valid and reliable assessment of reactive agility in soccer. By integrating sport-specific stimuli and movement execution within the same spatial plane, the system enhances ecological validity and offers a scalable framework for both performance assessment and perceptual cognitive training in open-skill sports.

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