Simple return board as a self-practice tool: its effect on table tennis forehand drive, backhand drive, and service technique skills

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of Simple Return Board on the improvement of forehand drive, backhand drive, and service technique skills among junior high school students. Methods  A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group was employed. A total of 120 students from four junior high schools in West Bandung Regency were divided into an experimental group (n=60) and a control group (n=60). The experimental group received SRB-assisted learning for eight weeks (16 sessions), while the control group followed conventional instruction. Data were collected using an observation sheet validated by three expert judges (CVR=0.91). Independent samples t-test and paired samples t-test were used for data analysis. Results The experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement in overall table tennis skills (pre-test M=62.4, SD=7.3; post-test M=84.7, SD=5.6; t=21.43, p<0.001, d=2.77). Forehand drive improved by 34.2%, backhand drive by 29.8%, and service by 38.1%. Between-group comparison confirmed significantly higher gains in the experimental group (p<0.001). Conclusion Simple Return Board is an effective, affordable, and practical learning tool for improving table tennis basic technique skills in resource-limited school settings.