Purpose: This research aimed to investigate and compare the effects of static and nonballistic active stretching on flexibility and sprint acceleration performance among collegiate-level football players.

Methods: Forty male football players, aged 17-21, voluntarily participated from the Indra Gandhi Academy for Sports and Education. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: Nonballistic Active Stretching (NAS, n=20) and Static Stretching (SS, n=20). Anthropometric measures, including body height, body weight, and body mass index, were collected alongside performance metrics, such as the 20-meter sprint test and Hamstring flexibility was assessed using an active knee extension test conducted before and after a 12-week stretching intervention.

Results: The results indicated significant improvements within both groups. The NAS group exhibited a remarkable increase in hamstring flexibility (pre: 25.20±5.35, post: 20.90±5.37, p<.001) and enhanced sprint acceleration performance (pre: 2.18±0.18, post: 2.07±0.169, p<.004). Similarly, the SHS group demonstrated notable improvements in flexibility (pre: 27.10±6.71, post: 16.10±5.11, p<.001) and sprint metrics (pre: 2.06±0.18, post: 1.87±0.27, p<.001). However, an independent samples t-test revealed no significant baseline differences between the groups in outcome measures, sprint performance, or hamstring flexibility.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the efficacy of both static and nonballistic active stretching in enhancing flexibility and sprint acceleration among collegiate-level football players. The study contributes valuable insights to sports science, offering practitioners evidence-based options for designing stretching interventions tailored to the specific needs of football athletes. Additionally, the absence of baseline differences highlights the study's robust methodology, ensuring that observed changes can be attributed to the stretching interventions rather than pre-existing group disparities.