Penerapan Strategi Komunikasi Kelompok dalam Meningkatkan Kohesivitas Tim (Studi pada Tim U-17 di Aji Santoso International Football Academy “ASIFA”)

This study aims to analyze how the implementation of group communication strategies contributes to building and maintaining team cohesion in the U-17 team of Aji Santoso International Football Academy (ASIFA). ASIFA operates within a boarding school–based youth football development system characterized by high performance demands. This context creates continuous interaction between coaches and players, where communication extends beyond technical training and matches to include social and psychological dimensions of daily life.

This research employs a qualitative approach using a case study method. Data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving coaches, team captains, and players selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis was conducted through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, with source triangulation applied to ensure data credibility.

The findings reveal that group communication strategies at ASIFA are implemented through a combination of formal and informal communication, both face-to-face and via digital media. These strategies are characterized by supportive, collaborative, and persuasive approaches involving coaches, captains, and players. Within the boarding school environment, off-field togetherness is intentionally utilized as a strategic space for informal communication to strengthen interpersonal relationships, reinforce shared values, and manage players’ emotional dynamics. Through the application of Systems Theory using Newcomb’s A–B–X model, the study identifies an ongoing process of perceptual alignment between coaches (A) and players (B) toward shared goals (X), particularly when non-ideal conditions arise, such as physical fatigue, psychological pressure, and declining player commitment.

In addition, the findings are examined through Festinger’s Cohesiveness Theory, which conceptualizes cohesiveness as individuals’ attraction to the group and their motivation to remain within it. The results indicate that team cohesion at ASIFA is formed through the interrelation of
task cohesion and social cohesion, sustained by intensive, repeated, and meaningful communication. Tensions and discrepancies that emerge do not automatically weaken cohesion; instead, they are managed through adaptive communication and interpersonal approaches that
help players remain emotionally and functionally attached to the team.

This study concludes that team cohesion at ASIFA is not a static condition but the outcome of an adaptive and continuous group communication process. The boarding school system is not merely a structural setting but a strategic resource that enables the strengthening of social bonds, cooperative effectiveness, and the sustainability of youth football development within a highly competitive environment.