Optimising long-term athletic development: An investigation of practitioners' knowledge, adherence, practices and challenges

Skill acquisition interventions for the learning of sports-related skills: A scoping review of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Skill acquisition science is the study of how motor skills are acquired, developed and/or learned. There is substantive evidence for general motor skill acquisition in controlled laboratory settings yet the literature on the learning of sports-related skills is typically less conclusive.

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aimed to summarise the current literature on skill acquisition intervention studies examining the learning of sports-related skills as part of a randomised controlled trial, by synthesizing and extracting the most relevant features.

METHODS

Four electronic databases (PsychINFO, PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science) were searched for relevant studies. The sample characteristics of these studies were extracted, and summarised. Two systematic searches of the literature were conducted. In the first search, eighty-six studies were retained. A second search was conducted in July 2022 to include new studies and specifically focused on the inclusion of within-subject design studies, resulting in the inclusion of 35 additional studies. A third search was conducted in May 2023 to include new studies resulting in the inclusion of 10 additional studies.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty studies across 29 sports were included in the review. The vast majority of the studies in this scoping review (n = 104) examined the learning of a sport-related skill in participants with no experience. Twenty-eight percent of all retained studies (n = 35) considered only the learning of a golf skill, and all studies were practiced in a laboratory environment, examining closed motor skills (n = 130). The most common intervention categories reported were attention (n = 22), instruction and demonstration (n = 20), practice design (n = 20), and perceptual training (n = 19). Nearly half of all studies used an immediate retention test within 48 h of the cessation of practice (n = 63), and just over one quarter of studies (n = 34) reported incorporating some form of transfer test. Eighty-six percent (n = 112) reported positive findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The skewed focus on golf skills across a small number of skill acquisition interventions, the inconsistent use and reporting of performance measures, practice durations and measures of learning alongside the relatively small sample sizes consisting mostly of inexperienced learners and the skewed publication of positive findings should warrant caution. More empirical studies across a broader range of sports and with more consistent methodologies are needed to develop a robust pool of literature that can support academics and practitioners interested in which skill acquisition interventions could be used to influence the learning of sports-related skills.

The relative age effect in under-17, under-20, and adult elite female soccer players

To investigate the RAE in elite female soccer players, the absolute and relative birthdate distributions of players who disputed the Women's World Cup were assessed. Differences between observed and expected distributions were analyzed using chi-square and effect sizes. The birthdates of 1224 female soccer players were assessed in Under-17 (N = 336), Under-20 (N = 336) and adult (N = 552) categories. There was no significant RAE in adult category for different playing positions and players in general (including all playing positions per age category). There was significant RAE for midfielders and players in general with mainly small effect sizes for the U-17 and U-20. In both age categories, players born in Q1 were over-represented with the highest quartile ratio for midfielders. In regard of RAE and success defined by final ranking at the World Cup, we found no significant differences between the birthdate distributions of players who participated in either the group stages or finally the knockout phases. Coaches should consider this information to avoid bias in talent programs designed to promote and select female soccer players independently of their birthdates. Young female players should be encouraged to learn to play in different field positions before to reach high-level performance.

Associations Between Motor Competence and Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Psychosocial Characteristics in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Motor competence is an integral component of the health and performance of youth. Numerous studies support the hypothesis that motor competence interacts with perceived motor competence and physical fitness during childhood to induce positive (e.g. healthy weight status) or negative (e.g. reduced physical activity engagement) trajectories. Yet, while adolescence is a key period of rapid growth and maturation, no systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined the association between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial characteristics solely within adolescents.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to (1) analyse the scientific literature evaluating associations between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and/or psychosocial characteristics amongst adolescents; (2) evaluate the associations between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness characteristics and/or psychosocial characteristics amongst adolescents; and (3) investigate the impact of moderator variables (i.e., age, sex, type of motor competence assessment) on the associations.

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted, followed by a qualitative synthesis of study methods. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to establish the magnitude and orientation of pooled correlation coefficients between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial characteristics of adolescents, whilst considering potential moderators (i.e., age, sex, type of motor competence assessment).

RESULTS

Sixty-one studies were included, totalling 22,256 adolescents. Twenty-seven different assessments of motor competence were used, with 31 studies utilising product-orientated (i.e. outcome) motor competence assessments. Meta-analyses of 43 studies showed that motor competence was positively associated with physical activity (r = 0.20 to 0.26), some physical fitness characteristics (e.g. muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance; r = 0.03 to 0.60) and psychosocial characteristics (r = 0.07 to 0.34), and inversely associated with weight status (r =  - 0.36 to - 0.10), speed (r =  - 0.31) and agility (r =  - 0.37 to 0.41). Associations with flexibility were unclear.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis support the hypothesised interactions of motor competence with physical activity (positive), physical fitness (positive except for weight status, speed and agility) and psychosocial characteristics (positive) in adolescence. However, methodological approaches vary considerably (e.g. variety of motor competence assessments utilised), with limitations of the current literature including an inadequate assessment of motor competence, a lack of longitudinal observations and a failure to account for biological maturation. Future research assessing associations between motor competence and physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial characteristics of adolescents should include longitudinal observations of a combined motor competence assessment (i.e. process and product) and account for biological maturation. Improved evaluation using these recommendations could provide more accurate data, leading to more targeted interventions to improve adolescents' physical and psychosocial outcomes.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

CRD42021233441 (PROSPERO ID).

Swimming coaches' professional development and training practices: an international survey

This study investigated swim coaches' perceptions of professional development issues and current training practices according to their coaching experience, education level, and gender. An online survey (January-April 2022) was completed by 123 swim coaches (96 male/27 female) of competitive swimmers based in 41 countries. The survey consisted of 36 questions divided into six sections: (1) background information, (2) developing swim coaching through learning, (3) self-evaluation, (4) interpersonal-intrapersonal interactions, (5) life skills, and (6) analyzing swimming performance. Pearson chi-square assessed the relationship between the frequency of responses and professional background and gender. The survey results indicated that swim coaches' educational level is potentially one of the most influential parameters affecting the coaches' perceptions about their own professional development. The data presented may be used for the future design of coach education programmes as they advance current knowledge on understanding psycho-social issues related to professional development and training perceptions involved in the competitive swimming environment.

Training, Wellbeing and Recovery Load Monitoring in Female Youth Athletes

Participation in youth sports is ever-increasing, along with training and competition demands placed upon youth athletes. Young athletes may experience high training loads due to playing several sports, as well as participating in school physical education. Therefore, monitoring youth athlete load is an emerging area of research that may help limit non-functional overreaching, injury, or illness and assist with long-term athlete development. This narrative review highlights that multiple measures have been explored to monitor both internal and external load. However, the validity, reliability and practicality of these measures are often not fully understood in female youth populations. The most commonly used external monitoring methods are GPS tracking and TRIMP whereas common internal monitoring tools are questionnaires, perceived exertion rating and heart rate measures. The reporting of injuries and menstrual cycles is also crucial for providing completeness when monitoring an athlete. It has been suggested that the combination of training load, recovery and wellbeing monitoring variables is the optimal way to monitor an athlete's fatigue levels. Whichever monitoring method is applied, in a youth population it is important that the protocol can be individualised, is inexpensive and can be easily implemented and reported so that the monitoring is sustainable.