Naslov
Basic Cognitive Abilities Relevant to Male Adolescents’ Soccer Performance

Autori
Glavaš, Dragan

Izvornik
Perceptual and motor skills (0031-5125) 127 (2020), 6; 1079-1094

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
soccer performance, working memory, visuospatial capacity, concentration, working memory models

Sažetak
While there is a theoretical and empirical consensus that specific cognitive abilities gained through deliberate sports practice influence sports performance, it is less clear whether basic cognitive abilities that are not specifically related to sports practice are relevant to sports performance. Accordingly, this research examined the roles of basic concentration and visuospatial ability in adolescent soccer performance. Participants were 46 adolescent male soccer players (Mage¼16.15 years, SD¼1.13) who averaged 7.21 years (SD¼2.2) of prior soccer training. We measured participant’s basic cognitive abilities with the Corsi block and the concentration grid tasks, and we measured their soccer performance through five soccer skills. Concentration had no predictive role in elements of soccer performance, but visuospatial ability was significantly related to tactical abilities, technical skills, mental toughness, and situational awareness and thus, to overall soccer performance. These findings provided support for the importance of visuospatial ability but not concentration (as measured by the concentration grid) in young males’ soccer performance.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Psihologija, Kineziologija, Kognitivna znanost (prirodne, tehničke, biomedicina i zdravstvo, društvene i humanističke znanosti)

POVEZANOST RADA