Executive Function (Cognition), Motor Development, Performance, Soccer Training
Conditions
Keywords
cognitive promotion, dribbling, soccer
Brief summary
This study will examine whether an 8-week soccer-specific cognitive-motor training program can improve executive functions, decision-making, and soccer skill performance in youth soccer players. Soccer players often need to scan the field, process information quickly, choose appropriate actions, and perform technical skills under pressure. The training program is designed to combine soccer skills with game-like cognitive demands, such as recognizing opponents' movement, selecting passing or dribbling options, and responding to changing play situations. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a soccer-specific cognitive-motor training group or an active control technical training group. Both groups will train three times per week for eight weeks in addition to their usual soccer training. The study will compare changes in soccer decision-making, executive functions, and skill performance from baseline to post-intervention and to a four-week retention test.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCognitively Engaging Soccer Practice
This intervention integrates cognitive elements into basic soccer skill practice. Participants engage in 20-minute soccer dribbling sessions that include decision-making tasks, attention control, and working memory challenges embedded within motor actions. For example, players must react to color or number cues while performing dribbling drills. The purpose is to enhance both motor learning and cognitive performance through dual-task engagement.Cognitively Engaging Soccer Practice
BEHAVIORALConventional Soccer Practice
This intervention consists of traditional soccer dribbling training without added cognitive tasks. Participants perform the same duration and frequency of soccer skill practice (20 minutes) focusing purely on motor performance and technique refinement. No external cognitive demands are introduced.
Sponsors
Fan Mao
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Caregiver)
Masking description
Only the coaches delivering the intervention are blinded to group allocation. Participants and outcome assessors are not blinded due to the nature of the intervention.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
16 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Male adolescents aged 16-18 years; * Healthy students with no recent injury affecting movement or physical activity; * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision; * Not taking any medication during the study period;
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosed neurological disorders; * Diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders; * Use of medications known to affect cognitive function
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Video-Based Soccer Decision Accuracy | Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up. | Video-based soccer decision accuracy will be used as the primary outcome to assess soccer-specific decision-making performance. Participants will view attacking and transition scenarios from a field-player perspective. Each video will be occluded at a critical decision point, and participants will select the most appropriate action, such as pass, dribble, shoot, switch play, or retain possession. Decision accuracy will be calculated as the percentage of responses that match the expert consensus answer. Higher scores indicate better soccer-specific decision-making performance. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dribbling performance time | Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up. | Dribbling performance time will be measured as the total time (in seconds) required to complete a standardized cone-dribbling course. |
| Reaction time on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task) | Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up. | Reaction time (in milliseconds) will be recorded for correct responses during computerized Stroop and 2-back tasks. Mean reaction time across trials will be calculated separately for each task at each assessment time point. |
| Response accuracy on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task) | Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up. | Response accuracy will be calculated as the percentage of correct responses during computerized Stroop and 2-back tasks. |
Countries
China
Outcome results
None listed