Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between cognitive functioning, physical fitness, and game performance in a sample of adolescent soccer players. Eighty-five boys from a soccer team in Rincon de la Victoria (Malaga, Spain), aged between 12 and 16 years, participated in the study. The D2 and Global-Local Attention (GLA) tests were used to evaluate selective and divided attention, respectively, and the Coding and Symbol Search tests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) were used for processing speed. To analyze physical fitness, the standing long jump test, speed test, and Course-Navette test of the Alpha-Fitness battery were used. Finally, the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) was used to analyze sports performance in three vs. three small-sided games. The analyses showed that cognitive functioning was related to game performance. The results obtained suggest the importance of cognitive functions for performance in this sport.
Highlights
In sports performance research, there is a need to describe the elements that determine the level of performance [1,2]
On the basis of research published in recent years, cognitive functions appear to be relevant in high-performance sports, and elite athletes have been found to perform better than amateur athletes in tasks demanding attention, processing speed, and executive functions such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, among other skills [17,18,19,20,21,22]
Intra- and inter-observer reliability analyses were performed to ensure that the data obtained with the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) was adequate
Summary
There is a need to describe the elements that determine the level of performance [1,2]. In open sports such as soccer, which takes place in a dynamic context with a multitude of interactions and possibilities, the factors that modulate an athlete’s performance are even more complex Those that have been described include physical, technical, and tactical demands, field positioning, and players’ roles, among others [3,4,5]. Researchers have focused on analyzing and relating physiological and anthropometric measurements and technical factors; other variables that increase the capacity to predict successful performance still need to be explored [11] For this reason, other research has explored variables of a psychological and cognitive nature, considering that they help to understand why some athletes show greater talent and sports ability [12,13,14,15]. On the basis of research published in recent years, cognitive functions appear to be relevant in high-performance sports, and elite athletes have been found to perform better than amateur athletes in tasks demanding attention, processing speed, and executive functions such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, among other skills [17,18,19,20,21,22]
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