Translating Key Methodological Issues into Technological Advancements When Running In-Situ Experiments in Sports: An Example from Sailing

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in capturing and understanding skilled performance by studying complex perceptual-motor skills. In this context, we identify and discuss key methodological issues that are particularly relevant when aiming to translate sport scientific knowledge into practical guidelines for coaches and athletes. These issues are: the representative performance environment (including fidelity of stimuli and type of response), generalisability, and experimental control. After a short introduction of the methodological issues, we first review and critically discuss to what degree past research studying complex perceptual-motor skills in sports has or has not sufficiently taken these issues into account. Second, we illustrate an examination of expertise in sailing as an example of how to address the key issues when performing experiments in-situ. We conclude that the presented example illustrates how the collaboration between coaches, athletes and sports scientists advances the methodological and technological developments to capture skilled performance in complex sports.