Soccer Pitch Research Articles

Breathing Monitoring in Soccer: Part I-Validity of Commercial Wearable Sensors.

Growing evidence suggests that respiratory frequency (fR) is a valid marker of effort during high-intensity exercise, including sports of an intermittent nature, like soccer. However, very few attempts have been made so far to monitor fR in soccer with unobtrusive devices. This study assessed the validity of three strain-based commercial wearable devices measuring fR during soccer-specific movements. On two separate visits to the soccer pitch, 15 players performed a 30 min validation protocol wearing either a ComfTech® (CT) vest or a BioharnessTM (BH) 3.0 strap and a Tyme WearTM (TW) vest. fR was extracted from the respiratory waveform of the three commercial devices with custom-made algorithms and compared with that recorded with a reference face mask. The fR time course of the commercial devices generally resembled that of the reference system. The mean absolute percentage error was, on average, 7.03% for CT, 8.65% for TW, and 14.60% for BH for the breath-by-breath comparison and 1.85% for CT, 3.27% for TW, and 7.30% for BH when comparison with the reference system was made in 30 s windows. Despite the challenging measurement scenario, our findings show that some of the currently available wearable sensors are indeed suitable to unobtrusively measure fR in soccer.

Estudo de caso do projeto e execução do sistema de drenagem do gramado de futebol do Estádio Bezerrão

In soccer stadiums, every aspect is important. Infrastructure, stands, changing rooms, artificial lighting and, without a doubt, the pitch, which is vital if matches are to run smoothly and without risk. One of the problems that reduces playability is water puddles, i.e. the waterlogging of the pitch caused by rainwater. This problem is common in Brazil due to the equatorial tropical climate, which is characterized by high temperatures and intense rainfall, the latter causing, in some situations, cancellations of matches with inconvenience to fans and spectators and even delays in championships. Another problem caused by excessive accumulated water is damage to the health of the grass, as poor drainage prevents the correct development of the root system due to the lack of oxygen in the soil, limiting the absorption of nutrients, which are important for the development of the grass, and making the grass maintenance and mowing process more difficult. Within this context, the drainage system on a soccer pitch is essential. This system is divided into surface and subsurface. Therefore, this paper presents and discusses the drainage system of the Bezerrão Stadium soccer field, located in the Administrative Region of Gama, Federal District.

To Di World: Jamaican soccer, poiesis and post-colonial transformation.

This article presents a case study of an innovative culturally based therapeutic approach using collective poiesis to improve the functioning of a youth sports team in Jamaica. In recent decades, Jamaica has endured high levels of violence and corruption, and has been ranked among the top four countries in the world in terms of murder rate per capita. We conjecture that a high prevalence of personality disorder linked to the legacy of slavery and colonialism often impedes Jamaicans from achieving success in diverse fields, including sports. Psychological interventions in the preparation of football teams are a novelty, and have been used mainly to enhance global team performance or individual player skill. The use of psychological interventions to address personality disorder psychopathology on the soccer pitch has not been reported. Psychohistoriographic cultural therapy (PCT) integrates psychological perspectives with a dialectic method of historical analysis and uses collective poiesis as a vehicle to translate insights through an embodied cognitive restructuring process. Two workshops were carried out with a high school football team using PCT techniques. The process of dialectic reasoning engaged their collective ideas and insights to establish a psychic centrality that was expressed in poetic form to illustrate the pathologies of the group in an emotionally safe and psychologically acceptable narrative. This poetic narrative of the group's psychic centrality counters the personality disorder psychopathology caused by the lingering intergenerational wounds of slavery, colonial oppression and collective trauma.

‘Bigger than football’: racist talk on and off the soccer pitch

ABSTRACT Racism is a major social and cultural problem that has, in various forms, plagued football for a long time. Despite the attempts of official bodies to root it out, racist talk and behaviour are still rife among players as well as in fan communities. The present paper provides a case study of online users’ comments on the media coverage of a series of controversial incidents during a recent UEFA Europa League matchinvolving an alleged verbal act of racial abuse between two players. Adopting a discourse analytical perspective, the paper contrasts how the match controversies were reflected in the users’ public online discourses in two different cultural communities, namely the UK and the Czech Republic, and identifies some of the similarities and differences between the two. The analysis shows how the users reframe the underlying racist issue, trivialize it through humour and relativize its seriousness. The data indicate that such discourses surrounding football are important for understanding how fans construct various group identities and how specific socio-cultural contexts influence the perception of race-related controversies .

Celebrating goals and surrounding the referee – adapting interaction on the pitch in times of social distancing in the English Premier League

ABSTRACT There is a growing research interest in the effects of social distancing measures introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on social interaction, interpersonal relationships, and personal wellbeing. In the soccer arena, too, players, referees, managers, and fans are subject to social distancing measures when engaging in joint activities in times of the pandemic. This paper examines to what extent agents on the soccer pitch have adapted joint communicative acts such as goal celebrations and surrounding the referee as part of social distancing measures. It does so by focusing particularly on interactions between player-player (goal celebrations) and player-referee (issuing of yellow/red cards) in broadcasted Premier League games pre- and post-lockdown during the 2019/20 season by examining and comparing two datasets: games in the last round before the three-month lockdown break (round 29, 10 games, 7–9 March 2020) and the games in the first round after the restart of season 2019/20 with the implemented social distancing rules as prescribed by the Premier League’s Season 2019/20Restart Guide (round 30, 10 games, 19–22 June 2020). Based on an exploratory, qualitative multimodal analysis of a total of 43 goal celebrations and the issuing of 66 yellow cards and one red card in the two datasets, we highlight varying realizations of similar joint communicative acts, thereby demonstrating how agents on the pitch adapt their interaction to social distancing rules. The results show players’ occasional hesitation to gather closely with other players to celebrate a goal and their deviation to more common practices of engaging with others during times of COVID-19, for example fist bumps. Adaptation of interaction can also be observed with regard to player-referee interactions following a booking, most notably concerning surrounding the referee in contested decisions: While players still move towards the referee seemingly crowding the referee, there is, in some scenes, a visible restraint by players to ensure enough distancing between the players and the referee.

Glad All Over

Can philosophical inquiry give us meaning in life? In this philosophical short story, the narrator holds a season ticket for the local professional soccer team, which isn't very good. He sits next to Angus, an elderly man who takes care of his wife with dementia and gets a little bit of free time for himself. After the local team scores, the narrator feels something he's never felt before: the futility of the whole experience. Angus diagnoses this as an existential crisis that might be resolved with words, specifically the words of philosophers. Thus, during each game of the season, Angus teaches the narrator about a different philosophical theory. However, one day Angus doesn't show up to the match. The narrator goes to Angus's house and finds out that, according to his wife's wishes, Angus killed her and then killed himself. The narrator then spreads Angus's ashes across the soccer pitch.

Using agronomic data to minimize the impact of field conditions on player injuries and enhance the development of a risk management plan

An important aspect of facility management is the development of a comprehensive risk management plan. Player safety has only recently been a consideration when developing a risk management plan. Field conditions have not received much attention as it relates to player safety. Several injuries at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia raised questions about the playing surface being the cause. The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of established athletic field agronomic measures to predict injuries from football fields and soccer pitches. Logistic regression was used to predict injury based upon soil compaction, soil moisture, surface firmness, and turfgrass quality. Results indicate that athletic fields that met good standards had the lowest probability of injury and injury probability is the highest when field conditions are considered poor. These results provide parameters facility and athletic field managers can use to determine whether an athletic field demonstrates a low risk of injury, needs to be improved, or a game should be canceled.

MOFs have a new trick

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are mostly pockets of empty space within a honeycomb structure of organic linkers and metal ions. Most scientists might assume such materials are incapable of conducting charge, but surprisingly, some MOFs do it well. That little-known, unexpected property , which scientists are trying to understand, is pushing MOFs into new territory. A small but quickly growing number of researchers is exploiting the rare combination of porosity, high surface area, and charge conductivity in these materials to create electronic sensors, charge storage devices, electrocatalysts, and other applications traditionally outside MOFs’ purview. For 25 years, chemists have been finding applications that take advantage of the extreme surface areas of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In just 1 g of some of these porous materials, the areas can reach nearly 8,000 m 2 —larger than a standard soccer pitch. That’s far greater than the surface area packed inside zeolites, activated carbon, and

Validity of a Rehab and Reconditioning Program Following an Adductor Longus Injury in Professional Soccer

The high rates of adductor injuries and reinjuries in soccer have suggested that the current rehabilitation programs may be insufficient; therefore, there is a need to create prevention and reconditioning programs to prepare athletes for the specific demands of the sport. The aim of this study is to validate a rehab and reconditioning program (RRP) for adductor injuries through a panel of experts and determine the effectiveness of this program through its application in professional soccer. A 20-item RRP was developed, which was validated by a panel of experts anonymously and then applied to 12 injured male professional soccer players. Soccer pitch and indoor gym. Eight rehabilitation fitness coaches (age = 33.25 [2.49]y) and 8 academic researchers (age = 38.50 [3.74]y) with PhDs in sports science and/or physiotherapy. The RRP was applied to 12 male professional players (age = 23.75 [4.97]y; height = 180.56 [8.41]cm; mass = 76.89 [3.43]kg) of the Spanish First and Second Division (La Liga). The experts validated an indoor and on-field reconditioning program, which was based on strengthening the injured muscle and retraining conditional capacities with the aim of reducing the risk of reinjury. Aiken V for each item of the program and number of days taken by the players to return to full team training. The experts evaluated all items of the program very highly as seen from Aiken V values between 0.77 and 0.94 (range: 0.61-0.98) for all drills, and the return to training was in 13.08 (±1.42) days. This RRP following an injury to the adductor longus was validated by injury experts, and initial results suggested that it could permit a faster return to team training.

The human touch.

COVID-19 has forced us into social distancing against humans' need for physical contact. Will we return to consensual embrace after the pandemic or still keep our distance?

Manipulating the Pitch Size Constrains the Players’ Positioning during Unbalanced Soccer Small-Sided Games Played by Different Age Groups

We aim to investigate the impact of variable soccer pitch sizes on the position of players during unbalanced small-sided games (SSGs) and compare the responses of players from two different age groups. Forty-eight young players (n = 24 under-13 and n = 24 under-14) took part in the study and played 3 vs. 3 + 1 SSGs on two different pitch sizes (smaller: 36 x 27 m / 139m2 per player; and larger: 40 x 29 m / 166 m2 per player). Players’ positions on the pitch (length, width, length-to-width ratio, stretching index, and spatial exploration index) were assessed by the positional data provided by global position system devices and were compared within age groups and between game formats using a two-way analysis of variance. Results showed higher values of spatial exploration index in the larger SSGs than in the smaller format (p<.001). Moreover, a higher length (p<0.001) and length-to-width ratio (p<.001) was observed in the younger group. Finally, the larger format presented higher values of SEI and stretching index, independent of the age group (p<.001). In the smaller format, U-14 players presented a higher stretching index, while in the larger format U-13 players presented higher values in the same variable. We conclude that enlarging the pitch size constrains players’ behaviour during SSGs, and older players are more able to deal with this more complex task context than younger ones.

Small-Sided Games Are Not as Effective as Intermittent Running to Stimulate Aerobic Metabolism in Prepubertal Soccer Players.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the soccer pitch area during small-sided games (SSG) in prepubertal children on physiological and technical demands, and to compare them, for the physiological demands, to high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Ten young soccer players (13.0 [0.3]y) performed a HIIT and 3 SSG of various field sizes (30 × 20m, 42 × 38m, and 51 × 34m). Each SSG was performed with 5 players per team, during 4 × 4-minutes interspaced with 1minute of passive recovery in between. HIIT also followed a 4 × 4-minute protocol with running speed set on an individual basis. Heart rate (HR) was continuously monitored during training sessions. For each exercise modality, time spent above 90% of HRmax (T≥90%,HRmax) was calculated, and technical actions were quantified during SSG by video analysis. T≥90%,HRmax was similar between the 3 SSG (∼587 [276]s; P > .2) but 24% to 37% lower than during HIIT (826 [140]s, P < .05). Coefficients of variations in T≥90%,HRmax were 2.3 to 3.5 times larger in SSG compared with HIIT. For technical actions, greater number of possessions (21 [6] vs ∼14 [4]), and lower ball touches per possession (2.4 [0.6] vs ∼2.9 [0.6]) were found in the small SSG compared with larger SSG, respectively (P < .05). The 3 SSG led to lower acute stimulation of the aerobic metabolism, suggesting a lower potential for chronic aerobic adaptations, compared with HIIT. Moreover, interindividual variability in the physiological response was substantially greater in SSG compared with HIIT, indicating increased heterogeneity among players performing the same training protocol.

Predictive person models elicit motor biases: The face-inhibition effect revisited

Using an established paradigm, we tested whether people derive motoric predictions about an actor's forthcoming actions from prior knowledge about them and the context in which they are seen. In two experiments, participants identified famous tennis and soccer players using either hand or foot responses. Athletes were shown either carrying out or not carrying out their associated actions (swinging, kicking), either in the context where these actions are typically seen (tennis court, soccer Pitch) or outside these contexts (beach, awards ceremony). Replicating prior work, identifying non-acting athletes revealed the negative compatibility effects: viewing tennis players led to faster responses with a foot than a hand, and vice versa for viewing soccer players. Consistent with the idea that negative compatibility effects result from the absence of a predicted action, these effects were eliminated (or reversed) when the athletes were seen carrying out actions typically associated with them. Strikingly, however, these motoric biases were not limited to In-Context trials but were, if anything, more robust in the Out-of-Context trials. This pattern held even when attention was drawn specifically to the context (Experiment 2). These results confirm that people hold motoric knowledge about the actions that others typically carry out and that these actions are part of perceptual representations that are accessed when those others are re-encountered, possibly in order to resolve uncertainty in person perception.

Sprint Endurance Abilities in Elite Female Soccer Players.

To profile sprint endurance performance of elite-level female soccer players. Twenty-five female national-team soccer players (age 25.1 [2.7]y, body mass 59.6 [3.6]kg, height 168.5 [4.1]cm) were tested for sprint endurance, performing 5 maximal sprints, interspersed with 30 seconds of active recovery (5 × 30m) and a 30-second all-out shuttle run in a soccer pitch. The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (YYIR1) evaluated intermittent high-intensity endurance under the same field-testing conditions. Maximal anaerobic capacity was assessed while participants performed three 10-second all-out bouts separated by 20 seconds of passive recovery (3 × 10s) on a nonmotorized treadmill. Huge interplayer variability was observed for sprint decrements in 3 × 10 seconds (coefficient of variation = 37%) and 5 × 30m (coefficient of variation = 62%). The 3 × 10 performance was largely associated with 5 × 30-m mean and best time and very largely with 30 seconds. A very large and nearly perfect correlation was observed between 30 seconds and 5 × 30mMean (r = -.86) and 5 × 30mBest (r = -.92), respectively. The YYIR1 was moderately to largely associated with 5 × 30-m variables and 30 seconds, respectively. A nearly perfect association was observed between 5 × 30mBest and 5 × 30mMean (r = .97). Elite female soccer players' sprint endurance variables are characterized by remarkable variability. Associations between sprint endurance variables suggest physiological interdependence and a likelihood of a general ability in sustaining sprinting in this population.

The Influence of Soccer Playing Surface on the Loading Response to Ankle (P)Rehabilitation Exercises.

Contemporary synthetic playing surfaces have been associated with an increased risk of ankle injury in the various types of football. Triaxial accelerometers facilitate in vivo assessment of planar mechanical loading on the player. To quantify the influence of playing surface on the PlayerLoad elicited during footwork and plyometric drills focused on the mechanism of ankle injury. Repeated-measures, field-based design. Regulation soccer pitches. A total of 15 amateur soccer players (22.1 [2.4]y), injury free with ≥6 years competitive experience. Each player completed a test battery comprising 3 footwork drills (anterior, lateral, and diagonal) and 4 plyometric drills (anterior hop, inversion hop, eversion hop, and diagonal hop) on natural turf (NT), third-generation artificial turf (3G), and AstroTurf. Global positioning system sensors were located at C7 and the mid-tibia of each leg to measure triaxial acceleration (100Hz). PlayerLoad in each axial plane was calculated for each drill on each surface and at each global positioning system location. Analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect for sensor location in all drills, with PlayerLoad higher at mid-tibia than at C7 in all movement planes. AstroTurf elicited significantly higher PlayerLoad in the mediolateral and anteroposterior planes, with typically no difference between NT and 3G. In isolated inversion and eversion hopping trials, the 3G surface also elicited lower PlayerLoad than NT. PlayerLoad magnitude was sensitive to unit placement, advocating measurement with greater anatomical relevance when using microelectromechanical systems technology to monitor training or rehabilitation load. AstroTurf elicited higher PlayerLoad across all planes and drills and should be avoided for rehabilitative purposes, whereas 3G elicited a similar mechanical response to NT.

Tactical Variables Related to Gaining the Ball in Advanced Zones of the Soccer Pitch: Analysis of Differences Among Elite Teams and the Effect of Contextual Variables.

Attacking tactical variables have been commonly studied in soccer to analyze teams’ performance. However, few studies investigated defensive tactical variables during match-play and the influence of contextual variables on them. The aims of the present study were (1) to examine the defensive behaviors of soccer teams when gaining the ball in advanced zones of the pitch and (2) to evaluate the effect of contextual variables on these defensive behaviors. A sample of 1,095 defensive pieces of play initiated in the opposing half of the pitch obtained from 10 matches of the season 2010/11 of La Liga and involving 13 teams was collected using the semiautomated tracking system Amisco Pro. Five defensive tactical variables, the outcome of defensive pieces of play, and contextual variables (i.e., match status, venue, quality of opposition, and match period) were recorded for every defensive piece initiated in the opposing half of the pitch. Results showed that there were significant differences among teams in the outcome of defensive pieces of play originating from the opposing half (χ2 = 111.87, p < 0.01, φc = 0.22), and in the outcome of offensive pieces of play following ball gains (χ2 = 49.92, p < 0.001, φc = 0.22). Cluster analysis revealed four groups describing different defensive behaviors from high-pressure to a defense close to their own goal. Match status (χ2 = 25.87, p < 0.05, φc = 0.11) and quality of opposition (χ2 = 21.19, p < 0.05, φc = 0.10) were the contextual variables that showed a significant effect on defensive pieces of play initiated in the opposite half of the pitch. Teams winning gained more balls in the zone close to their own goal, and losing teams gained more balls in advanced zones of the pitch. Moreover, the greater the quality of the opponent the lesser the chance of gaining the ball in advanced zones of the pitch. Neither venue or match period influenced the defensive pieces of play analyzed. Soccer teams could employ a similar analysis to improve their performance and prepare for opposition teams in competition.

The Influence of Playing Surface on the Loading Response to Soccer-Specific Activity.

The influence of playing surface on injury risk in soccer is contentious, and contemporary technologies permit an in vivo assessment of mechanical loading on the player. To quantify the influence of playing surface on the PlayerLoad elicited during soccer-specific activity. Repeated measures, field-based design. Regulation soccer pitches. Fifteen amateur soccer players (22.1 [2.4]y), injury free with ≥6 years competitive experience. Each player completed randomized order trials of a soccer-specific field test on natural turf, astroturf, and third-generation artificial turf. GPS units were located at C7 and the mid-tibia of each leg to measure triaxial acceleration (100Hz). Total accumulated PlayerLoad in each movement plane was calculated for each trial. Ratings of perceived exertion and visual analog scales assessing lower-limb muscle soreness were measured as markers of fatigue. Analysis of variance revealed no significant main effect for playing surface on total PlayerLoad (P = .55), distance covered (P = .75), or postexercise measures of ratings of perceived exertion (P = .98) and visual analog scales (P = .61). There was a significant main effect for GPS location (P < .001), with lower total loading elicited at C7 than mid-tibia (P < .001), but with no difference between limbs (P = .70). There was no unit placement × surface interaction (P = .98). There was also a significant main effect for GPS location on the relative planar contributions to loading (P < .001). Relative planar contributions to loading in the anterioposterior:mediolateral:vertical planes was 25:27:48 at C7 and 34:32:34 at mid-tibia. PlayerLoad metrics suggest that playing surface does not influence mechanical loading during soccer-specific activity (not including tackling). Clinical reasoning should consider that PlayerLoad magnitude and axial contributions were sensitive to unit placement, highlighting opportunities in the objective monitoring of load during rehabilitation.

FESPACO—Promoting African Film Development and Scholarship

FESPACO—Promoting African Film Development and Scholarship M. Africanus Aveh (bio) If there is any single event that has significantly developed and promoted African film over the past half century, then it is the Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de Ouagadougou (Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou), or FESPACO, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, West Africa. The festival also has been a source of great scholarship in film studies. Historical Development At a meeting in Algiers in 1969, a group of African filmmakers decided to organize a "Film Week" to showcase African films produced on the continent and share creative ideas. The event was hosted in Ouagadougou, and its initial success led to the repeat of the event in the subsequent two years, with increased participation not only of filmmakers but also of attendees. This led to the formation of the Fédération Panafricaine des Cinéastes (Federation of Pan-African Filmmakers) with the acronym FEPACI. In 1972, the festival was instituted. It received official state support in Burkina Faso and was placed under a ministry. This marked the birth of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou with the acronym FESPACO. For fifty years, FESPACO has grown to become the most significant event in the promotion and development of African film through its biennial festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It has become the converging point for showcasing African film as well as a congregation of the continent's filmmakers in one place. But for this festival, little would have been known of Burkina Faso even by its neighbors in the region. [End Page 117] The Organizational Structure FESPACO is organized as a body corporate headed by a chief executive and staff operating a secretariat located in Ouagadougou. It is currently headed by Ardiouma Soma.1 The secretariat is funded with budgetary allocations from the Burkina government and donor support from international agencies. The secretariat also houses the African Film Library, established in 1989 to preserve African film heritage. The library boasts a collection of original prints of African films and a restoration center for processing films for storage. It is a major resource for African film research in the world.2 The Festival Structure FESPACO is a biennial film and television festival on specific themes. For the 2019 edition, the theme was "Memory and Future of African Cinema." Calls are made for full-length films to be submitted in competition for the grand prize, which takes the form of a stallion named after a royal princess warrior, Yennenga.3 Other categories in competition are short films, documentaries, animation, television series, and student films from African film schools. Each competitive category has its own jury that adjudicates separately. Films in competition must be made by African nationals. There is, however, a Paul Robeson Prize for films made by Africans in the diaspora. There are non-competitive special prizes awarded by juries according to certain laid-down objectives. The festival also screens a selection of non-competitive films from around the world. The dates of the festival are fixed, beginning on the last Saturday in February and ending on the first Saturday in March in odd years. There is an opening ceremony, normally held at the sports stadium on the opening Saturday evening, with musical fanfare, dances, and gymnastic displays. The festival is symbolically opened with a giant clapperboard operated by the prime minister. The closing ceremony on the evening of the last day also normally has taken place at the sports stadium, with the juries' reports accompanied by the announcement of the winners of the awards in the various categories. Each winner is called to a podium to collect a statuette and a dummy check of the accompanying cash prize, culminating in the ultimate grand prize, which is presented by the president amid fanfare. After the awards ceremony comes a massive display of celebratory fireworks. In the past there was then a screening of the grand prize–winning film on a giant inflatable screen mounted in the middle of the soccer pitch. This has not been done for the past four or five festivals, so the closing ceremony ends...

Athletes as “Cultural Architects”: A Qualitative Analysis of Elite Coaches’ Perceptions of Highly Influential Soccer Players

The main purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of highly influential players in elite soccer. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 elite coaches to determine their perceptions of the characteristics, emergence, and impact of highly influential players. The interview guide was anchored in coaching literature and leadership theory, and after the interview data in this frame were explored, these athletes were labeled cultural architects. The results of the analysis revealed 3 general dimensions of cultural architects in elite teams: (a) personal characteristics, which include elements related to their achievements on the soccer pitch, mind-set, and collective orientation; (b) relationship to the coach, which includes integrity and trust; and (c) intrateam facilitator, which includes their impact as a task-team and social-team influencer. The results represent original findings identifying the characteristics of cultural architects in soccer that are most likely transferable to many other team sports.

Can multimedia enhance tactical teaching-learning-training in soccer? The case of Sphero™

PurposeThe study aimed to compare the players’ and coach’s individual perception of tactical competence before and after an intervention based on imagery techniques and a multimedia resource (Sphero&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;).MethodsSphero&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;, a teleguided miniature ball rolling in any direction, was applied to teach tactics before and during training sessions and games over a 5-week specific training program. The ball was used to represent a game ball, and cones were placed on a miniature soccer pitch to simulate the play and explain the coach’s directives. The execution and the understanding of pre-game directives were respectively evaluated by the coach and the players themselves, before and after the training program. An empirical pre-post treatment was used to compare 245 rates provided by 14 players of an under-14 amateur soccer team in Canada. Descriptive analysis was performed and the t-test or Wilcoxon test (&lt;i&gt;z&lt;/i&gt;) were used for pairedcomparison (pre- vs. post-training). The statistical significance of the results was set at &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05.ResultsAfter 5 weeks of training with the use of Sphero&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;, results showed that the players appreciated their ability to play in accordance with directives, and that the coach was able to observe his directives through how they played, although the assessment scores of understanding remained the same.ConclusionsA teaching setup involving Sphero&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt; allowed a good understanding but training was necessary to reach better assessment scores for the actual application of the directives.