PURPOSE: A growing body of literature documents the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on cognition. One of the most interesting findings dictates that aerobic exercise preferentially benefits executive function, a term for complex cognitive processes including attention, working memory, mental flexibility, reasoning, planning, and inhibition. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of acute intervals of two different exercise modalities (soccer and running) on cognition and executive function among adolescents between the ages of 11-14 years. METHODS: Ninety-eight middle-school students (50 males, 48 females, mean age = 13.09 years) volunteered to participate in this prospective study. Baseline neurocognitive and background data was collected at an initial study point. Two-weeks after the initial study point, subjects were matched by age, math class, and grade. Participants were randomized into one of three study groups involving soccer, running, or no aerobic activity for 30 minutes. Directly after the 30-minute exercise period, all participants were re-administered the neurocognitive battery. RESULTS: Subjects in the soccer group had significantly higher average score differences from baseline (M = +0.588, SD = 0.556, p = .01) on a neuropsychological measure of executive functioning, specifically planning and organization (Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure) compared to subjects who did not participate in aerobic activity (M = -1.770, SD = 0.573). There was no significant difference found for this measure between subjects who participated in 30 minutes of running and those who did not engage in aerobic activity. No significant differences found between groups on measures of creativity and divergent thinking, processing speed, perceived stress, self-efficacy, or inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. CONCLUSIONS: The modality of physical activity may influence subsequent cognitive performance. Specifically, physical activity involving strategy and planning may prime maturing adolescent brains toward enhanced organization. The duration of these cognitive effects are unknown; further investigation is needed.