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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
64
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
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.
Qingdao University, School of Physical Education
Qingdao, Shandong, China
Video-Based Soccer Decision Accuracy
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.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.
Dribbling performance time
Dribbling performance time will be measured as the total time (in seconds) required to complete a standardized cone-dribbling course.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.
Reaction time on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task)
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.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.
Response accuracy on cognitive tasks (Stroop task and 2-back task)
Response accuracy will be calculated as the percentage of correct responses during computerized Stroop and 2-back tasks.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the 8-week intervention, and 4-week retention follow-up.
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