Efficacy of using non-linear pedagogy to support attacking players’ individual learning objectives in elite-youth football: A randomised cross-over trial

The present study examined the efficacy of a coaching curriculum, based on non-linear pedagogy, on improving attacking players’ individual learning objectives (ILOs) in elite-youth football. Participants included 22 attacking players (i.e., centre-forwards, wide-players and attacking midfield players) from a professional football academy in England. The players were randomly appointed to both control (CON) and intervention (INT) periods following baseline measures. The INT (non-linear) and CON (linear) periods were both designed to support the ILOs provided to each player as part of the elite player performance plan. The study adopted a randomised cross-over design and ILOs considered important for attacking players (i.e., strong foot finishing, weak foot finishing, 1-v-1 and decision-making) were evaluated using the Loughborough Shooting Skill Test. The results showed significant differences for INT in 1-v-1 (P< 0.02) and decision-making (P< 0.01). However, there were no significant differences for strong foot finishing, weak foot finishing or time taken. These results support non-linear pedagogy in developing 1-v-1 game play and decision-making but not for technical shooting proficiency

Psychological characteristics of developing excellence in elite youth football players in English professional academies

This mixed-longitudinal prospective study examined the development of psychological characteristics of developing excellence in relation to the career progression of elite youth football players. In a 20-month period, 111 academy football players aged 11-16 completed the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire (PCDEQ) on 1-5 occasions. This combination of single and repeated assessments resulted in a mixed-longitudinal sample of 226 completed PCDEQs. Players were then prospectively tracked, and their scholarship status assessed at follow-up, at age U17. Multilevel modelling revealed that coping with performance and developmental pressures scores increased with age, and that Category 1-2 academy scholars (4.35 ± 0.61) scored higher than Category 3-4 academy scholars (3.99 ± 0.67) and non-scholars (4.02 ± 0.78) (p<.05). Evaluating performances and working on weaknesses scores increased with age for Category 1-2 academy scholars (U12-U14 vs. U15-U16 = 5.16 ± 0.48 vs. 5.38 ± 0.45), compared to non-scholars (U12-U14 vs. U15-U16 = 5.11 ± 0.59 vs. 5.03 ± 0.71) (p<.05). Imagery use during practice and competition scores decreased with age (U12-U14 vs. U15-U16 = 4.45 ± 0.66 vs. 4.29 ± 0.70) (p<.05). A blend of PCDEs may facilitate optimal career progression. Football academies should develop players’ PCDEs, with a particular focus on developing their coping skills and their ability to realistically evaluate performances and work on weaknesses

Qualitative perspectives on how Manchester United Football Club developed and sustained serial winning

Talent development in sport is well represented in scientific literature. Yet, the drive to protect ‘trade secrets’ often means that access to these high performing groups is rare, especially as these high level performances are being delivered. This leaves the details of high-end working practices absent from current academic commentary. As a result, clubs interested in developing excellent practice are left to build on personal initiative and insight and/or custom-and-practice, which is unlikely to yield successful outcomes. To address this shortfall the current study reports on prolonged engagement with a single high performing club, considering how their practice corresponds with existing sport talent development models. The paper ends by proposing an evidence-based, football-specific model for talent development, maintained high level performance and serial winning. This model emphasises four dominant features: culture, behavioral characteristics, practice engagement and the managing and guiding of performance ‘potential’. The study provides insights into the visceral reality of daily experiences across the life course of professional soccer, while advancing the evidence-base for understanding how Manchester United achieved their serial success

Junior-elite football: time to re-position talent identification?

There remains limited understanding of the processes and factors which contribute to young footballers being identified as talented. Talent identification is imperative for the development of future elite performers, though most studies conflate talent identification and talent development. Moreover, within the literature there is a lack of operational or procedural distinction for talent identification, causing issues for those researching and working within applied contexts. This paper sought to clarify issues related to talent identification in junior-elite football, offering a review of the extant literature and proposing future directions for applied research. There are unanswered questions associated with how scouts, recruitment staff, and coaches decide what constitutes talent and the importance placed on particular attributes during that process. We suggest that further research into the ascribed processes, observations and perceptions of those involved in talent identification is needed to provide more sound understanding of the talent identification process in football

Stress appraisals of UK soccer academy coaches: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

© 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Knowledge of how sports coaches appraise stress is sparse. This study investigates coaches’ cognitive appraisals and explores the transactional nature of how coaches experience stress. Ten academy soccer coaches were interviewed using a semi-structured guide. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to explore coaches’ lived experiences of stressful situations. Coaches identified a range of situational demands including performance expectations, conflicting tasks, and managing relationships. Demands were evaluated in terms of perceived psychological danger. Coaches appraised their ability to meet these demands through resources such as self-efficacy, autonomy and social support. Emotional and behavioural consequences of coaches’ cognitive appraisals were also revealed. Findings provide a deeper understanding into the specific cognitive appraisals of coaches, revealing that determinants of stress appraisals are interdependent and complex

Parenting experiences in elite youth football: A phenomenological study

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of parents of elite specializing stage youth footballers. Method: A descriptive phenomenological approach guided the study design. Data from interviews with five mothers and five fathers of youth players registered to English football academies were analysed using descriptive phenomenological analysis (Giorgi, 2009). Findings: Three essences characterized the phenomenon of being a parent of an elite youth footballer: parent socialization into elite youth football culture; enhanced parental identity; and increased parental responsibility. Parents’ socialization into the football academy culture was facilitated by their interaction with coaches and parent peers, highlighting the social nature of parenting. Being the parent of a child identified as talented meant that parents experienced enhanced status and a heightened responsibility to facilitate his development. Although parents were compelled to support their son in football, their instinct to protect their child meant they experienced uncertainty regarding the commitment required to play at an academy, given the potential for negative consequences. Together, these findings illustrate that parents experienced a transition as their son progressed into the specialization stage of football. We postulate that formal recognition of a child as talented contributed to this transition, and that knowledge of sport and perception of the parent-child relationship shaped how parents adapted. Conclusions: This study provides a new way of understanding the psychological phenomena of parenting in elite youth football. Implications for practitioners working with parents in sport are provided

Football fans in training: the development and optimization of an intervention delivered through professional sports clubs to help men lose weight, become more active and adopt healthier eating habits

&lt;p&gt;Background: The prevalence of obesity in men is rising, but they are less likely than women to engage in existing weight management programmes. The potential of professional sports club settings to engage men in health promotion activities is being increasingly recognised. This paper describes the development and optimization of the Football Fans in Training (FFIT) programme, which aims to help overweight men (many of them football supporters) lose weight through becoming more active and adopting healthier eating habits.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Methods: The MRC Framework for the design and evaluation of complex interventions was used to guide programme development in two phases. In Phase 1, a multidisciplinary working group developed the pilot programme (p-FFIT) and used a scoping review to summarize previous research and identify the target population. Phase 2 involved a process evaluation of p-FFIT in 11 Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs. Participant and coach feedback, focus group discussions and interviews explored the utility/acceptability of programme components and suggestions for changes. Programme session observations identified examples of good practice and problems/issues with delivery. Together, these findings informed redevelopment of the optimized programme (FFIT), whose components were mapped onto specific behaviour change techniques using an evidence-based taxonomy.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Results: p-FFIT comprised 12, weekly, gender-sensitised, group-based weight management classroom and ‘pitch-side’ physical activity sessions. These in-stadia sessions were complemented by an incremental, pedometer-based walking programme. p-FFIT was targeted at men aged 35-65 years with body mass index ≥ 27 kg/m2. Phase 2 demonstrated that participants in p-FFIT were enthusiastic about both the classroom and physical activity components, and valued the camaraderie and peer-support offered by the programme. Coaches appreciated the simplicity of the key healthy eating and physical activity messages. Suggestions for improvements that were incorporated into the optimized FFIT programme included: more varied in-stadia physical activity with football-related components; post-programme weight management support (emails and a reunion session); and additional training for coaches in SMART goal setting and the pedometer-based walking programme.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Conclusions: The Football Fans in Training programme is highly acceptable to participants and SPL coaches, and is appropriate for evaluation in a randomised controlled trial.&lt;/p&gt

Unilateral jumps in different directions: a novel assessment of soccer-associated power?

Objectives We aimed to determine whether countermovement jumps (CMJs; unilateral and bilateral) performed in different directions assessed independent lower-limb power qualities, and if unilateral CMJs would better differentiate between elite and non-elite soccer players than the bilateral vertical (BV) CMJ. Design Elite (n = 23; age, 18.1 ± 1.0 years) and non-elite (n = 20; age, 22.3 ± 2.7 years) soccer players performed three BV, unilateral vertical (UV), unilateral horizontal-forward (UH) and unilateral medial (UM) CMJs. Methods Jump performance (height and projectile range), kinetic and kinematic variables from ground reaction forces, and peak activation levels of the vastus lateralis and biceps femoris (BF) muscles from surface electromyography, were compared between jumps and groups of players. Results Peak vertical power (V-power) was greater in BV (220.2 ± 30.1 W/kg) compared to UV (144.1 ± 16.2 W/kg), which was greater than UH (86.7 ± 18.3 W/kg) and UM (85.5 ± 13.5 W/kg) (all, p < 0.05) but there was no difference between UH and UM (p = 1.000). Peak BF EMG was greater in UH compared to all other CMJs (p ≤ 0.001). V-power was greater in elite than non-elite for all CMJs (p ≤ 0.032) except for BV (p = 0.197). Elite achieved greater UH projectile range than non-elite (51.6 ± 15.4 vs. 40.4 ± 10.4 cm, p = 0.009). Conclusions We have shown that UH, UV and UM CMJs assess distinct lower-limb muscular power capabilities in soccer players. Furthermore, as elite players outperformed non-elite players during unilateral but not BV CMJs, unilateral CMJs in different directions should be included in soccer-specific muscular power assessment and talent identification protocols, rather than the BV CMJ