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. 2024 Dec 20:6:1469347.
doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1469347. eCollection 2024.

Tactical critical thinking program on the tactical efficiency index, declarative and procedural knowledge in male soccer players: a case study

Samuel Jose Gaviria Alzate  1 , Wilder Geovanny Valencia-Sánchez  2 , Frank Esteban Espinal  1 , Jorge Luis Bustamante  1 , Elkin Arias-Arias  2
Affiliations

Tactical critical thinking program on the tactical efficiency index, declarative and procedural knowledge in male soccer players: a case study

Samuel Jose Gaviria Alzate et al. Front Sports Act Living. .

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore the implications of the in-field implementation of a teaching strategy that promotes critical thinking (TPCT) on tactical ability, declarative, and procedural knowledge. The TPCT is grounded in socio-constructivist theory and aims to enhance players' analytical skills through inquiry, problem-solving, and observation. By emphasizing the socio-constructivist approach, the program fosters skills such as interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, and self-regulation, encouraging players' active participation in questioning and collaborative problem-solving activities. The content of the program focuses on offensive tactical principles of soccer.

Methods: Thirteen male U-14 soccer players (mean age: 13.54 ± 1.00 years; mean soccer-federated experience: 3.92 ± 1.00 years; mean body mass: 39.44 ± 6.09 kg; mean height: 1.61 ± 0.10 m) performed a TPCT intervention strategy over 22 sessions, three times a week. Tactical ability was assessed using the Test for Performance Assessment in Team Sports (PATS), while declarative and procedural knowledge were evaluated with the Tactical Knowledge Test in Soccer (TCTOF). These assessments were administered before and after the intervention.

Results: After the 8-week teaching strategy, there was a significant improvement and substantial increase in the Tactical Efficiency Index (IE) [t (12) = 2.61, p < 0.05, r = 0.73], reflecting a 41% rise from the pretest (M = 0.39, SD = 0.21) to the post-test (M = 0.55, SD = 0.24). Changes in declarative knowledge were minimal, with a 0.31% increase. Similarly, procedural knowledge showed a slight increase (3.53%) that did not reach statistical significance.

Discussion: The findings suggest that integrating critical thinking into sports training could be a strategy to enhance the tactical abilities of young soccer players. While the increase in tactical ability was significant, improvements in declarative and procedural knowledge were minimal. These results highlight the potential of critical thinking-focused programs to impact tactical performance but suggest that further research is needed to explore the broader effects on other types of knowledge.

Keywords: football; game-based approach; small-sided games; socioconstructivism; tactical performance.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
General description of the training sessions for the U-14 soccer team.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Statistical comparison of IE between pre-test and post-test after 22 TPCT sessions.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Declarative knowledge comparison between pre-test and post-test after 22 TPCT sessions focused on offensive tactical principles.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Procedural knowledge comparison between pre-test and post-test after 22 TPCT sessions focused on offensive tactical principles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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