Importance of Position in Highly Talented Soccer Players: Peripheral Perception, Selective Attention and Reaction Abilities

Le résumé fourni par la source

The importance of sports-specific cognitive and perceptual skills in soccer has already been examined in various studies (Ward & Williams, 2003). However, the role of general perceptual-cognitive abilities and the relation of position is not clarified in detail (Schumacher et al., 2018). PURPOSE: To analyze the relation of position to peripheral perception, selective attention and reaction abilities in highly talented soccer players. METHODS: 147 highly talented male soccer players (14.8 + 2.6 yrs, age range 11 to 23 years) were involved. The subjects performed computer-based selective attention, peripheral perception and reaction tests (using Vienna Test System). In the peripheral perception test stimuli were presented left and right sided. The soccer players were subdivided into offensive player group (OPG: striker, midfielder) and defensive player group (DPG: goalkeeper, defender). They were recruited from a youth academy of a professional soccer club and played at the highest and 2nd highest national soccer competition for their age. Group differences were tested using the student t-test. RESULTS: Significant differences for position groups were observed, with regard to correct answers (OPG: 216.1 + 32.0; DPG: 231.3 + 26.0) in selective attention test (t(140) = 3.05, p < 0.01) and peripheral reaction time left (OPG: 0.71 + 0.09 sec; DPG: .67 + 0.10 sec) in peripheral perception test (t(141) = 2.32, p < 0.01). No differences were found for variables in the reaction test. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that defender and goalkeeper outperform striker and midfilder in general selective attention tasks and in peripheral reaction tasks left sided. Additional research is needed to further clarify position-specific differences between left and right peripheral reaction time of highly talented soccer players.

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