Creative Soccer Skills Increase with Game Intelligence
Author: Matt Couch
Publish Date: July 15th, 2020
Soccer moves and tricks are always entertaining to watch, but even more so when they are performed in a game against an opponent. Coaches encourage players to be creative, especially in 1 v 1 situations. But, how are we able to increase player creativity? Increasing game intelligence may be the key.
In a recent study done by Vestberg and associates published in Scientific Reports evaluated game intelligence with a player's ability. Using different metrics to determine a players cognitive ability and behavioral outcomes. The study evaluated Four swedish premier league teams, focusing on 51 players, 19 men and 32 women, ranging in age from 17-35 28 of the 51 have never played for a national team. 23 had played at least 1 national team game. 14 different countries were represented by the 23 that had played a national team game.
Terms
EF Executive Function - A set of specialized cognitive processes that regulate behavior
DF Design Fluency - A complex viso-spatial executive function that test that includes measures of creativity and cognitive flexibiity.
CEF Core Executive Functions - Consisting of the seperate EF-components such as behavioral inhibition, interference control, aspects of working memory and cognitive flexibility
HEF Higher Order Executive Functions - Associated with the use of various EF-components simultaneously and problem solving
Tests
Design Fluency - tested players cognitive processing compared to the norm
NTP and PLP coach rated player intelligence test - coach rating of player game intelligence
Speed and Accuracy - tested players speed accuracy compared to the norm
Goals - tested players DF associated with goals and assists
The study found that elite soccer players that participated at the national team level performed better in Design Fluency. This was also backed up by the coach rating of player game intelligence. It was continually proven that national team players had more successful behavior when it came to the goals and assists assessment, specifically assists.
The test continues to state that cognitive flexibility may be a dividing factor between the national team player and premier league player, allowing the national team player to perform better at difficult tasks.
This study reaffirms what many coaches preach to their players, “work on your mental game.” working on your design fluency can help set players apart not only at the pro level but at the youth level as well. But, how is this done? I believe US Soccer might have it right with their play-practice-play training model. Allowing players to play freely, practice specific skills and then play freely again to implement the practiced skills, could be a great way to help encourage player design fluency. However, whether it is the US Soccer model of training or another national soccer training model, one thing is true, a player's game intelligence will ultimately set them apart.
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