Technical-tactical training program to improve decision-making in Cuban footballers in the formative stage
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Abstract
Introduction: Decision-making is a fundamental part of tactical-technical performance in youth football, as it incorporates perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes that allow for an efficient response to the demands of the game. However, in many training contexts, methodologies based on the isolated teaching of technique prevail, restricting the development of tactical thinking and game understanding.
Objective: Design a technical-tactical training program to improve decision-making in Cuban footballers in the formative stage.
Methodology: Quantitative research, non-experimental, descriptive. 32 football players from the National Football School "Mario López" in Havana, Cuba, participated, selected thru non-probabilistic sampling. The diagnosis was carried out using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument.
Results: 46.9% of the football players showed a medium level of decision-making, 37.5% a low level, and 15.6% a high level. The overall score presented an average of 58.84 ± 10.23 points. The validation using the Delphi method yielded an overall rating of 4.79 ± 0.36, a consensus of 97.3%, and a Kendall's coefficient of concordance of 0.91.
Discussion: The application of methodologies based on contextualized games and comprehensive teaching is supported to enhance decision-making and technical-tactical performance in developing football players.
Conclusions: The program constitutes a relevant and scientifically grounded methodological proposal to strengthen decision-making in Cuban footballers in the training stage, providing a basis for future research aimed at evaluating its effectiveness.
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