Article,
The Use of Action Games in the Selection of Athletes for Athletics Training
Journal of Ethics and Diversity in International Communication, (2022)
Abstract
At present, studies investigating the effectiveness of game-based training are limited, with many of the suggested advantages and disadvantages of game-based training based on anecdotal evidence. Of the studies that have been performed, most have reported that game-based training offers a specific method of conditioning for team sport competition, but game-based training may not simulate the high-intensity, repeated-sprint demands of international competition, Game-based training has been reported to offer a safe, effective method of conditioning for team-sport athletes that results in comparable (and, in some cases, greater) improvements in physical fitness and performance than traditional conditioning activities. While technical instruction training has been associated with a higher volume of skill executions (i.e., more 'touches'), game-based training has been associated with greater cognitive effort - an important condition for skill learning. Indeed, studies investigating skill learning have reported comparable (and, in some cases, greater) improvements in skill execution and decision-making following game-based training than training involving repetitious technical instruction. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the value of game-based training for improving skill and physical fitness in team sport athletes. Further studies investigating the long-term skill and physical benefits of game-based training are warranted.
