Effects of verbal coach encouragement during large-sided games on selected physical, psychological and technical performance variables in women’s soccer
A summary of the research:
This study investigated how positive verbal encouragement from coaches affects female soccer players during training, specifically focusing on "large-sided games," which are modified soccer games with fewer players on a smaller field. The researchers aimed to see if such encouragement could improve players' physical abilities, their mental well-being, and their technical skills on the field. This research is important because soccer is a globally popular sport, and understanding effective coaching methods can help enhance competitive performance.
To conduct the study, thirty-two elite female soccer players were divided into two groups. One group received positive verbal encouragement from their coach during eight weeks of large-sided game training sessions, while the control group performed routine training without this encouragement. After the eight-week period, the players were tested again. The results showed that the group receiving verbal encouragement significantly improved in all three areas: their physical performance (like sprint speed, agility, and endurance), their psychological well-being (such as enjoyment and satisfaction with the coach and team), and their technical skills (including passing, tackling, and shooting). This highlights that a coach's encouraging words are a powerful tool to boost player performance across multiple important aspects of women's soccer.
Here are three key practical takeaways from the article's results for coaches and administrators in women's soccer:
Verbal Encouragement Directly Improves Physical Performance: The study found that female soccer players who received verbal encouragement during large-sided games showed significantly greater improvements in physical attributes like their 20m sprint time, agility (Illinois Agility Test), and aerobic endurance (Multistage Fitness Test) compared to those who didn't.
Practical Application: Coaches should make positive verbal encouragement a consistent part of all training sessions, especially during game-like drills such as large-sided games. Simple phrases like "Come on," "Keep running," or "Good job" can serve as a direct stimulus to help players push harder and, over time, enhance their speed, agility, and endurance.
Positive Communication Boosts Player Satisfaction and Enjoyment: The research demonstrated that verbal encouragement led to significant increases in players' positive feelings and their satisfaction with the coach, team performance, and teammates. This psychological boost helps foster a more enjoyable and motivating training environment.
Practical Application: Coaches and administrators should emphasize and train coaches on the importance of using positive verbal feedback not just for performance, but also for building a supportive and enjoyable team culture. When players feel more satisfied and enjoy their training, they are likely to be more engaged, motivated, and committed, which can positively impact long-term participation and development.
Encouragement Enhances Technical Skill Execution in Game Situations: Players receiving verbal encouragement showed marked improvements in various technical skills relevant to actual gameplay, such as successful passing, tackling, and shooting, while reducing errors like failed passes or tackles.
Practical Application: Coaches should actively use verbal encouragement during game-specific drills to reinforce and improve technical execution. Instead of only focusing on technique in isolated drills, applying encouraging feedback during dynamic, game-like scenarios like large-sided games can help players translate learned skills into effective in-game actions, leading to better overall technical performance.
Authors: Ridwan, M., Hartoto, S., Kartiko, D.C., Ningsih, Y.F., Kurtoğlu, A., Widiyanto, W.E., Hamidi, A., Lobo, J., Bahriyanto, A., Sanjaykumar, S. and Muracki, J
You can read the entire article here.
