How small-sided and conditioned games enhance acquisition of movement and decision-making skills
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In Brief This article summarizes research from an ecological dynamics program of work on team sports exemplifying how small-sided and conditioned games (SSCG) can enhance skill acquisition and decision-making processes during training. The data highlighted show how constraints of different SSCG can facilitate emergence of continuous interpersonal coordination tendencies during practice to benefit team game players. Key findings from an ecological dynamics research program highlight benefits of small-sided and conditioned games for enhancing skill acquisition and decision making.
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Larger games arguably display one of the highest levels of representativeness in regard to the demands that the GK will face in competitive soccer games.
“This training organization, although harder to destabilize (as compared to small-sided games; Davids et al., 2013), arguably displays one of the highest levels of representativeness (in regard to the demands that the GK will face in competitive soccer games).”
From Skill Training Periodization in “Specialist” Sports Coaching—An Introduction of the “PoST” Framework for Skill Development (2019) · cites this paper as Davids et al., 2013
Conditioned and small-sided games strongly promote exploration of interpersonal interactions but often constrain players in regard to space, time and player numbers.
“While “conditioned” and “small-sided games” strongly promote exploration of interpersonal interactions, they often constrain players in regard to space, time and player numbers included (Davids et al., 2013; O'Connor et al., 2017).”
From Skill Training Periodization in “Specialist” Sports Coaching—An Introduction of the “PoST” Framework for Skill Development (2019) · cites this paper as Davids et al., 2013
Cites
The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception
Bornstein, M. H., & Gibson, J. J. (1980) · The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism · doi:10.2307/429816 · Cited by 22,935 · see citing works
Representative learning design and functionality of research and practice in sport
Pinder, R. A., Davids, K., Renshaw, I., & Araújo, D. (2011) · Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1123/jsep.33.1.146 · Cited by 692 · cited 2× · see citing works
“A starting point in our research program has been to identify key constraints on emergence of movement behaviors and decisions of individuals in team games performance, so that they can be simulated in SSCG, providing training programs with representative design (30).”
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Principles of nonlinear pedagogy in sport practice
Correia, V., Carvalho, J., Araújo, D., Pereira, E., & Davids, K. (2019) · Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy · doi:10.1080/17408989.2018.1552673 · Cited by 169 · see citing works
Self-citationOtte, F. W., Millar, S.-K., & Klatt, S. (2019) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi:10.3389/fspor.2019.00061 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
“While “conditioned” and “smallsided games” strongly promote exploration of interpersonal interactions, they often constrain players in regard to space, time and player numbers included (Davids et al., 2013; O’Connor et al., 2017).”
BackgroundApplication of representative learning design for assessment of common practice tasks in tennis
Krause, L., Farrow, D., Buszard, T., Pinder, R., & Reid, M. (2019) · Psychology of Sport and Exercise · doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.11.008 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Gaviria Alzate, S. J., Valencia-Sánchez, W. G., & Arias Arias, E. A. (2026) · Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy · doi:10.1080/17408989.2024.2432312 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
- Authors
- Davids, K., Araújo, D., Correia, V., & Vilar, L.
- Affiliations
- Queensland University of Technology (AU)
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana (PT)
- Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (PT)
- Corresponding author
- Davids, Keith
- Venue
- Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews
- Published
- 2013-07
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 154-161
- ISSN
- 0091-6331 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2101990743
- Cited by
- 480
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 33 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 64 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 4.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University) (submittedVersion)
- Faculty of Health; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Sports and Physical Education Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Pedagogy
- Keywords
- small-sided games, skill acquisition, decision-making, team sports, ecological dynamics, interpersonal coordination, sports training
- MeSH terms
- Decision Making, Humans, Sports, Physical Conditioning, Human
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