COGNITIVE EXPERTISE DEVELOPMENT IN SPORT

<b>Background:</b> The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of applying a decision training program, using a tool combination of video feedback and questioning, on the development of procedural knowledge, decision-making and execution skills in basketball players. <b>Methods:</b> A three phase quasi-experimental design was implemented: Phase A (pre-test), Phase B (post-test) and Phase C (re-test). The sample was comprised of twelve male players aged between 12 and 13 years old, included in the Under-14 category, who were divided into two groups: experimental group (n=5) and control group (n=6). The independent variable of the study was the decision training program that was applied over 11 weeks. Players had to analyze the causes and reasons of the decision made, through video feedback and questioning. Decision-making and skill execution variables were assessed based on systematic observation, using the French &amp; Thomas (1987) observation instrument, while a validated questionnaire was used to assess procedural knowledge in basketball. <b>Results:</b>The results reported that sport expertise improved in players from the experimental group, who showed a significantly higher mean percentage of successful decisions and execution skills than the control group in post-test time. In the intra-group analysis, the experimental group significantly improved in terms of some of the variables of decision-making, execution skills and procedural knowledge from the pre-test to the post-test. <b>Discussion:</b>These results reinforce the idea of including cognitive tools in training, such as video-feedback and questioning, to improve sport expertise in athletes' formative stages and presumably to improve their performance but maintaining decision training throughout time<b>.</b><br>