Acta Gymnica e2023.004 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2023.004

Does training with visual occlusion improve technical skills in Under-14 football players?

Francesca D'Elia1, Tiziana D'Isanto1, Gaetano Altavilla2, Giovanni Esposito1, Gaetano Raiola3
1 Department of Human, Philosophical and Education Sciences, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
2 Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
3 Department of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Pegaso University of Naples, Naples, Italy

Background: Visual occlusion reduces players' field of vision and directly affects their physical, technical and positional performance. Therefore, it is important to understand how visual perception is affected, and whether training with visual occlusion leads to an improvement in performance.

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether training with visual occlusion could improve technical skills in young football players.

Methods: Thirty male Under-14 amateur football players were randomly assigned to a visual occlusion group (OCC; n = 15) and a control group (CON; n = 15). In addition to the conventional training program, the OCC performed visual occlusion training sessions using spatial occlusion goggles that removed the sight of the participants' limbs and lower body. The CON performed only the conventional training program. The study consisted of a pre-test, two months of training intervention and a post-test. Contextualised technical skills were tested using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test.

Results: Both OCC (p = .21) and CON (p = .43) did not change Trial performance. However, the OCC experienced small-to-moderate improvements in Penalty time (p = .002; d = 0.51, 95% CI [0.10, 0.70]) and Global performance (p = .005, d = 0.44, 95% CI [0.05, 0.66]). The CON did not show changes in Penalty time (p = .61) and Global performance (p = .89) variables. A significant moment × group interaction was found in Penalty time (p = .016, ηp2 = .19, 95% CI [.03, .48]) and Global performance (p = .011, ηp2 = .21, 95% CI [.01, .45]).

Conclusions: The OCC has shown a significant reduction in the amount of time required to complete the trial and the Penalty time. These results suggest that incorporating visual occlusion as a paradigm into a training program for football players may positively impact their technical skills.

Keywords: youth football, technical skills, visual occlusion, performance

Received: May 21, 2022; Revised: April 16, 2023; Accepted: June 21, 2023; Published online: July 14, 2023  Show citation

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D'Elia, F., D'Isanto, T., Altavilla, G., Esposito, G., & Raiola, G. (2023). Does training with visual occlusion improve technical skills in Under-14 football players? Acta Gymnica, 53, Article e2023.004. https://doi.org/10.5507/ag.2023.004
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