Sport Skills and Performance Concepts

A series of flashcards covering key concepts related to sports skills, learning, motor skills, performance, and coaching.

Sport specific skill

Advanced versions or combinations of fundamental motor skills related to the rules and equipment of a sport.

Fundamental motor skill

Foundational skills that provide the basis for the development of sport specific skills.

Movement precision

The accuracy of movement, involving fine motor skills and gross motor skills.

Fine motor skill

A skill that recruits smaller or less muscle groups, focused on precise and controlled movements.

Gross motor skill

A skill that recruits larger muscle groups, focused on producing speed or force.

Discrete skill

A skill with a distinct beginning and end.

Serial skill

Several skills performed in a coordinated sequence.

Continuous skill

A skill with no clear beginning and end, particularly relevant to locomotion.

Open skill

A skill performed with little to no control over the environment.

Closed skill

A skill performed with the greatest control over the environment.

Cognitive learner

A person who has had little to no exposure to a particular movement skill.

Associative learner

A person beginning to refine their technique in a particular movement skill.

Autonomous learner

A person who can complete a skill automatically in a range of settings.

Error

A skill performed incorrectly or which does not achieve its intention.

Continuum of learning

A spectrum from cognitive to autonomous in which all learners can be placed.

Qualitative movement analysis (QMA)

Used to assess movement then improve movement, leading to an increase in performance.

Direct coaching

Where feedback is given on every attempt and the learner has little need to make decisions.

Constraints-based approach

An adaptive coaching method that changes depending on individual, environmental, and task constraints.

Intrinsic motivation

Factors internal to the athlete such as happiness or satisfaction.

Extrinsic motivation

Factors external to the athlete such as prize money or trophies.

Arousal

The readiness of a person to perform an action or task.

Concentration

The ability to focus on relevant cues and ignore distractions.

Part practice

Breaking down a skill into small manageable parts and practicing each part separately.

Whole practice

Performing the entire skill start to finish, beneficial for skills that are continuous.

Massed practice

Involves longer, less frequent training sessions with less time to rest throughout.

Distributed practice

Involves shorter, more frequent training sessions that enhance learning.

Feedback

Information about performance or technique that can be used to improve skills.

Momentum

The amount of motion that an object or body possesses.

Impulse

The change in momentum of a body, calculated as Impulse = force x time.

Newton's first law

An object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Newton's second law

Force = mass x acceleration.

Newton's third law

Every action has its equal and opposite reaction.