Soccer drills that train the brain: a new way to boost teen performance?
NCT ID NCT07284940
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested whether adding cognitive tasks like decision-making and memory challenges to basic soccer dribbling drills could improve both thinking and motor skills in teens. 43 male adolescents aged 16-18 were split into two groups: one did cognitively enriched soccer practice, the other did standard cone drills. Their reaction time, accuracy, and dribbling speed were measured before and after a single 30-minute session. The goal was to see if dual-task training could offer extra benefits for youth sports and physical education.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Cognitively engaging soccer practice (behavioral intervention)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that adding mental tasks to sports drills boosts both brain function and motor skills in young athletes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-session study in healthy male teens, so results may not apply to other groups or long-term training. The effects may be minimal or not last.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Qingdao University, School of Physical Education
Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
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