Background: This study contributes to expanding the existing literature on learning technical skills in youth soccer by comparing the effectiveness of different training approaches in the development of passing skills. The ecological-dynamic approach, which emphasizes the continuous and adaptive interaction between the athlete and the environment, is analyzed in comparison to the traditional prescriptive approach, which relies on predefined techniques and exercises. The aim of the study is to determine which of the two approaches is more effective in improving the performance of young soccer players. Methods: Thirty players (age 12 ± 1.2 years) were randomly assigned to two groups: the ecological-dynamic group (ECG) and a control group (CON). Both groups underwent an eight-week training program with equal sessions. The ECG group’s training focused on adjusting constraints like the learning environment, game rules, and visual restrictions to boost adaptability and problem-solving skills. The CON group followed a traditional prescriptive approach with specific instructions, goal setting, immediate feedback, and structured exercise progression. Passing abilities were evaluated before and after the program using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test, with a retention test administered five weeks later. Descriptive statistics, including mean values and percentage improvements, were used. A repeated measures ANOVA compared differences between the groups. Results: The analysis revealed a significant Occasion × Group interaction for all performance variables, indicating that the ECG group experienced greater improvements than the CON group. Specifically, the ECG group showed significant reductions in Trial Time (p = 0.001, η_p² = 0.6), Penalty Time (p = 0.016, η_p² = 0.4), and Overall Performance (p = 0.011, η_p² = 0.8) from pre-test to post-test. However, these improvements did not persist into the retention test (p = 0.131, p = 0.792, and p = 0.192, respectively). The CON group also improved significantly in Trial Time (p = 0.003), Penalty Time (p = 0.002), and Overall Performance (p = 0.001) from pre-test to post-test, but with smaller effect sizes and no sustained gains at retention. Conclusions: The ecological-dynamic approach (EDG) has proven to be more effective in enhancing passing skills compared to the traditional prescriptive approach (CON). Although both methods led to performance improvements, the EDG group achieved more significant progress.

Research purpose. The present study aims to examine the changes in physical activity levels during the lockdown due to COVID-19 in Italy. In particular, it aims to evaluate the impact of physical exercise on psychological health, how much the home environment influences the desire to train and what people think about Smart-fitness and sport in general. Materials and methods. A sample of 268 people from the province of Salerno participated in the study, with an average age of 26 years. To achieve the tasks set, the study relied on the following methods: analysis of scientific literature, formulation and administration of a questionnaire and data analysis through methods of mathematical statistics. A structured questionnaire was prepared, disseminated through social networks. To analyze the data, the Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS) and descriptive statistics were used to calculate the demographic variables. The factor analysis was also calculated to verify the characteristics of the sport considered important by the participants. Results. The results obtained made it possible to understand the main type of physical activity carried out during the quarantine (aerobic activity 35%, functional training 27%, anaerobic activity 19%), the time dedicated to each session (52.8% practice for 1 hour) and the weekly frequency of the same (42.9% practice physical activity continuously more than ¾ times a week). It was also understood the reasons that prompted the interviewees to train, the way they planned their session and the equipment used. Finally, it was shown that the majority of the sample (64.17%) knew smart fitness considering it an interesting activity, and the influence attributed to the home environment by a scale of values from 1 to 5. Furthermore, the factor analysis shows us the most relevant aspects wich respondents attributed to sport. More frequently, respondents place greater importance on being loyal and correct, on the contrary, lower values are attributed to the importance of earning money, and not to disappoint others. Conclusions. The study found that COVID-19 did not stop athletes, who quickly adapted to the new situation. The home environment has proved to be very influential on the desire to train, despite this, they hope to return to the gym as soon as possible.

Transversal skills are the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities that are currently needed to meet the demands of the working world and everyday life. Schools have the task of equipping students with these skills, working not only on disciplinary goals but also on operational–behavioral goals. In 2018, the European Union adopted new recommendations on eight key competencies for lifelong learning and asked schools to implement new methods to develop these recommendations. To be successful, it is necessary to stimulate students’ development of these competences, which are also called soft skills, from the earliest years of the school experience. Physical education (PE) is called upon to make its contribution. In Italy, the two teaching methods used during PE classes are prescriptive teaching and heuristic learning. It is not clear which of the two methods is the most effective in improving soft skills, especially the skills involved in teamwork. The objective of this article was to compare the effects of these two teaching methods on students’ teamwork skills during PE classes in primary schools. After verifying the normality of the data, a Student’s t-test for dependent samples was performed to assess pre-test and post-test differences in each of two groups, while a Student’s t-test for independent samples was performed to compare the two groups after 3 months. Heuristic learning proved to be the most effective method for improving teamwork skills. The results may make an important contribution to future teacher training on the most effective teaching methods for developing students’ soft skills.

Competitive dancesport (DS) performance is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by physical and mental factors. The emotions experienced by athletes in competition are strongly linked to their sports performance. However, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the direct relationship between performance and emotional states in DS. Consequently, the aims were four: (I) to investigate the influence of anxiety and self-confidence on DS performance; (II) to examine the influence of years of experience, prior victories, and perceived preparedness on performance outcomes; (III) to identify the optimal emotional state levels for peak performance; (IV) to investigate differences between different athletes’ levels and class. The participants were 71 Italian DS athletes divided into three groups (22 B-class, 25 C-class, 24 D-class). Before competition, they supplied demographic information about their gender, years of experience, perceived preparedness, previous winnings in the current class, followed by the completion of the Italian version of Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory–2 (CSAI-2R). To assess the athletes’ performance, the final classification of the competition was taken into consideration. The results showed that both overall and relative variables from the CSAI-2R significantly predicted performance outcomes (p < 0.05), although somatic anxiety did so to a lesser extent. Significant differences emerged between athletes of different classes in terms of years of experience (p = 0.000), perceived preparedness (p = 0.000), cognitive anxiety (p = 0.000) and self-confidence (p = 0.000). The optimal levels for good performance were cognitive anxiety (11.61 ± 2.27), somatic anxiety (15.77 ± 1.72) and self-confidence (15.12 ± 2.56). The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the multifactorial nature of competitive DS performance, particularly highlighting the significant role of emotional states such as anxiety and self-confidence, as well as other variables such as class, level, years of experience and perceived preparedness.

Plyometric training is known to improve jump height in volleyball, but few studies address athletes’ perception and awareness of its benefits. This gap limits its full potential for enhancing performance. This study examines young non-elite volleyball athletes’ awareness of plyometric training effects. A sample of 24 athletes (mean age 18.3 ± 3.8 years) was divided into an experimental group (EXP) and a control group (CON), each with 12 participants. The EXP group underwent plyometric training, while the CON group performed basic technical exercises. Performance and perceptions were assessed using the Spike Jump Test and surveys at pre-, mid-, and post-training phases. The EXP group showed significant vertical jump improvement, from a pre-training mean of 30.14 cm to 32.22 cm post-training, confirmed by the Friedman test (p = 0.00). In contrast, the CON group showed no significant changes (p = 0.47). Perception scores in the EXP group improved significantly, from 3.33 to 4.16, indicating enhanced awareness of plyometric training benefits, whereas the CON group showed no significant changes (p = 0.35). These findings highlight the dual benefits of plyometric training in improving both jump performance and awareness of its effectiveness, emphasizing the value of integrating perception into training for volleyball athletes.

Line dancing is one of the most practiced dance styles by adults and seniors due to the ease of execution of choreography. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic prolonging the restrictions of physical and sports activities, the elderly population has been forced into increased sedentariness and social isolation, resulting in the development of symptoms of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of line dancing practice on the mental state of late second- and third-age dancers. The sample consisted of 14 Italian female dancers with an average age of 65 years old. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to verify whether 3 months of LD classes were able to produce improvements. Paired Samples T-Test and effect size were performed to test the difference between pre- and post-training protocol. The result was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Dancers improved their state of depression; in particular, they felt a better satisfaction in their life (d = 0.6), a greater interest in activities (d = 1), less boredom (d = 0.8), a good mood most of the time (d = 0.8), greater happiness throughout the day (d = 0.7), and the perception of a wonderful life (d = 0.5). Line dancing has proven to be an effective physical activity for improving the state of depression in late second- and third-age dancers.