Studies that analyze the actions carried out by paddle tennis players during the point are scarce. The present investigation characterizes every action in which a stroke by a pair in a defensive position sends the ball over the position of a pair in an offensive position. It is a descriptive and observational study of quantitative methodology. The sample consisted of 1324 actions, statistical analysis units, from the women’s circuit in the 2018 World Padel Tour (WPT) season. For this study, various situational, dependent, and independent variables were analyzed. The results showed the number of times the categories of each variable occurred, as well as the significant relationships between the independent variable kind of hit and the dependent variables “actions that facilitate the possible change of position” (AFPCP) and “incidences in the game” (IG). The conclusion is that the lob is the most effective kind of hit (CSR = 4.9) to achieve the offensive position (CSR = 11.4), even if the point does not finish (CSR = 5.8), leading to more position exchanges during the same point in the AFPCP. These findings are of great interest since they give information about how and why certain behaviors produce a certain result.

The intervention of female basketball Players during competition has not been widely studied. In addition, it is necessary to differentiate their intervention according to the specific position they occupy. The intervention of the Players is in turn conditioned by the competitive phase. The objectives of this work were to identify the differences in the performance indicators in professional basketball Players based on their role and discover the differences in the performance indicators based on the competition phase. For this, an empirical, descriptive and observational study was carried out, analyzing 572 matches of the 78 days of the regular phase and 20 of the Play-Offs between the 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons. The game indicators recorded by the competition were normalized according to the minutes Played in order to make comparisons. The Mann-Whitney U Test was performed to identify differences in performance indicators between specific roles in function of competition phase. A change in the intervention of the Players is identified depending on the competition phase. The bases have a greater contribution in the field shots and 2 points during the regular league. Guards and power forwards increase their effectiveness in the Play-Offs on 3-point shooting. Power forwards during the regular season provide more free throws. Finally, during the PlayOffs, the collective game is favored by the contribution of the bases through assists and the defensive game with the contribution of the pivots, through rebounds and the defensive intensity of the forwards. Relevant information can have important applications such as training preparation, prior planning of the competition, making changes to matches, specific instructions on Players and making signings that meet the needs of the team.

Due to the worldwide negative impact on sport of the COVID-19 pandemic declared by the WHO in 2020, the first aim of this study was to analyze the influence of COVID-19 on performance indicators as a natural experiment, according to the moment in time: pre-COVID, COVID and post-COVID. The second aim was to analyze and ascertain the persistence of the performance indicators (PIs) over the analyzed seasons. To this end, 5320 teams’ match data corresponding to the 2014/2015 to 2020/2021 seasons of the LaLiga (first division of Spanish men’s soccer) were analyzed. All the seasons developed normally except the 2019/2020 season in which there was a three-month hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a natural experiment without spectators. Statistical tests including ANOVA, general multivariate linear analysis with three independent variables (covidtime, venue and result) and an autocorrelation were performed. The results obtained showed that there were significant differences in the PIs regarding the moment in time, the result, the venue, and the pairwise interactions among them. The evolution of the PIs has changed over the years, showing a decrease in the means of most of them, leading to a more passive game with tighter results; differences which could be generated by the change in the rules (from 3 to 5 substitutions), the total or partial absence of spectators, three months of confinement and inactivity, or the accumulation of matches and minutes played by the individual players. The teams’ technical staffs should bear all of these types of situations in mind as the seasons evolve to adapt as quickly as possible to a more effective game style in order to achieve objectives.

Soccer is dominated by game indicators that can influence the performance of teams and their players. Therefore, this study analyzed the influence of game indicators on the partial and final ranking of Spanish LaLiga teams, independently for the pre-COVID-19, COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods. In addition, the statistical differences between the pandemic periods were identified. A total of 2660 Spanish LaLiga matches played over seven seasons (from the 2014–2015 to the 2020–2021 season) were analyzed. The game indicators analyzed were the yellow cards, red cards, ball possession, total shots, shots on goal, shots off goal, free kicks, corners, offsides, goalkeeper saves, fouls committed, attacks, dangerous attacks, total passes, and tackles. Data were collected from the official Spanish LaLiga website, and recorded on a post hoc observation sheet. The intra-observer concordance was almost perfect (Cohen’s kappa values > 0.83). In each pandemic period, the findings indicated that the statistically significant game indicators had a greater influence on the final ranking, with an intermediate and large effect (η² ≥ 0.060), than on the partial ranking (little or no effect). In this regard, the LaLiga teams ranked in a European competition position (final ranking) reported a higher ball possession (p < 0.001) and total passes (p < 0.001). A higher ball possession allowed them to take more shots (offensive actions), and therefore to have a better chance of winning. Similarly, these game indicators were higher post-COVID-19, compared to pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19. This is interesting information for the preparation and management of matches.

The unprecedented COVID-19 health crisis severely disrupted global sports in 2020, prompting lengthy suspensions followed by resumed competitions under abnormal behind-closed-doors conditions without fans. These disruptions necessitated tactical adaptations by coaches and teams, attempting to still achieve successful outcomes. This study investigates the pandemic’s impacts on performance metrics and indicators within Spanish professional soccer. Utilizing systematic notational analysis, 760 match cases from the 2019–2020 La Liga season were examined, comprising 27 matchdays from the pre-COVID context and 11 after resumption. Multivariate tests identified significant pre/post differences and interactions for various technical indicators including shots, cards, corners, and offside calls. The pandemic was associated with a reduction from 12 to just 5 identifiable playing styles, suggestive of increased conservatism featuring more passive play, limited attacking depth, and horizontal ball movement. Such tactical changes appear provoked by condensed fixture scheduling post-lockdown, the lack of supportive crowds, and compromised player fitness/recovery. By quantifying these COVID-precipitated changes, the analysis provides tangible evidence for coaches to make informed adjustments in training and preparation for functioning effectively in disrupted environments. The findings emphasize that versatility and flexibility will be vital to optimize performance during times of unprecedented uncertainty.

Una de las estrategias más empleadas para la optimización de las tareas de entrenamiento es modificar el número de jugadores, las Situaciones de Juego. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la influencia de la Situación de Juego en variables de Carga Externa y Organizativas empleadas por un entrenador para la planificación de sus entrenamientos en un equipo de categoría infantil de baloncesto. Se analizaron 15 sesiones de entrenamiento formadas por 91 tareas durante la temporada 2019/2020, registradas a través del Sistema Integral para el Análisis de las Tareas de Entrenamiento (SIATE). Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de las variables y un análisis inferencial para conocer las relaciones y asociaciones entre ellas. Según los resultados, existe relación significativa entre la Situación de Juego y las variables de Carga Externa (Grado de Oposición, Densidad de la Tarea, Número de Ejecutantes Simultáneos, Carga Competitiva de la Tarea, Implicación Cognitiva, Carga de la Tarea y Carga de la Tarea por Tiempo) y las variables Organizativas (Tiempo Total de la Tarea, Tiempo de Explicación, Aprovechamiento, Participación y Valor de la Participación). Los resultados demostraron que las variables de Carga Externa y Organizativas de las tareas de entrenamiento están condicionadas por la Situación de Juego.