This study deals with decision and execution behavior of tennis players during competition. The study is based on the expert-novice paradigm and aims to identify differences between both groups in the decision-making and execution variables in serve and shot actions in tennis. Six expert players (elite Spanish tennis players) and six novice players (grade school tennis players) took part in this study. To carry out this study, the observation protocol defined by McPherson and Thomas in 1989, in which control, decision-making and execution variables were included, was used, where it was applied to the performance of the tennis player in a real match situation. In the analysis, significant differences between experts and novices in decision-making and execution variables are found wherein it can be observed that experts display a greater ability to make the appropriate decisions, selecting the most tactical responses to put pressure on the opponent. Expert tennis players were also able to carry out forceful executions to their opponent with greater efficiency, making the opponent's response to a large extent more difficult. These findings are in accordance with those of McPherson and colleagues.

This study examined the effectiveness of a 10-week decision training program on decision making and performance in tennis. Decision training was based on the analysis combining tactical questioning and video feedback about players own actions. A quasi-experimental design with intermediate tennis players (control group, n = 6; experimental group, n = 5) was developed over 18 weeks, divided into 3 phases: preintervention, postintervention, and retention. A total of 13,383 game play actions were analyzed to test differences. Experimental group improves significantly decision making and performance and maintained improvements during the retention phase. Video feedback combined with questioning is recommended to achieve sport expertise.

Over the past few decades there has been great interest in the study of cognitive processes, and specifically decision-making, from a cognitive perspective. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the scientific literature on the effect of decision training interventions/programs, from a cognitive perspective, on the decision-making of volleyball players. The systematic search was carried out in five scientific electronic databases according to PRISMA guidelines Web of Science (WOS), Pubmed (Medline), Scopus, SportDiscus and Google Scholar. A total of eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The main finding of the meta-analysis was that the use of decision-making training programs/interventions led to significant improvements in volleyball players’ decision-making (Standardized mean difference = 0.94 with 95% confidence interval from 0.63 to 1.25), compared to normal active volleyball training. In addition, the heterogeneity of the interventions was low (I² = 0%). From the results of the studies analyzed, we recommend using decisional interventions or training, both as part of normal active training or complementary to it, to improve the decision-making of the players, thus optimizing their ability to perceive and process relevant stimuli, and then generate quick and effective responses. These findings can be useful in the process of sports training.

The importance within sport expertise of cognitive factors has been emphasised in many research studies. Adaptations that take place in athletes’ long-term memories are going to condition their decision-making and performance, and training programmes must be developed that improve these adaptations. In our study, we provide a tactical-cognitive training programme based on video-feedback and questioning in order to improve tactical knowledge in tennis players and verify its effect when transferred to athletes’ decision-making. 11 intermediate tennis players participated in this study (12.9±0.7 years old), distributed into two groups (experimental, n = 5; control, n = 6). Tactical knowledge was measured by problem representation and strategy planning with a verbal protocol. Decision-making was measured by a systematic observation instrument. Results confirm the effectiveness of a combination of video-feedback and questioning on cognitive expertise, developing adaptations in long-term memory that produce an improvement in the quality of tactical knowledge (content, sophistication and structure). This, in turn, is transferred to the athletes’ decision-making capacity, leading to a higher percentage of successful decisions made during game play. Finally, we emphasise the need to develop effective programmes to develop cognitive expertise and improve athletes' performance, and include it in athletes’ formative stages.

Setter, outside, middle, or opposite player) in elite women's volleyball is significantly related to the characteristics of their service. The sample consisted of 1,300 service deliveries (total serves for all matches) made by players in the 8 teams participating in 2 Final 4 stages of the Indesit European Champions League. The variables recorded were in-game role of the server, service type, speed of delivery, service area, target zone, and effectiveness of delivery. Results showed a significant relation between the server's in-game role and service type (p ≤ 0.01), service speed (p ≤ 0.01), service area (p ≤ 0.01), and effectiveness of delivery (p ≤ 0.001). The most significant relation observed was with the service area, primarily because of the server having to make a quick transition to the defense zone. Setters and opposite players most commonly served from behind zone 1 (100 and 80% of serves, respectively), which they defended after serving. Similarly, middle players served most frequently from behind zone 5 (47% of serves), the zone they subsequently defended....

The objective of this study was to apply a decision training programme, based on the use of video-feedback and questioning, in real game time, in order to improve decision-making in volleyball attack actions. A three-phase quasi-experimental design was implemented: Phase A (pre-test), Phase B (Intervention) and Phase C (Retention). The sample was made up of 8 female Under-16 volleyball players, who were divided into two groups: experimental group (n = 4) and control group (n = 4). The independent variable was the decision training program, which was applied for 11 weeks in a training context, more specifically in a 6x6 game situation. The player had to analyze the reasons and causes of the decision taken. The dependent variable was decision-making, which was assessed based on systematic observation, using the “Game Performance Assessment Instrument” (GPAI) (Oslin, Mitchell, & Griffin, 1998). Results showed that, after applying the decision training program, the experimental group showed a significantly higher average percentage of successful decisions than the control group F(1, 6) = 11.26; p = .015; η²_p = .652; 95% CI [056, 360]. These results highlight the need to complement the training process with cognitive tools such as video-feedback and questioning in order to improve athletes’ decision-making.