The effect of external focus distance on shooting accuracy in soccer for novice players

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effects of external focus distance for novice soccer players to determine motor skills and enhancing shooting accuracy in soccer. Soccer demands a unique combination of physicality and technical finesse, with precision, accuracy, and ball-handling skills distinguishing great players. This study aims to investigate the impact of different external focus cues on the shooting accuracy of novice male soccer players during a crossbar challenge. It aims to provide insights for coaches and players to optimize training techniques for skill development. METHODS: The study involved 45 male participants aged 18-25 who were assigned to the distal external focus, proximal external focus, and control group. Participants performed a practice trial followed by five experimental trials with specific focus instructions. Shooting accuracy was measured using the Loughborough Soccer Shooting Test. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20, which included a mixed paired t-test and one-way ANOVA to compare the group performances. RESULTS: Participants with a distal external focus (M=2.4080) group consistently achieved the highest scores, followed by the proximal external focus group (M=1.5573), with the control group (M=1.3467) having the lowest scores. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that, in comparison to a proximal external focus and a control group, a distal external focus significantly increases soccer shooting accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing motor skills and enhancing shooting accuracy in soccer.