The Development of Sport-Specific Planning, Rehearsal, and Updating of Plans during Defensive Youth Baseball Game Performance

Abstract

The development of planning, rehearsal, and updating of defensive baseball plans was investigated in this study. Thirty-two male shortstops (seven 8-year-olds, eight 10-year-olds, nine 12-year-olds, and eight high school youths) were trained to perform a concurrent talk-aloud procedure before a pitch was thrown to the opposing batter. Participants completed a 40-item baseball knowledge test. Players' ages were highly correlated with their baseball knowledge (ω² = .88). Any subsequent age differences reflect differences in players' knowledge. Shortstops ages 12 years or younger frequently did not produce: (a) advanced defensive plans, (b) active rehearsal of plans, or (c) updating of defensive plans. When the young players did produce these strategies, the quality was generally poor. High school shortstops produced all these sport-specific strategies with advanced quality. The younger players' production and quality deficits in sport-specific strategy use may be related to their lack of a highly developed knowledge representation and the types of practice and game experiences they have had playing baseball.

Key Words:

• cognitive strategies
• knowledge base
• expertise
• youth sport