Perception of Creativity and Game Intelligence in Soccer

Abstract

A questionnaire was used to investigate the perception of creativity and game intelligence of coaches (n = 34, mean age 28.6 with an average of 14.3 years of experience) and players (n = 118, belonging to the ranks U-15 and U-19). Analyses indicated that there were statistically significant differences in most creative concepts inherent in the perception of creativity on the part of coaches. The results for the perception of the players showed that there were statistically significant differences in the importance attached to creativity and game intelligence. Apparently coaches mostly associate the creativity in soccer to a kind of magical thinking, adding also the game intelligence to the ability of rationality, problem solving, and decision. There was a strong correlation between creativity and game intelligence for the players.