Virtual reality to assess and train team ball sports performance: A scoping review

ABSTRACT

Virtual reality (VR) is a widespread technology drawing an increasing interest for players and coaches, especially in team ball sports as it offers a simple tool to simulate, analyse and train situations that are often too complex to reproduce in the field. In this review we aimed at (1) providing an overview of methodologies and outcomes of research studies using VR in team ball sports; (2) better evaluating the potential interest of VR to analyse or train team ball sports situation and (3) identifying limitations, gaps in knowledge and remaining scientific challenges. The MEDLINE and Web of Science Core Collection databases were searched, using predefined combinations of keywords. Thirty articles were retained and analysed. VR can be an interesting tool to assess or train team ball sports skills/situations as it allows researchers to control and standardise situations and focus on specific skills/subskills. Studies that used VR in team ball sports still have some limitations, mainly due to technical issues or study design. This paper also describes the way VR should be used to enhance understanding of performance in team ball sports. Additional suggestions for future research and study design are proposed.

KEYWORDS:

• Virtual reality
• virtual environment
• team ball sports
• review
• sport performance assessment and training

Author Contributions

Conception: CF, AL, RK

Literature exploration: CF, AL

Formal analysis: CF, AL

Methodology: CF, RK

Supervision: BB, RK

Writing – original draft: CF

Writing – review & editing: CF, BB, AL, RK

Funding acquisition: BB, RK

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Hugo A. Kerhervé for his input to this work in providing useful comments on structure and discussing content concepts. They also wish to thank Robyn Grunberg for her kind help in English Language review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Rennes [Charles Faure is the recipient of a scholarship from “Ecole Normale Supérieure de Rennes” for his doctoral studies];