The penalty kick is of great importance in the sport of soccer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test predictions of the OPTIMAL theory and identify key attentional and motivational factors that impact the accuracy of the penalty kick. The following six groups of moderately skilled participants performed penalty kicks following instructions that directed their focus of attention or impacted their autonomy support: external focus with autonomy support (EF/AS), external focus alone (EF), internal focus with autonomy support (IF/AS), internal focus alone (IF), autonomy support alone (AS) and control (C) groups. The analysis showed that the EF/AS group demonstrated better kicking accuracy relatively to the IF/AS, IF and C groups, but there were no significant differences between the EF/AS and EF or AS groups. Interestingly, the EF/AS group showed higher self-efficacy compared to the EF, IF/AS, IF and C groups. The finding suggest that a combination of attentional and motivational factors may produce benefits in motor performance.

Penalty kicks often play a decisive role in the most prestigious international football tournaments. The present study investigated whether shooting performance of the penalty kick in football would be improved by providing specific attentional and motivational instructions. Twenty-four experienced male volunteers were asked to kick a ball at one of four targets located in a regulation-sized goal. Using a goalkeeper-independent strategy, subjects performed the penalty kicks under external focus (EF; targets in the goal), autonomy support (AS; choice of target order), combining external focus and autonomy support (EF/AS), and control conditions (C). A goalkeeper tried to save the ball during each attempt. The mean number of scored goals and kicking accuracy of goal scored were used to determine penalty kick performance. The EF/AS combination enhanced the number of goals scored compared to the C condition. No other significant differences were observed between the conditions in the number of goals scored. The EF/AS group displayed greater kicking accuracy of goals scored relative to the AS and C conditions. Also, the kicking accuracy of the EF condition was significantly better than the C condition. Additionally, the results demonstrated that the EF/AS condition resulted in fewer missed shots compared to the C condition. There were no significant differences in blocked shots between the conditions. The findings suggest that promoting an external focus of attention and autonomy support collectively may enhance penalty kick performance.

Background:The results of previous studies indicate on a higher level of psychomotor abilities among players with a high sports level. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of selected psychomotor handball goalkeepers with a high level of sports. Material and methods:The research involved 12 goalkeepers appearing in PGNiG Superleague. Psychomotor performance tests were conducted using the Vienna Test System. The following tests were carried out: RT version S1 measuring the simple reaction time, RT version S3 measuring reaction time with a choice. The ZBA test version S3-linear form was used to measure time-space anticipation. Results:The average time of the simple reaction was 200.33 ms, while the average motor time was 78.33 ms. These results are on the T scale near the upper limit of the scale. The average response time in the reaction time with the choice was 292.67 ms, while the average motor time was 75.50 ms. The results are above norm. The time anticipation was 0.78 s. The anticipation of the direction was 21.75. Conclusions:Handball goalkeepers indicate a high level of simple reaction time and reaction time with choice.Players anticipate a place better than the time the object appears.

Introduction. The analysis of players’ performance with respect to technical-tactical actions is becoming a key factor influencing the focus of training programmes and the contents of training units. It also provides important information which can be used to improve players’ efficiency during the game. The aim of the current study was to analyse the efficiency of technicaltactical offensive actions in positional attack as well as defensive actions performed by handball players participating in two consecutive World Men’s Handball Championships, held in Spain in 2013 and in Qatar in 2015. Material and methods. The material subjected to analysis was data describing the technical-tactical actions performed during the World Championships in Spain in 2013 and in Qatar in 2015. We analysed offensive and defensive actions, including with regard to the continent the teams represented. We performed an analysis of the documents available on the IHF website. The significance of the differences found was verified using analysis of variance (ANOVA and MANOVA). Results. The study found a significantly lower number of offensive actions in positional attack (−7.5%) and turnovers (−26.4%), higher overall efficiency (+7.2%), as well as higher efficiency of 6-m shots (+9.5%), wing shots (+7.3%), and breakthrough shots (+11.4%) at the World Championship in Qatar compared to tournament in Spain. When it comes to defensive actions, there was a significantly higher number of 2-minute suspensions (+27.5%), with a simultaneous significant reduction in the number of steals (−55.7%) and shots defended (−13.3%). Conclusions. During a two-year cycle, there was a change in the concept of playing in positional attack. In 2015, there was a significantly greater number of actions leading to a shot in the region of the opponent’s goal area as well as a higher level of activity and more aggressive play on the part of defensive players. In addition, European teams had gained an advantage over teams from other continents in terms of the efficiency of the technical-tactical actions undertaken.

Introduction. The aim of the study was to determine whether the level of psychomotor skills differentiates the actions of hand-ball goalkeepers in the situation of throws from the wing position.Material and methods. The research material was a video recording of goalkeepers’ saves during throws from wing positions. The research covered 11 goalkeepers who play in PGNiG Men’s Superleague (Poland). Psychomotor skills tests were conducted based on the Vienna Test System. The RT test version S.1 was used to measure simple reaction time, while the RT test version S.3 was used to measure choice reaction time. The ZBA test version S.3 in the linear form was used to measure time-space anticipation. The analysis of saves was carried out according to Norkowski’s concept.Results. We showed a difference in the number of throws after reducing the defensive area between the goalkeepers with higher and lower reaction time values. A high correlation was found rs = 0.62 p < 0.05 between reaction time (RT) and saves after reducing the defensive area with a step out/dive. There is a strong relationship between DT motor time and saves after reducing the defensive area with a step out/dive rs = 0.74, p < 0.05. There is a high correlation between a fast-paced save after a delay and time anticipation rs = 0.64, p < 0.05.Conclusions. The level of psychomotor abilities is a factor that differentiates handball goalkeepers’ actions in saves from the wing position. The level of psychomotor skills and the actions of handball goalkeepers are interconnected.