Showing items 1 - 4 of 4

Adaptability of expert visual anticipation in baseball batting

- Müller, Sean, Fadde, Peter, Harbaugh, Allen

  • Authors: Müller, Sean , Fadde, Peter , Harbaugh, Allen
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Sports Sciences Vol. 35, no. 17 (2017), p. 1682-1690
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  • Description: By manipulating stimulus variation in terms of opponent pitcher actions, this study investigated the capability of expert (n = 30) and near-expert (n = 95) professional baseball batters to adapt anticipation skill when using the video simulation temporal occlusion paradigm. Participants watched in-game footage of two pitchers, one after the other, that was temporally occluded at ball release and various points during ball flight. They were required to make a written prediction of pitch types and locations. Per cent accuracy was calculated for pitch type, for pitch location, and for type and location combined. Results indicated that experts and near-experts could adapt their anticipation to predict above guessing level across both pitchers, but adaptation to the left-handed pitcher was poorer than the right-handed pitcher. Small-to-moderate effect sizes were found in terms of superior adaptation by experts over near-experts at the ball release and early ball flight occlusion conditions. The findings of this study extend theoretical and applied knowledge of expertise in striking sports. Practical application of the instruments and findings are discussed in terms of applied researchers, practitioners and high-performance staff in professional sporting organisations. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Individual differences and transfer of visual anticipation in expert female field hockey goalkeepers

- Morris-Binelli, Khaya, Muller, Sean, Van Rens, Fleur, Harbaugh, Allen, Rosalie, Simon

  • Authors: Morris-Binelli, Khaya , Muller, Sean , Van Rens, Fleur , Harbaugh, Allen , Rosalie, Simon
  • Date: 2022
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Optometry and Vision Science Vol. 99, no. 2 (2022), p. 150-158
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  • Description: SIGNIFICANCE Visual anticipation is vital for performance in several domains such as driving, military, and high-speed interceptive sports, as it enables performers to handle severe time constraints. There has been little investigation into individual differences of anticipation skill transfer within a domain, which can guide training of anticipation to improve performance. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate individual differences in the transfer of anticipation within a domain, specifically anticipation of the field hockey penalty corner drag-flick across different opponents. METHODS Eight female Australian international and national field hockey goalkeepers participated. Goalkeepers completed female and male opponent penalty corner drag-flick temporal occlusion tests that presented contextual defensive runner positioning relative to the penalty spot, drag-flicker kinematics, and ball flight. RESULTS Drag-flick movement time and ball velocity were significantly different across female and male opponents confirming that a transfer continuum existed. Five goalkeepers could transfer integration of runner contextual and drag-flicker kinematic information to anticipate loose runs above chance from female to male opponent tests. None of the goalkeepers could transfer integration of contextual and kinematic information for the tight runs across female to male opponents. CONCLUSIONS An individual differences approach with truly expert performers provided unique insights into the mechanism of anticipation transfer within a domain. The findings of this study contribute to theoretical and applied knowledge, which can guide the training of anticipation skill to prepare individuals for superior performance. © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Individual differences in short-term anticipation training for high-speed interceptive skill

- Müller, Sean, Gurisik, Yasmin, Hecimovich, Mark, Harbaugh, Allen, Vallence, Ann-Maree

  • Authors: Müller, Sean , Gurisik, Yasmin , Hecimovich, Mark , Harbaugh, Allen , Vallence, Ann-Maree
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Motor Learning and Development Vol. 5, no. 1 (2017), p. 160-176
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  • Description: Training studies in a variety of domains focus on between-group comparisons. This study investigated individual differences in learning based upon visual anticipation training using field hockey goalkeeping as the exemplar motor skill. In a within-subject design, four state-league level field hockey goalkeepers were tested before and after visual anticipatory training in an in-situ test that required them to save goals from a drag flick. Response initiation time and response accuracy were measured. Participants were tested at baseline, completed a control phase of sport-specific practice, were retested, then given an intervention phase of temporal occlusion training plus sport-specific practice, and retested. Results indicated that two goalkeepers' response initiation times were earlier after the intervention. Effect sizes indicated that the two goalkeepers improved response accuracy after the intervention. Another goalkeeper's response initiation time was later after the intervention, but this did not impede response accuracy of goals saved. The mechanism of individual learning appeared to be modulation of response timing to save goals. Anticipation training can improve in-situ visual-perceptual motor skill performance in an individualized and nonlinear fashion. Further research is needed to better understand how each individual learns the visual-perceptual motor skills of high time-stress tasks in the sport domain. © 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Visual-perceptual training with motor practice of the observed movement pattern improves anticipation in emerging expert cricket batsmen

- Brenton, John, Müller, Sean, Harbaugh, Allen

  • Authors: Brenton, John , Müller, Sean , Harbaugh, Allen
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Sports Sciences Vol. 37, no. 18 (2019), p. 2114-2121
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  • Description: This study addressed the paucity of evidence of whether visual anticipation can be improved in emerging experts in striking sports. Twelve emerging expert batsmen from a state cricket squad were equally randomised into intervention and control groups. They were pre-and-post tested on a video temporal occlusion test of a fast bowler, as well as transfer tests of different fast and slow bowlers. The intervention group received two sessions per week of point-light display temporal occlusion training with motor practice of the observed bowler’s action over a 4-week period. The control group completed only the testing phases. Batting averages before, during, and after the study were recorded for both groups. The intervention group, but not the control group, improved anticipation to significantly above chance level across pre-to-post-tests based upon pre-ball flight information. The intervention, but not the control, transferred their learning to anticipate significantly above chance level based upon pre-ball flight information across different fast and slow (spin) bowlers. Batting average of the intervention group was higher than the control group during the study. Findings indicate that the intervention can improve anticipation in emerging expert batsmen, beyond sport-specific practice. This improvement may benefit competition performance, but further evidence is required. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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