Open AccessIncreased Anxiety and Decreased Confidence Lead to Poorer Short-Passing Performance in Collegiate Soccer Players
Author(s) -
Mohammed Bila,
Angela R. Hillman
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
research directs in strength and performance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2768-5187
DOI - 10.53520/rdsp2021.10520
Subject(s) - anxiety , confidence interval , self confidence , trait anxiety , psychology , clinical psychology , physical therapy , medicine , social psychology , psychiatry
Competitive soccer players are required to perform short passing under stressful conditions; their success may be related to their self-confidence and anxiety levels. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between short-passing ability and anxiety and self-confidence among collegiate soccer players.Methods: Seventeen Division III collegiate soccer players (20.0 ± 1.0 years, 65% female) completed the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory (TSCI), and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R) and the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT). Spearman’s rho (rs) was used to identify if a relationship between these inventories and LSPT time existed.Results: Mean LSPT total time was 55.7 ± 12.0 seconds. We observed positive relationships between SCAT and LSPT total time (rs = .51, p = .04) and CSAI-2R and LSPT total time (rs = .55, p =.03). Furthermore, a strong negative relationship was found between TSCI and LSPT total time (rs = -.68, p = .004).Conclusions: There is a relationship between anxiety, confidence and short-passing performance in collegiate soccer players. Coaches should consider interventions to decrease players’ anxiety and improve self-confidence in preparation for soccer competition.