Search Results (7)

Background: Pickleball has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, yet studies exploring its specific characteristics are scarce. This investigation provides a detailed notational analysis of women’s singles pickleball, evaluating the technical and tactical performance indicators in the game. Method: An observational methodology was used to analyze all points from five PPA Tour tournaments. The matches were recorded and coded using LINCE PLUS software, version 2.1.0, with a category system designed for this sport. A descriptive analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS version 25.0, and Theme 6.0 Edu software was used to detect gameplay patterns. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The findings indicate that serving players have a slight advantage, winning 55.1% of points. Most of the points were resolved through unforced errors, accounting for 63.7% of the total, primarily from forehand strokes in short rallies and backhand strokes in medium rallies. The most frequent hitting zones for point termination were near the non-volley zone (35.8%) and behind the baseline (38.6%). Conclusions: This study provides a deeper understanding of performance in women’s pickleball, highlighting technical and tactical patterns that offer guidelines for optimizing strategies and techniques in the sport. Full article

This study aimed to understand how the design of decision-making tasks affects youth football players’ ball control, passing performance, and external load. A total of 16 male youth football players (age: 12.94 ± 0.25 years) competed in various tasks based on the following levels of decision-making: (i) low decision-making (Low DM), which consisted of a predefined ball control and passing sequence; (ii) moderate decision-making (Mod DM), which consisted of maintaining possession in a square with four players and two balls while maintaining the same position; and (iii) high decision-making (High DM), which consisted of a 3 vs. 3 + 2 neutral players ball possession game. The study design consisted of a pre–post design (a 6 min pre-test game, a 6 min intervention, and a 6 min post-test game). The players’ ball control and passing performance were measured using the game performance evaluation tool and notational analysis, while GPS data were used to determine their physical performance. The pre–post test analysis revealed decrements in players’ ability to identify more offensive players after the Mod DM task (W = 9.50, p = 0.016), while there was an increase in their ability to receive the ball towards the space following the High DM task (t = −2.40, p = 0.016). Analysis between groups showed lower values in most ball control variables for the Low DM task compared to the Mod DM task (ball control execution, p = 0.030; appropriateness, p = 0.031; motor space, p = 0.025), while there were also lower values in the distance covered while sprinting (p = 0.042). Overall, prescriptive tasks (Low DM) that are repetitive in nature may affect players’ perceptual attunement, whereas static tasks (e.g., Mod DM) may limit their ability to locate players in more offensive positions. Moreover, game-based situations (High DM) seem to acutely enhance players’ performance, possibly due to contextual dependency. Overall, coaches should carefully consider the type of practice structure when designing tasks that aim to improve players’ technical skills in youth football. Full article

Business Process Modeling is a skill that is becoming sought after for computer engineers, with Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) being one example of the tools used in modeling activities. Students of the Master of Computer Engineering course at Politecnico di Torino learn about BPMN in dedicated courses but often underperform on BPMN-related exercises due to difficulties understanding how to model processes. In recent years, there has been a surge of studies that employ gamification (using game elements in non-recreative contexts to obtain benefits) as a tool in Computer Engineering education to increase students’ engagement with the learning process. This study aims to use the principles of gamification to design a supplementary learning tool for the teaching of information systems technology. In particular, to improve student understanding and use of BPMN diagrams. This study also analyzes the usability and motivation of the participants in using different game elements in increasing student motivation and performance. As part of the study, a prototype web application was developed, which implemented three different designs, each incorporating different game elements relating to either progress, competition, or rewards. An evaluation was then conducted on the prototype to evaluate the performance of the practitioners in performing BPMN modeling tasks with the gamified tool, the usability of the proposed mechanics and the enjoyment of the individual game mechanics that were implemented. With the usage of the gamified tool, the users of the experimental sample were able to complete BPMN modeling tasks with performances compatible with estimates made through expert judgement (i.e., gamification had no negative effect on performance), and were motivated to check the correctness of their models many times during the task execution. The system was evaluated as highly usable (85.8 System Usability Score); the most enjoyed game elements were rewards, levels, progress bars and aesthetics. Full article

This paper examines the methods and systems of game design from the standpoint of existing method proposals failing to establish a common basis for systematizing design knowledge, which this paper aims to help resolve. Game design has often been subsumed by game development and associated disciplines, and game design methodology has often been subsumed by game analysis. This paper reviews related work in defining game design as an autonomous research subject and then divides the methods and systems of game design into complementary methods and core methods, with only the latter, consisting chiefly of design patterns, attempting to systematize how game design knowledge is generated. Seminal game patterns have been descriptive rather than -prescriptive and so have failed to find the requisite practitioner adoption to fulfill their role as a living method. One recent pattern approach has sought to resolve this issue by promoting pattern usage generally over the adoption of a particular language. This paper outlines an alternate and possibly complementary approach of a novel, practical basis for game design literacy for helping core methods work as a basis for systematizing game design knowledge. The proposed basis sacrifices descriptiveness to prescriptiveness to shape methods in that direction. Full article

The purpose of this study was to compare the external load, internal load, and technical efficacy between the first and the second matches (M1 and M2) occurring in congested fixtures (two matches in two days) using the number of sets as a moderating factor. An observational analytic research design was adopted. Data from official volleyball matches were collected during the first competitive period of the championship, comprising 14 competitive games within 10 weeks. Ten male elite volleyball athletes (age: 21.7 ± 4.19 years of age; experience: 6.2 ± 3.8 years; body mass: 85.7 ± 8.69 kg; height: 192.4 ± 6.25 cm; BMI: 23.1 ± 1.40 kg/m2) participated in this study. Players were monitored for external load (number of jumps and height of jumps) and internal load (using the rate of perceived exertion—RPE). Additionally, notational analysis collected information about attack efficacy and receptions made during matches. The mixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction between time (M1 vs. M2) and number of sets for number of jumps per minute (p = 0.235; ${\eta }_p^2$ = 0.114), mean jump height (p = 0.076; ${\eta }_p^2$ = 0.193), RPE (p = 0.261; ${\eta }_p^2$ = 0.106), attack efficacy (p = 0.346; ${\eta }_p^2$ = 0.085), Positive reception (p = 0.980; ${\eta }_p^2$ = 0.002) and Perfect reception (p = 0.762; ${\eta }_p^2$ = 0.022). In conclusion, congested fixtures do not seem to affect the performance of volleyball players negatively. Full article

This study aimed to analyze the acute effect of small-sided games, based on differential learning, on the physical, technical, and positioning performance of young basketball players. Eight basketball players under 13 (U13) participated in this study. A total of eight sessions involving half-court small-sided games (4 sets × 3 min + 1 min of passive recovery) under randomly different numerical relations were performed. Before each trial, players were verbally instructed to perform the drill in one of the conditions, in random order. Pre- and post-tests were performed in the 4v4 half-court format, in each session. External load and positional data were collected via a WIMU PRO local positioning system. Individual heart rate monitoring was used to assess the internal load. Game videos also collected notational data. The results revealed that, after the intervention, the players significantly decreased the total distance covered, the peak acceleration, average speed, training impulse, and the spatial exploration index; conversely, the results confirmed an increase in the number of dribbles. Small-sided games under randomly different numerical relations imposed acute effects in distinct variables during 4v4 half-court games. However, further studies are warranted, including longer interventions and parallel-group designs, to confirm if the training-induced effects of this method are significantly better compared to other approaches. Full article

Currently, most basketball research is focused on professional and elite players. Studies at the amateur level are important to explain the physical and technical demands of competition and thus improve players’ and teams’ performance. The purpose of the present study was to describe the competitive demands of an amateur-level basketball team and to analyze the influence of different situational variables on the physical and technical performance indicators. Eleven amateur senior basketball players participated in six official final-round games during the 2018/2019 season. External, internal load, and notational analysis were registered by inertial devices, heart rate bands, and video analysis. The Kruskal-Wallis H-test was applied for comparisons based on playing positions, periods, and final quarter game outcome, with the post hoc comparison accomplished by a Mann-Whitney U test. The Spearman correlation coefficient was realized for the relational analysis. The results showed that: (a) guards covered more volume of displacements (effective on-court time: p < 0.01, $E_R^2$ = 0.05; steps/min: p < 0.01, $E_R^2$ = 0.28) and the centers performed competitive actions of higher load ([>8G] Imp/min: p < 0.01, $E_R^2$ = 0.20; jumps/min: p < 0.01, $E_R^2$ = 0.33); (b) a performance decreasing was found between the first and second half of the game; (c) in balanced matches there was the most individual technical performance (PIR/min: p < 0.98, $E_R^2$ = 0.01), while in the unbalanced games more high-intensity impacts were seen ([>8G] Imp/min: p < 0.01, $E_R^2$ = 0.07). The situational variables analyzed had an influence on athletic performance in amateur senior basketball players and should be considered for designing training sessions and planning strategies during official matches. Full article