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A thread on how coaches working in youth academies of professional 
top-division clubs across Europe structure their sessions.
A key performance attribute that discriminates players at top level is ability to make effective decisions under pressure.
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top-division clubs across Europe structure their sessions.A key performance attribute that discriminates
players at top level is ability to make effective decisions under pressure.1/6 #ESSTC20
Research shows that ‘game intelligence’ skills are primarily acquired through activities in which practice has same underlying structure as competition (Miller et al., 2017).
Goal of coaching practice is for players to acquire skill that transfers to competition.
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Goal of coaching practice is for players to acquire skill that transfers to competition.
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53 soccer coaches working with U12-16s age groups; 16 youth academies of Professional top-division clubs in 
took part; 83 sessions analysed for % of time in ‘NON-ACTIVE’ vs. ‘ACTIVE’ DECISION-MAKING activities (see Table 1).3/6 #ESSTC20
players spent + time in ‘NON-ACTIVE’ DECISION-MAKING activities compared to players players spent + time in SSCGs players + time in unopposed technical-based drills & players in improving fitness aspects of the game without the ball.4/6 #ESSTC20
Although use of drill-based activities may be well intended by coaches, their overuse is less effective for skill acquisition transfer to match play.
Coaches can adapt drill-like technical practices to contain active decision making (Ford & Williams, 2013).
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Coaches can adapt drill-like technical practices to contain active decision making (Ford & Williams, 2013).
5/6 #ESSTC20
Our findings extend previous research assessing coach-led youth practice in single countries by demonstrating differences in specific training activities and environments between youth academies at professional clubs in multiple European countries.
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practice in single countries by demonstrating differences in specific training activities and environments between youth academies at professional clubs in multiple European countries.6/6 #ESSTC20
