Quiet eye training improves throw and catch performance in children

• Some children find it difficult to perform coordinated movement tasks that underpin sports and playground games.
• Interventions designed to assist children in acquiring these skills more effectively are therefore important.
• The current study tested the efficacy of a quiet eye training (QET) intervention for a throwing and catching task.
• The QET group revealed a greater improvement in performance after training than a control group (technical instructions).

ObjectivesTo compare quiet eye training (QET) and ‘traditional’ technical training (TT) interventions for a throw and catch task in children.DesignThis pilot study adopted a between groups randomized control design.MethodSixteen, 10 year-old typically developing children performed 10 pre- and 10 post-test trials before and after QET or TT, while wearing a Mobile Eye gaze registration system. Both interventions consisted of three video demonstrations (focusing on the throw, the catch, and linking the throw and catch) followed by a series of practice trials. QET videos emphasized gaze strategy instructions whereas TT videos emphasized traditional primary school throwing and catching instructions.ResultsSignificant interaction effects for performance and quiet eye durations revealed that only the QET group significantly lengthened QE durations, which contributed to significant improvements in catching from pre- to post-test.ConclusionsQET may be an effective method for improving throwing and catching skills in typically developing children.