Effect of Practice Distribution and Experience on the Performance and Retention of a Discrete Sport Skill

Abstract

This study examined how practice distribution influenced performance and learning of a discrete sport skill, the Australian Football (AF) handball pass. A secondary aim was to assess whether previous experience playing competitive Australian Football influenced learning. Participants performed the handball 50 times (5 blocks × 10 repetitions) using either a massed (1 sec. between repetitions or distributed (30 sec. between repetitions) practice schedule. Testing consisted of pre-test, acquisition, immediate retention (10 min.), and delayed retention (2 weeks) sessions. Performance accuracy scores improved in the massed practice condition from pre-test to immediate retention and from pre-test to delayed retention. Likewise, performance improved in the distributed practice group from pretest to immediate retention, but scores were not different from pre-test to delayed retention, and decreased from immediate retention to delayed retention. While students with previous AF experience performed better overall, there were no differences between the massed and distributed groups based on experience. Results suggested that, regardless of previous related skill, massed practice of a discrete sport skill may lead to better retention of learning over a two-week period.