6 Steps to Improve Athletes’ Decision-Making in Games
Decision-making is one of the most important skills in sports, with research showing that perceptual-cognitive abilities like scanning, response time, and accuracy separate elite athletes from the rest (Mann et al., 2007). The ability to quickly decide when to pass, shoot, or move is critical to high-level performance.
The good news? Decision-making is trainable. Studies indicate that athletes can systematically improve their ability to see, process, and respond under pressure (Vaeyens et al., 2007). Below, we break down six practical, evidence-based steps to enhance your decision-making in games.
Step 1: Add Scanning
The first step to making better choices is picking up the correct information early. Elite athletes are known for their ability to scan more frequently, which enhances their awareness of their surroundings (teammates, opponents, and space), anticipation, and decision-making accuracy (Jordet et al., 2020).
How to train scanning:
Level 1 (solo): While performing a skill (e.g., dribbling around cones), call out random objects you see around you (e.g., “yellow sign”).
Level 2 (solo or partner): Call out random cues (numbers, colors, etc.) shown by a partner, or an app like SwitchedOn (Watch demo on YouTube).
Level 3 (partner or team): Have the partner show the random cues while moving.
Step 2: Add Decision-Making
Most drills repeat pre-planned movements, but real games are unpredictable. Adding decision-making elements makes training more game-realistic and improves transfer.
How to train decision-making:
Level 1 (solo): React to randomized cues (colors, arrows, numbers) (Watch demo on YouTube).
Level 2 (partner): Play 1v1 duels where you’re reacting to a partner.
Level 3 (team): Use small-sided games that force constant choices.
Research by Lucia et al. (2023) found that reacting to randomized cues (colors, arrows, etc.) improved decision speed by 5.4% and accuracy by 25.8% compared to traditional skill training
Step 3: Increase Time Constraints
Sports demand split-second decisions. Training with shorter time windows develops faster processing and sharper execution.
How to increase time constraints:
Level 1 (solo): Reduce reaction windows (e.g., 1s → 0.8s), which can be done easily with tools like the SwitchedOn app.
Level 2 (partner): React to a faster partner or opponent.
Level 3 (team): Shrink the field size during small-sided games.
Step 4: Add Pressure
Anxiety affects decision-making, but instead of trying to eliminate pressure, train with it. Strategically increasing pressure during training has been found to help improve athletes’ abilities to cope with pressure in competition (Low et al., 2023)
How to add pressure:
Level 1 (solo): Add consequences for mistakes (e.g., push-ups for missed goals).
Level 2 (partner): Play 1v1s where the loser faces a consequence (e.g., 20 push-ups)
Level 3 (team): Team challenges (losers clean up, winners get recognition).
Step 5: Watch Film
Film isn’t just for coaches. Watching and analyzing video enhances pattern recognition and anticipation, providing athletes with a mental edge.
How to effectively watch film:
Review your own clips to spot tendencies and habits.
Study elite players to learn high-level solutions.
Try the Pause → Predict → Play method: stop before a decision point, predict the action, then watch to compare (Watch demo on YouTube).
Step 6: Visualization
Visualization (also known as mental imagery) enhances decision-making by forming neural connections that mimic real-world competition. Research shows it activates many of the same brain pathways as physical practice (Guillot & Collet, 2008). The PETTLEP method is a scientifically designed checklist for making visualization as realistic and effective as possible.
How to visualize using the PETTLEP method:
P – Physical: Feel the movement.
E – Environment: Picture the game setting.
T – Task: Rehearse the skill or play.
T – Timing: Do it in real speed.
L – Learning: Update as you progress.
E – Emotion: Add pressure/excitement.
P – Perspective: See it through your own eyes.
Here’s a guided visualization video on YouTube. It’s designed for soccer players but easily adaptable to athletes in any sport.
Final Takeaway
Decision-making in sports isn’t just instinct; it’s a skill you can train. By adding scanning, unpredictability, time pressure, competitive stress, film study, and visualization into your routine, you’ll prepare your brain the same way you prepare your body.
The SwitchedOn app makes it easy to integrate these principles with randomized visual and audio cues that sharpen scanning, reaction time, and decision-making. Download for free using the buttons below.