A new study from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York could reveal why top goalkeepers are able to defend penalty kicks by knowing which direction to dive in advance.
Research in cognitive science can indicate whether a soccer player’s body will kick left or right seconds before the foot actually hits the ball.
Gabriel J. Diaz, a Rensselaer doctoral student, carried out the research using motion capture technology and computer analysis. Diaz found key indicators that determined which direction the ball would be kicked
He observed real-world penalty kicks studying how players aim for the left or right side of the goal but can disguise their direction from the goalkeeper.
Diaz said: “When a goalkeeper is in a penalty situation, they can’t wait until the ball is in the air before choosing whether to jump left or right — a well-placed penalty kick will get past them.”
“As a consequence, you see goalkeepers jumping before the foot hits the ball. My question is: are they making a choice better than chance (50/50), and if so, what kind of information might they be using to make their choice,” he added.
Testing 27 potential indicators of kick direction, Diaz found five reliable indicators of the direction of the ball. He used 12 indicators from sports literature and 15 from a computer analysis to determine the five most reliable indicators.
To see the full study findings go to: http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do
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