The effect of behavioral skills training on shot performance in field hockey

O'Neill et al. (2020) tested if Behavioral Skills Training (BST) could teach better field-hockey shots. Three youth players got three short BST sessions. Each session had four parts: explain, show, try, and give feedback.

The coaches picked three shots to fix: push, hit, and slap. They filmed every shot and counted how many reached the target.

Every player improved every shot right after BST. No one needed extra drills. The gains stayed high when the team practiced later.

Saunders et al. (1988) saw the same four-part BST package help bank tellers smile more and greet customers. Both studies show BST works for kids and adults.

Pennington et al. (2017) warn that skills taught in one place may not move to the next. O'Neill’s team did not test other sports, so we do not know if hockey skill spills over to soccer or classroom behavior.

Quilitch (1975) found that giving one child food rewards helped the whole preschool class sit better. O'Neill used praise and feedback instead of food, yet both studies show simple reinforcement can lift group performance.

You can pack BST into quick warm-ups. Show the right form, let the athlete try twice, give praise and one fix, then repeat. It works for sports, office tasks, and daily living skills. Try filming one short skill today and run a mini-BST cycle—you should see change in minutes, not weeks.