Training soccer goalkeeping skills: Is video modeling enough?

Capalbo et al. (2022) worked with two 9-year-old soccer goalkeepers. They first showed the kids short clips of pro keepers making saves. Then they taped the kids and gave them quick replay notes on what to fix.

The coaches ran a multiple-baseline design across three goalkeeping moves. They checked if video modeling alone helped, then added video feedback to see the boost.

Video modeling by itself gave only small gains. When the coaches added instant video feedback, both kids jumped to game-ready form.

The combo package, VM+VF, made the big leap. VM alone was not enough for skilled play.

Martinez et al. (2024) ran a near-copy study with more kids. They found video feedback alone worked almost as well as VM+VF for ball control. Their 2024 data refine the 2022 claim: VF is the active piece; modeling is nice but not vital.

Koegel et al. (1992) saw the same pattern thirty years earlier. Adults with ID watched work videos, yet skills did not transfer until staff added rehearsal and feedback. The story repeats: video alone is weak; feedback turns it real.

Snapp et al. (2024) stretched the idea to high-school cheer. Video feedback alone cleaned up tumbling passes, showing the method travels across sports and ages.

You can drop the fancy modeling clips and still win. Record the learner’s own tries, play them back right away, and point out one fix. This saves prep time and works for any motor skill you can film—soccer, cheer, or vocational tasks. Start with feedback first; add modeling only if you need extra help.