The Impact of an 8-Week Deliberate Practice Intervention on Coincidence Anticipation Timing and Long-Term Retention in Youth Female Volleyball Players

Background/Objectives: In interceptive sports like volleyball, the ability to accurately time an action relative to a moving object (Coincidence Anticipation Timing—CAT) is critical. This study investigated the effects of a structured 8-week deliberate practice intervention on CAT accuracy and its long-term retention in young female athletes. Methods: Thirty-two female volleyball players (aged 8–10 years) were randomly assigned to an Experimental Group (EG, n = 16) and a Control Group (CG, n = 16). The EG underwent a specialized 8-week training program focusing on progressive cognitive load and immediate knowledge of results, while the CG followed standard volleyball training. A single-blind assessor measured CAT at two velocities (5 mph and 10 mph) using the Bassin Anticipation Timer at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and a 2-month retention test. Results: ANCOVA revealed a significant group-by-time interaction (p < 0.001), with the EG demonstrating a substantial reduction in absolute timing error. The effect size was markedly higher at 10 mph (partial η2 = 0.400) compared to 5 mph (partial η2 = 0.197). Crucially, the EG maintained their performance gains during the retention test (p < 0.05), whereas the CG showed no significant improvement over time. Conclusions: Targeted deliberate practice effectively enhances temporal prediction accuracy in children, likely by facilitating a shift from reactive to predictive motor control. The robust retention of these skills underscores the significant neuroplasticity of the 8–10 age window, suggesting that early foundational timing interventions provide long-lasting benefits for athletic development.