TPCT Underwater Rugby Women
Effects of a Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) on Tactical Efficiency in Elite Women's Underwater Rugby: a Randomised Controlled Trial
Federal University of Vicosa
26 participants
May 1, 2026
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether adding a short, structured team-reflection protocol (Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking, TPCT) to regular elite women's underwater rugby training improves tactical efficiency. Both groups complete the same training content and time; the TPCT group uses brief guided discussion during recovery intervals, while the control group uses the same time for passive recovery. Tactical efficiency is assessed using video-recorded 3v3 scrimmages coded with the RUSTAC checklist at baseline and after 6 weeks.
Eligibility
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Interventions
Standardized underwater rugby tactical training delivered over 6 weeks (3 sessions/week; 18 sessions), \~2 hours/session. Sessions include structured warm-up and an identical tactical training dose across arms using constrained small-sided game bouts targeting pre-specified offensive and defensive tactical principles through constraint manipulation (e.g., space, numerical relations, rules). Free-play exposure is matched across arms. Between-bout intervals include passive recovery/hydration; any structured reflective questioning is delivered only via the TPCT intervention (when applicable).
A structured reflective questioning protocol embedded within regular training during recovery intervals between constrained small-sided game bouts. Delivered across the same 6-week period (3 sessions/week; 18 sessions) as MTT. During each recovery interval, the coach facilitates \~3 minutes of guided team discussion using a fixed set of prompts (e.g., intended objective, what helped/hindered, alternatives, and one collective adjustment for the next bout) to elicit interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and explanation of tactical decisions, supporting collective decision-making.
Locations(1)
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NCT07458581