TPCT Underwater Rugby Women

NCT07458581 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: TPCT-UWRW
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 26
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief 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.

Conditions

Sport; Sport Participation; Teamwork; Tactical Index

Keywords

Tactics; Critical thinking; Team sports; Underwater rugby

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Overall tactical efficiency (RUSTAC overall index)

  Overall tactical efficiency derived from video-based coding of standardized 3v3 underwater rugby scrimmages using the RUSTAC checklist. The overall index is computed as successful tactical actions relative to total tactical decisions (expressed as successful actions per 100 decisions) across offensive and defensive phases.

  Baseline (Visit 1; up to 50 minutes) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2; up to 50 minutes)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Defensive coverage efficiency (RUSTAC principle-specific index)

  Baseline (Visit 1; up to 50 minutes) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2; up to 50 minutes)

• Recovery efficiency (RUSTAC principle-specific index)

  Baseline (Visit 1; up to 50 minutes) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2; up to 50 minutes)

• Penetration efficiency (RUSTAC principle-specific index)

  Baseline (Visit 1; up to 50 minutes) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2; up to 50 minutes)

• Offensive coverage efficiency (RUSTAC principle-specific index)

  Baseline (Visit 1; up to 50 minutes) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2; up to 50 minutes)

• Space management efficiency (RUSTAC principle-specific index)

  Baseline (Visit 1; up to 50 minutes) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2; up to 50 minutes)

Study Arms (2)

TPCT (Structured Reflective Questioning) + Matched Tactical Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete the same underwater rugby training dose and content as the control arm. In addition, they engage in brief, structured team reflection (\~3 minutes) during recovery intervals between constrained small-sided game bouts, guided by a fixed TPCT questioning protocol targeting tactical critical thinking and collective decision-making.

Behavioral: Matched Tactical Training Programme (MTT); Behavioral: Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) - Structured Reflective Questioning

Matched Tactical Training (MTT) Only (Passive Recovery)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants complete the same Matched Tactical Training Programme (MTT) dose and content as the experimental arm. Recovery intervals between constrained small-sided game bouts are used for passive recovery/hydration without structured reflective questioning or guided discussion.

Behavioral: Matched Tactical Training Programme (MTT)

Interventions

Matched Tactical Training Programme (MTT) BEHAVIORAL

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).

Matched Tactical Training (MTT) Only (Passive Recovery); TPCT (Structured Reflective Questioning) + Matched Tactical Training

Tactical Programme for Critical Thinking (TPCT) - Structured Reflective Questioning BEHAVIORAL

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.

TPCT (Structured Reflective Questioning) + Matched Tactical Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Female elite underwater rugby players aged ≥18 years.
• Officially rostered members of the participating high-performance team/squad.
• Regular training participation (minimum 2 sessions per week) in the team's programme.
• Able to complete study procedures at Baseline (Visit 1) and Post-intervention at 6 weeks (Visit 2), including standardized 3v3 scrimmage video assessment.
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Current injury, illness, or medical condition that prevents full participation in regular underwater rugby training during the intervention period.
• Anticipated prolonged absence (e.g., travel/competing/other commitments) that would prevent meaningful exposure to the intervention dose (e.g., missing \>20% of sessions).
• Inability to complete the assessment procedures reliably (e.g., unable to participate in the standardized 3v3 assessment or comply with study instructions).
• Declines participation or withdraws consent.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Federal University of Vicosa: lead

Study Sites (1)

Tecnológico de Antioquia

Medellín, Colombia

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Samuel Jose GAVIRIA ALZATE, PhD

CONTACT

+573192772912; samuel.gaviria@tdea.edu.co

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Participants and coaches cannot be blinded due to the behavioural nature of the intervention. Tactical performance is captured on video and coded by independent assessors who are blinded to group allocation and assessment time point. Videos are anonymised and labelled with neutral IDs; group-specific discussion segments are not included in the footage provided for coding to preserve assessor blinding.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Co-investigator

Model Details: Parallel-group, two-arm randomized controlled trial. Eligible athletes are allocated 1:1 to TPCT (structured reflective questioning embedded during recovery intervals between constrained small-sided game bouts) or an active control condition (identical training content and time, with passive recovery/hydration instead of guided discussion). Outcomes are assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention (6 weeks) using blinded video-based coding.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 2, 2026
• First Posted: March 9, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CO (1)