Coming to grips with the application of predictive processing in sports and sports coaching

The predictive processing framework – which casts the brain as an “organic prediction engine” that continuously generates and refines predictions about the world and how it works – conveys an intriguing, evidence-based account of how people operate in a complex and ever-changing world. Consequently, there has been growing interest within sports coaching about what the predictive processing framework might offer for explaining and enhancing sports performance. However, coming to grips with the framework and how to apply the principles to develop sporting skills is not a straightforward proposition. To support sports coaching researchers and practitioners in this endeavour, this article first offers a brief introduction to the predictive processing framework. The article then extends the framework to describe how these principles might operate in sports and sports coaching contexts. In outlining these sporting accounts, the hope is to provide a foundation for understanding and applying predictive processing principles to support and enhance sports performance.