Skill acquisition investigates the factors that affect the acquisition, performance, and retention of sports skills in both developing and elite athletes.

Skill acquisition specialists work to understand how individuals or groups are able to make decisions, source information, and produce complex movement patterns. This may include a number of tasks such as:

• Designing and implementing skill training sessions for individuals or teams.
• Providing coaches and service providers with guidance on using instructions and feedback.
• Developing appropriate skill-based tests to measure performance and learning.
• Delivering workshops and seminars to educate coaches and athletes on skill acquisition principles.
• Developing supplementary training sessions, often using video-based methods and the latest technologies such as simulation techniques and sensors.
• Working with other sports scientists to change technique, measure performance, or design appropriate training activities.
• Undertaking research to investigate key questions of interest, particularly relating to the application of skill acquisition in a high performance environment.