Objective: The study aimed to investigate the specificity of practice hypothesis in soccer by examining the impact of environmental light conditions on the learning of a soccer push pass. Specifically, it sought to determine whether practicing under natural or artificial light would influence skill acquisition and transfer when visual conditions changed. Method: Twenty-six male students (mean age 20.67 ± 1.78 years) with no prior experience in the experimental task were matched and divided into two practice groups based on their pre-test scores in the Mor-Christian Push Pass Test. One group trained under natural sunlight (daytime), while the other practiced under artificial gym light (nighttime) for six sessions (three times per week). Following the training phase, participants underwent immediate retention tests under the same light conditions as their practice. A delayed retention test was conducted ten days later. Data were analyzed using a 2 (group: natural vs. artificial light) × 2 (test condition: natural vs. artificial light) × 2 (test delay: immediate vs. delayed) repeated measures ANOVA via SPSS-16. Results: The results revealed no significant differences in skill acquisition between the two practice groups during training. However, during transfer tests where light conditions were altered, both groups exhibited a significant decline in performance. This finding supports the specificity of practice hypothesis, indicating that skill learning is context-dependent and performance deteriorates when environmental conditions change. Conclusions: The study confirms that soccer push pass performance is sensitive to the environmental context in which it is practiced. While both natural and artificial light conditions yielded similar skill acquisition, the inability to maintain performance under altered lighting suggests that practice specificity plays a critical role in motor learning. These findings highlight the importance of training under varied conditions to enhance adaptability and transferability of sport skills.
