“Practice, We’re Talking About Practice. . .for Holistic Development”

Effective skill acquisition environments are theorized to foster motor competence, promote vigorous physical activity, and facilitate cognitive development. This study examined the metabolic, motor, and cognitive characteristics of two object projection skill practice conditions, throwing and catching (TC) and kicking and receiving (KR), under both single- and dual-task formats in a diverse youth sample. Methods: Fifty children and adolescents (Mage = 11.6 ± 3.2 years) completed four skill trials (TC, KR, dual-task TC, and dual-task KR) in a within-subject crossover design. Metabolic equivalents of task (METs) were measured using indirect calorimetry (COSMED K5). Participants were stratified into quartiles based on skill scores (TC + KR baseline max total). Dependent variables included METs, total repetitions, ball speed, and error rates. Analyses of covariance (covariates: age, gender) assessed between-quartile differences. Results: METs exceeded vigorous thresholds (range = 10.1–11.5 METs) across all conditions. Absolute METs did not differ significantly between quartiles; however, change-from-rest values were highest in the highest performing group, especially in dual-task conditions. Quartile effects were significant for repetitions (p < .01), error rates (p < .001), and ball speed (p < .001), with the higher skilled participants demonstrating better cognitive performance (i.e., low error rates). Conclusion: Ecologically valid object control practice elicits vigorous energy expenditure regardless of skill while differentiating performance by competence. Findings support integrating motor–cognitive practice for holistic youth development.