Creative Thinking and Its Relationship with Shooting Skill among Female Basketball Players of Akkad Club under 22 years

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the level of creative thinking among the female basketball players of Akkad Club under 22 years , and to investigate the relationship between creative thinking and shooting skill performance among the players. The researchers employed the descriptive methodology using the correlational approach, given its appropriateness for the nature of the study and its objectives . The process of selecting the research population is a fundamental requirement in scientific research, as selection is always tied to the extent of its true representation of the original population. Accordingly, the researchers purposefully selected the study sample from the female players of Akkad Basketball Club under 22 years for the (2024–2025) season. The total population consisted of (10) players, with (2) players excluded for the pilot study, leaving (8) players in the final sample, representing (83.33%) of the population. After verifying the validity, reliability, and objectivity of the research tools, the researchers administered the Creative Thinking Questionnaire and conducted shooting skill tests (stationary shooting – lay-up – jump shot from beyond the arc) on January 11, 2025, for the (2024–2025) season. The results indicated several findings, most notably that there is a clear relationship between creative thinking and shooting skills in basketball. Specifically, the higher a player’s creative thinking ability, the greater her technical proficiency in basketball in general and in shooting in particular, which in turn positively impacts the overall performance of the team in league competitions. Moreover, the study revealed that the level of creative thinking among Akkad Club female players was high during their participation in the Iraqi Women’s Basketball League (2024–2025).