Introduction In sports declarative tactical knowledge (DTK) refers to the athlete's ability to verbalize or narrate the facts relevant to task performance, referred to as "knowing what to do" in a given game situation. Understanding this variable is a relevant factor for progression of content in training sessions. Purpose This study aimed to assess DTK levels among young basketball athletes in U14 and U17 categories throughout a season, which we objectively and subjectively obtained through participation of coaches and athletes (self- assessment). Materials and methods Sixty-seven female basketball athletes (average age, 14.6±1.2) considering U14 (n=29) and U17 (n=38), and seven coaches (average age, 32.7±7.9) from respective teams participated in the study. The DTK Test in Basketball was used for objectively assessing DTK. The Subjective Assessment of the Coach (SAC) and Athlete`s Subjective Self-Assessment (ASS) were used for promoting subjective assessment. Results Our results demonstrated significant differences in DTK levels regarding SAC and ASS throughout the season. Furthermore, most of the coaches overestimated DTK levels of their athletes in both categories and were more precise in the SAC in the U17 category. The ASS showed that the players overestimated themselves in both categories at all moments throughout the season. Conclusions It is concluded that most of the coaches had difficulties in recognizing the DTK level of their U14 and U17 athletes, as well as the athletes, as they overestimated their knowledge when assessed subjectively. Thus, coaches and athletes were clearly found to have difficulty acknowledging tactical potential, important construct in the assessment of tactical ability.
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