The organization of the knowledge structure of the back/pivot relationship in handball was examined in regards to the status of participant (player or trainer) and the position of players (back or pivot). Seven expert trainers and 20 professional players performed a similarity judgment task including 30 concepts within 4 main categories: defensive modalities, back's game, pivot's game and information about defenders. The Pathfinder network scaling technique was used to elicit knowledge structures. The data revealed that trainers organized concepts in 3 main categories based on the fundamental principles of handball game. In contrast, pivots and back players primarily organized their actions according to their own position, and predominantly formed knowledge units related to specific game situations. These units were more tactical and very operational. This difference could be related to the specific roles of players in complex and demanding tasks, and dedicated to their efficiency.
