ABSTRACT
In these days of the soundbite and the buzzword we often hear the phrase ‘World Class Sports Science Support’. This seems to conjure up the notion of ‘World Class Sports Science’ but actually refers to the ‘Sports Science Support’ provided to world class sports competitors. The phrase ‘Sports Science Support’ suggests support that is based on the results of sports science research. There is much to be said for this intention, but there are a number of factors that limit the theoretical underpinning of such support in sports biomechanics and other branches of sports science. First, it should be noted that, while there are some findings that are applicable to the majority of sports, the most useful results are often sport-specific. For example, the requirements for success in gymnastics from the perspectives of biomechanics, physiology, psychology and sociology of gymnastics are all quite different from the corresponding requirements for success in field hockey. This means that in order to provide well-informed advice on a particular sport from the perspective of a particular discipline it is necessary to have a body of research for that discipline-sport combination. Second, while the amount of sports science research is steadily increasing, the disciplinary study of individual sports is limited both by the large number of sports and by the relatively small number of sports scientists undertaking such research. As a consequence ‘World Class Sports Science Support’ will continue to be support that has a relatively weak foundation of relevant research. This will remain the situation until such time as some agency takes responsibility for the funding of sports science research.
