ABSTRACT
The talent identification process usually involves screening anthropometric, physiological and/or technical attributes of current performers in order to identify individuals with potential to succeed in a designated sport. It needs to be emphasized early in this treatise however, that even though this definition of talent identification provides the focus of this chapter, a one-dimensional approach to talent identification based on anthropometric and physiological parameters can be misguided. Given that excellence in sport is not dependant on one standard set of skills but can be achieved through different combinations of abilities, a multidisciplinary approach addressing sociological, psychological and cognitiveperceptive skills (e.g. anticipation or decision-making) as well as anthropometric, physiological and technical predictors is an intuitively appealing and all-encompassing approach to identifying talent (Vaeyens et al., 2008). Identifying and developing talent is a complicated process, as it is genetically determined (nature) but also influenced by environmental conditions (nurture), and it is perhaps for these reasons that there is really no consensus as to the theory and methodology behind talent identification. It also needs to be noted that talent identification is different to talent detection, selection and development. Talent detection refers to the discovery of potential performers not involved in the sport in question, whereas talent selection involves the ongoing identification of athletes with the prerequisite levels of performance already involved in a sport. Talent development involves providing support and infrastructure to develop the detected, selected or identified talent. Little attention is given to talent detection, selection and development in this chapter, however in the real world there would be integration between these three components and talent identification. Rather, this chapter will discuss some of the issues implicit in talent identification and thereafter identify sports that may benefit from talent
identification. Typically these will be sports in which anthropometric and physiological parameters play a decisive role, as these qualities are easier to measure and talent subsequently easier to identify.
