ABSTRACT
The identification and development of the elite athletes of the future is an imperative for all sport organisations and national governing bodies. The requirement for any sport is to provide a high quality and sustainable route through which young athletes can develop the skills and abilities needed to continually move up towards elite status. The structural differences within different national governing bodies can impact and even determine policies for coach education and development, player development and, to some extent, competitive structures. Commitment to a specific athlete development system/structure for a minimum of ten years is essential if athlete and coach development alike is to follow a coherent pathway. Whilst predictive systems exist, nobody knows which child in a group has the potential to be the next elite athlete, so the coach working with children is just as important as one working with elite performers.
