ABSTRACT
This chapter is devoted to discussion of a the sport activity of particular relevance to the sampling years and sport expertise development, deliberate play. Specialization in one sport and intense investment in sport-specific practice is, without any doubt, a prerequisite for the attainment of expertise. The restricted number of available spots on professional and national teams limits the odds of competing at an elite level of performance in sport, even for young athletes who are investing in sport at an early age. The developmental model of sport participation suggests a progression in sport for both expert and recreational athletes that is based on a diversity of sport experiences during childhood. When diversity precedes specialization in sport, it creates conditions that impact the commitment of the young athlete to later invest in sport. The chapter presents the developmental account of sport expertise, with particular focus on the early stages of athlete development during childhood.
