ABSTRACT

This chapter offers an overview of the psychological characteristics of developing excellence (PCDE) framework, and draws on evidence from literature and research. It discusses the operationalisation of this in a school sport environment. Even if a young athlete looks like the ‘real deal’ and is performing at a high level as a youth, they must possess and systematically develop the PCDEs that allow them to interact effectively with the developmental opportunities encountered along the pathway. In an effort to accelerate young athletes’ progress, talent development environments often minimise the number and certainly the impact of developmental challenges on young athletes. Incorporating PCDEs into the coaching environment is a key step in encouraging young athletes to behave like champions and make the most of the opportunities they are afforded. The PCDE skill set has been shown to be comprehensive enough to help athletes cope with, and optimally benefit from, the range of challenges inherent in their pathway.