ABSTRACT
Coaches can play a central role in the development of athletic talent in sport. This chapter aims to define important key concepts, reviews three talent development models and corresponding research, and discusses implications for future research and applied practice for coaches. The three development models are: Theory of Deliberate Practice, the Developmental Model of Sport Participation (DMSP), and the Long-Term Athletic Developmental Model. As sport participation continues to become increasingly competitive, the argument for early specialization or diversification in sport has become a hot topic of interest among researchers when considering the development of talent. The Theory of Deliberate Practice provided researchers with a framework to more critically examine the nature of talent development. The DMSP sought to provide more detail about the talent development process beyond just practice habits and to incorporate psychosocial aspects that play a role in an athlete’s development.
