ABSTRACT

Identifying athletic talent and developing that talent to its full potential is a central concern in sport. Understanding talent identification and its implications for both positive and negative developmental outcomes is crucial to sporting success. This is the first comprehensive resource for scientists, researchers, students, coaches, analysts and policymakers looking to improve their knowledge of the talent identification and development process.

With contributions from leading researchers and practitioners, this book offers a complete overview of contemporary talent identification and development from in-depth discussion of methodological and philosophical issues through to practical applications. Adopting an international and multi-disciplinary approach, it addresses all key aspects of the talent identification and development process, including skill acquisition and motor learning, psychological factors and family influences, creating optimal environments for performance, and dealing with injury and rehabilitation.

Presenting an unrivalled wealth of research, the Routledge Handbook of Talent Identification and Development in Sport is an essential resource for any undergraduate or postgraduate degree course in sport studies, sport science, sport coaching or sport management, as well as for sport policymakers, analysts and coaches.

chapter 1|8 pages

Talent Identification and Development in Sport

An introduction
ByJoseph Baker, Stephen Cobley, Jörg Schorer, Nick Wattie

part I|106 pages

Talent identification

chapter 2|9 pages

Does Talent Exist?

Yes!
ByDean Keith Simonton

chapter 3|16 pages

Does Talent Exist?

A re-evaluation of the nature–nurture debate
ByPaul Ward, Patrick Belling, Erich Petushek, Joyce Ehrlinger

chapter 4|16 pages

Conceptions of Giftedness and Talent

ByChristiane Fischer-Ontrup, Christian Fischer

chapter 6|11 pages

Why Conceptualizations of Talent Matter

Implications for skill acquisition and talent identification and development
ByNick Wattie, Joseph Baker

chapter 7|19 pages

On the Efficacy of Talent Identification and Talent Development Programmes

ByArne Güllich, Stephen Cobley

chapter 8|16 pages

Applied Statistics for Practitioners and Researchers

ByDirk Büsch, Urs Granacher

part II|154 pages

Talent development

chapter 9|17 pages

Sport Activity in Childhood

Early specialization and diversification
ByPaul R. Ford, A. Mark Williams

chapter 10|17 pages

Method in the Madness

Working towards a viable ‘paradigm’ for better understanding and supporting the athlete pathway
ByJuanita R. Weissensteiner

chapter 11|19 pages

Talent Identification and Development in the Context of “Growing up”

ByRobert M. Malina, Sean P. Cumming, Manuel J. Coelho-e-Silva, António J. Figueiredo

chapter 12|12 pages

Psychological Factors in Developing high Performance Athletes

ByAnne-Marie Elbe, Johan M. Wikman

chapter 13|11 pages

Family Influences on Talent Development in Sport

ByCamilla J. Knight

chapter 14|15 pages

Understanding Environmental and Task Constraints on Talent Development

Analysis of micro-structure of practice and macro-structure of development histories
ByKeith Davids, Arne Güllich, Richard Shuttleworth, Duarte Araújo

chapter 15|14 pages

Perceptual-Cognitive Training

The next piece of the puzzle
ByFlorian Loffing, Norbert Hagemann, Damian Farrow

chapter 16|15 pages

Windows of Optimal Development

ByDavid I. Anderson, Anthony M. Mayo

chapter 18|19 pages

Longitudinal Studies of Athlete Development

Their importance, methods and future considerations
ByStephen Cobley, Kevin Till

part III|78 pages

Creating optimal environments

chapter 19|15 pages

Creating Optimal Environments for Talent Development

A holistic ecological approach
ByKristoffer Henriksen, Natalia Stambulova

chapter 20|16 pages

On the (Potential) Value of Coaching

BySteven B. Rynne, Bob Crudgington, Rebecca K. Dickinson, Clifford J. Mallett

chapter 21|11 pages

Group Cohesion and Athlete Development

ByMark Eys, Todd M. Loughead, Michael Godfrey

chapter 22|13 pages

Applied Motor Learning

Optimal environments for successful development
ByAdam D. Gorman, Ian Renshaw

chapter 23|11 pages

Understanding Dropout in the Athlete Development Process

ByCarsten Hvid Larsen, Dorothee Alfermann

chapter 24|11 pages

A Smooth Sea Never Made a Skilful Sailor

Optimizing and exploiting the rocky road in talent development
ByDave Collins, Áine MacNamara

part IV|74 pages

Health and development concerns

chapter 25|13 pages

Understanding Underrecovery, Overtraining, and Burnout in the Developing Athlete

ByMaximilian Pelka, Michael Kellmann

chapter 26|16 pages

Medical Perspectives on Talent Development in Youth Sports

ByTamara John, Cordelia W. Carter

chapter 27|17 pages

Developing Talent While Promoting Positive Youth Development

A balancing act
ByJessica Fraser-Thomas, Theresa Beesley, Lauren Dickler, Meghan Harlow, Alexandra Mosher, Cassidy Preston, Lauren Wolman

chapter 28|15 pages

High Performance Sport and Athlete Health

BySrdjan Lemez, Fieke Rongen

chapter 29|12 pages

Issues of Maltreatment in High Performance Athlete Development

Mental toughness as a threat to athlete welfare
ByGretchen Kerr, Ashley Stirling

part V|56 pages

Emerging issues

chapter 30|10 pages

The Role of Analytics in Assessing Playing Talent

ByBill Gerrard

chapter 31|11 pages

Talent Development in Parasport

ByJoseph Baker, Srdjan Lemez, Andy Van Neutegem, Nick Wattie

chapter 32|12 pages

The Structured RePsychLing of Talent

Talent transfer
ByTracy Rea, David Lavallee

chapter 33|11 pages

Talent Policies

ByEivind Åsrum Skille, Cecilia Stenling, Josef Fahlén

chapter 34|11 pages

Concluding, but Definitely not Conclusive, Remarks on Talent Identification and Development

ByJörg Schorer, Nick Wattie, Stephen Cobley, Joseph Baker