ABSTRACT
Introduction In this chapter I will offer a socially critical explanation of two key ways in which the concept or notion of ability can influence the engagement and progress of children and young people in sport. In the first instance I will focus on the exclusionary consequences of common and prevailing understandings of ability and their notable influence in numerous talent identification processes. Second, I will offer an alternative social construction conception of ability to demonstrate the arbitrary nature of ability and its potential for influencing the inclusion and exclusion of young people in a movement culture such as sport.
