ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on psychological characteristics that appear to facilitate the acquisition of skill over an extended period of time. In order to reach high levels of expertise, athletes not only have to outperform their peers during training and games in youth competition, but also have to fulfill their full potential towards senior competitive levels. Self-regulation in the context of learning and development reflects an individual’s capacity to control his or her learning behavior. The motivational component refers to the degree to which learners are self-efficaciously, autonomously, and intrinsically motivated to attain a specific goal. The importance of effort in elite sports has been highlighted in prior research; Anshel and Porter reported that elite athletes were more willing to practice regularly and with optimal effort and concentration than regional athletes. Autonomy-supportive coaching practices that involve athletes in the processes of goal setting and feedback, and that take athletes’ developmental phases into account, seem advantageous.
