ABSTRACT
Talent identification is seen as an effective first step on the path to athletic success. This chapter presents five factors that play a major role in the development of athletic ability. These are: deliberate practice; the role of the family in childhood; the role of coach and trainer; relative age effect; and birthplace effect. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing that provides analysis of genes in association with sports performance and sports talent is primarily based around the angiotensin I-converting enzyme and the gene for a-actinin-3. Aggressive marketing claims like those made by DTC companies often represent a clear overstatement of the predictive capabilities of genetic tests. Precisely how genetic testing should be used in the context of elite sport received mixed responses in the Varley et al. survey. As a matter of fact, people order DTC genetic tests for a variety of motivations that mirror what they perceive as multiple 'utilities' of the tests based on their preferences and values.
