Athletic talent development environments : An explorative case study

• This paper presents a holistic description of the psychosocial competencies and environmental conditions associated with successful talent development. Research into talent development has evolved from talent detection to talent development, both perspectives accepting an athlete centered approach. Recent research into athletic career transitions emphasizes the importance of context but often refers to context in a micro perspective (sport, education and family). This study expands the notion of context and emphasizes the embeddedness of an athlete into his or her context. The research strategy is a multiple case study. The study takes a current perspective investigating three actual athletic talent development environments in Scandinavia renowned for successful talent development. The members of the environment are young prospect athletes on the verge of making a transition to high level elite sports. Through an explorative integrative approach, the study aims to develop and refine hypotheses on optimal talent development environments. Methods of data collection include interviewing of club administrators, coaches, young prospect athletes, established elite athletes and also observations of daily life. This paper presents results from the first case, a Danish elite sailing environment, and preliminary results from the second case study, a Swedish track and Field club. On a descriptive level, the structure of the environment is outlined, and the roles and functions of components and relations in the environment are clarified. On an explanatory level, factors (preconditions, process and group culture) underpinning environmental success are identified and structured.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Social medicine

Socialmedicin

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)