Coaches’ Adoption and Implementation of Sport Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development Model

Charlotte Beaudoin,François Trudeau,Bettina Callary

doi:10.1177/2158244015595269

Abstract

This work explores the adoption and implementation of Sport Canada’s long-term athlete development (LTAD) model by coaches and tries to understand the barriers to and enablers of these processes. LTAD adoption was studied in 14 coaches (5 female, 9 male) in seven sports while implementation was assessed among 10 different coaches (2 female, 8 male) from nine sports. Semistructured interviews ascertained coaches’ perceptions of and experiences with the LTAD model in their coaching practice. Coaches adhered to the global vision and general principles of LTAD. However, several barriers to LTAD adoption and implementation were identified. A mismatch between the model’s long-term and the short-term visions of results in sport was perceived as deterrent to LTAD adoption and implementation. Coaches involved in early development sports mentioned a lack of compatibility of LTAD with the demands of their sport. Coaches also perceived complexity in LTAD athlete’s developmental stage determination and the identification of “windows of opportunity” or critical periods. These barriers should be addressed to complete diffusion of LTAD among Canadian coaches.

Highlights

The development of an athlete is likened to an art where coaches are involved in complex orchestration of planning, executing training, and competition (Nash, Sproule, & Horton, 2011)
The purpose of this article was to explore how coaches adopted and implemented Sport Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model and to understand the barriers and enablers they see in these processes
Our case study is appropriate because its purpose is to gain deeper understanding of a complex phenomenon: how coaches adopt and implement Sport Canada’s LTAD model

Summary

Introduction

The development of an athlete is likened to an art where coaches are involved in complex orchestration of planning, executing training, and competition (Nash, Sproule, & Horton, 2011). Many models have been developed to help countries, sport clubs, and coaches prepare athletes to reach their full potential. Bruner, Erickson, Wilson, and Côté (2010) suggested that athlete development models were created with the mind-set of “continuity and developmental change across athlete developmental stages.”. Bruner, Erickson, Strachan, and Fraser-Thomas (2010) postulated that the key role of coaches at particular points in athletes’ development is to consider their global developmental pathway. In Canada, Balyi and Way (1995) developed the LTAD model to help enhance performance by internationally competitive Canadian athletes in some sports and slow the declining rate of physical activity by Canadians (Ifedi, 2005). Since 2005, Sport Canada has promoted the LTAD model to address this decline and help in the development of elite athletes. In its 2007 to 2012 Canadian Sport Policy, Sport Canada mentioned LTAD as “. In its 2007 to 2012 Canadian Sport Policy, Sport Canada mentioned LTAD as “. . . one of the potentially most significant advances in Canadian sport since the adoption of Canadian Sport Policy in 2002 . . .” (Canadian Heritage, 2007, p. 3)

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