Factors of a Long-Term Athlete Development

Abstract

Research aim was to analyze the factors of a long-term athlete development. The following research methods were applied: analysis of scientific literature and generalization methods to disclose the factors of a long-term athlete development. The analysis of scientific literature has revealed that the long-term athlete development is linked to variety of factors that can be analyzed with respect to either technological aspect of sport development, or social education aspect of the athlete. However, majority of scientists acknowledge the systematic development is a basis for the high performance athlete development. There were various multi-year athletes development programs adopted in the world aimed at selection of those talented in sports, their development, and sustainability of their mode of living. Though, current competition among the athletes forces the existing programs to be modified on a constant basis while making them market-oriented. The country level multiyear sport development program can be developed with respect to demographics, peculiarities of a specific sport, individual potential of the athletes, the selection methods of sports talents, and the applied sport system. Sports performance demands from the athlete to evaluate a lot of factors and implement them into everyday life. For the athlete it is necessary to estimate athletic and nonathletic factors, training program and genetic potential. Aiming at reaching sports result in competitive sport, athletes are required to invest in the different levels (financial, physical, social) during a very long period of time. In many cases the end of the sports career will be caused not only by the athletic or non-athletic factors, but also by the nearest environment (family, parents and friends). The technologies of athletes’ development do not include the development of physical motion abilities, potential powers, and finalization of sport career for children. Thus, these stages has to be analyzed educationally aiming to maintain a permanent link between an athlete and a sport. Factors of influence on a long-term athlete development can be categorized as: genetic, physiological, mental, social, and educational. Long-term athlete development includes factors of influence of both sport and non-sport activities. The enabling of those manifests itself with respect to time that is assigned by the individual athlete striving for the results. Keywords: sport talents, long-term athlete development, elite sport, sport system. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15823/sm.2016.14