Talent development environment in sport: An explorative case study based on the system's theory framework

Abstract

This paper aims at presenting a holistic description of environmental conditions and psychosocial competencies associated with successful talent development in sport. Most of the research conducted on psychological aspects of athletic talent development has been retrospective and accepted an athlete-centred approach (Bloom, 1985; Ericsson, 1996; see Durand-Bush & Salmela, 2001 for review) This study shifts its focus from an individual athlete to all kinds of psychosocial environmental conditions working as resources and/or barriers for the athletic talent development. The system’s theory (Patton & McMahon, 2006) is used as a theoretical framework for this multi-case study. It emphasizes the wholeness of intra-individual and contextual influences on a person and interrelations between these influences. A talented athlete is seen as fully embedded into this context. The project is supposed to compare four athletic environments (sport clubs in Denmark and Sweden) renowned for successful athletic talent development. This paper will focus on the results of the first case study where the research methodology is going to be tested. The study has a qualitative and explorative nature seeking to develop and refine hypothesis on optimal talent development environments. Methods of data collection include interviewing of club administrators, coaches, young prospect athletes, their parents, and also observations of daily life in the environments to obtain systematic and detailed knowledge of athletic talent development as it occurs in the real world.