Athlete Development Research Articles

The Associations Between Talent Development Environments and Psychological Skills in Iranian Youth Athletes: A Variable and Person-Centered Approach

The environment plays a significant role in the development of talent athletes. A big part of this is preparing athletes with the psychological skills to cope and thrive through the challenges of their sporting journey. Understanding which features of the talent development environment (TDE) best facilitate psychological skill use would be extremely useful for coaches to understand. As such, the main aim of this research was to investigate the relationships between TDE factors and psychological skills through a variable and person-centered approach (i.e., use of both regression and cluster analyses). A second aim was to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 (TDEQ-5) providing an initial validation for its use in Persian speaking cultures. To this end, the TDEQ-5 and Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports—Youth version—Short Form were administered to 371 Iranian athletes. The results showed that higher quality TDEs predicted higher psychological skill use. Specifically, holistic quality preparation predicted all five psychological skills, while long-term development predicted anxiety control and alignment of expectations predicted self-confidence. The Persian TDEQ-5 was found to be a valid and reliable tool. Implications for coaches and those in charge of TDEs are discussed.

Talent Identification in Youth Basketball: Talent Scouts’ Perceptions of the Key Attributes for Athlete Development

The objective of this study is to understand the attributes youth coaches and talent scouts perceive as important when identifying skilled youth basketball players. Youth coaches and talent scouts (n = 40) from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and United States with an average of 14.09 (±9.77) years of experience completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire asked participants to rank and justify attributes for identifying potentially talented youth basketball players according to their perceived importance. In addition, five youth coaches and talent scouts completed a semistructured interview that elaborated on how they identify these attributes in national-level youth players. Results from the questionnaire indicate a hierarchy of attributes coaches/scouts perceive as important for youth basketball performance, including tactical (i.e., decision-making ability), technical (i.e., layup, shooting in the paint, jump shot, rebounding), and psychological attributes (i.e., composure, concentration, adaptability). In addition, the results from the interviews provided more detailed justification for the importance of these attributes within the talent identification process. It is believed talent scouts apply a holistic multidisciplinary approach to talent identification, with the current findings potentially providing evidence to suggest coaches/scouts consider a wide range of tactical, technical, psychological, and physical attributes when identifying youth players.

Testing and Profiling Athletes: Recommendations for Test Selection, Implementation, and Maximizing Information

ABSTRACT Understanding the physical qualities of athletes can lead to improved training prescription, monitoring, and ranking. Consequently, testing and profiling athletes is an important aspect of strength and conditioning. However, results can often be difficult to interpret because of the wide range of available tests and outcome variables, the diverse forms of technology used, and the varying levels of standardization implemented. Furthermore, physical qualities can easily be misrepresented without careful consideration if fundamental scientific principles are not followed. This review discusses how to develop impactful testing batteries so that practitioners can maximize their understanding of athletic development while helping to monitor changes in performance to better individualize and support training. It also provides recommendations on the selection of tests and their outcome measures; considerations for the proper interpretation, setup, and standardization of testing protocols; methods to maximize testing information; and techniques to enhance visualization and interpretation.

Youth athletes at Swedish sports high schools with an athletics specialism emphasise environmental support for injury risk management: a focus group study

In this study, we examined knowledge and understanding of sport-related injuries among youth athletics (track and field) athletes and assessed their needs in managing any health problems. Qualitative data were...

Professional Athletes’ Visual Self-Presentation Strategies: An Investigation on Instagram

The purpose of this study was to determine how professional athletes in different branches perform their visual self-presentation on Instagram, a social media platform. Embedded design, one of the mixed methods, examined 24 professional athletes. To create the group for study in this research, including football, basketball, tennis and track and field athletes, we used criterion sampling, a purposeful sampling method. Specifically, a total of 5030 posted photos and 854 videos were analysed. In the study, we used thematic coding to conduct content analysis by the subject and purpose of the research (Geurin-Eagleman & Burch, 2016) as well as open coding. Chi-squared was calculated to measure gender differences. Most of the athletes’ shared contents and their likes and comments fell under the theme of business life, followed by personal life content. The professional athletes showed differences according to gender and sport in the themes of what they posted on Instagram. The men posted much more actively than the women. Athletes in individual sports also posted less content than team sport athletes. It was striking how little content these professional athletes, especially women and individual athletes, produced about their fans. This research can contribute to the diversification of research on the brand development and strengthening strategies of athletes in the Instagram application and to better understand the use of Instagram by professional athletes. It can also provide a perspective on Instagram usage strategies for professional athletes and athletes with high-performance potential.

Excellence fulfilled? On the unique developmental needs of professional athletes.

While the term "athlete development" has been used to capture the changes (physical, psychological, etc.) that occur as an athlete moves from initial sport engagement to elite performance, much of the research in this area has focused on earlier stages of the pathway, with very little work examining the highest levels of sport. Considering a person's bio-psycho-social development continues through adulthood, the limited attention to development for athletes at higher competitive levels is perhaps surprising. In this short article, we highlight several notable discrepancies between different competitive levels (e.g., pre-professional sport and professional sport) in the way development is conceptualized, contextualized, and operationalized. We use available evidence to provide guidance for researchers and practitioners to encourage the delivery of structured developmental programming in professional sport systems to aid with the transitionary period between pre-elite and elite levels, and to help foster career longevity.

Neck strength and force in reaction time task of adolescent athletes with and without concussion history: A pilot study

ObjectivesAssess the impact of concussion by comparing reaction time, peak force recruitment, and rate of force development of adolescent athletes returning from concussion against age- and sex-matched controls in visual-elicited neck movement. DesignAthletes sat secured in a custom-built isometric device with their heads secured in a helmet and attached to a 6-axis load cell. They performed neck flexion, extension, and lateral flexion in response to a visual cue. Three trials in each direction were used for statistical analyses; peak force and rate of force development were normalized against athlete mass. SettingLaboratory. Participants26 adolescent/young adult athletes (8F/18M), either recently concussed (and cleared for return to sport) or an age- and sex-matched healthy control. Main outcome measuresReaction time, angle, standard deviation of angle, deviation from target angle, peak force, and RFD over 50, 100, 150,and 200 ms of movement were measured for each trial. ResultsConcussed athletes had decreased normalized peak force (P = 0.008) and rate of force development (P < 0.001–0.007). In neck extension, concussed athletes also had decreased movement precision (P = 0.012). ConclusionsConcussion is associated with alterations of neck biomechanics that decrease overall neck strength.

Language games and blurry terminology: Can clarity enhance athlete development?

This perspective focuses on the need for researchers and practitioners to carefully consider the clarity and consistency of their language in the context of athlete development. Evidence supporting a lack of congruency in the way certain terms and expressions are defined, understood, and operationalized continues to accumulate, highlighting the importance of this area for sport stakeholders and the potential looming crises. In systems that regularly rely on precision and accuracy, it will be critical that all involved in the co-creation of knowledge generation and application carefully consider terms that may further complicate athlete development practices. We highlight some potentially blurry terms and draw attention to potential avenues for future research.

The Relative Age Effect in Ice Hockey: Analysis of Its Presence, Its Fading and of a Reversal Effect among Junior and Professional Leagues.

This study analyzes the relative age effect (RAE) among the world's best junior hockey leagues and in the NHL. Despite the prevalence of RAE in ice hockey, past research suggests its fading-reversal over time, which may occur at later stages of athletic development. The hypothesis of the RAE reversal was tested with two sources of raw data files from the 2021-2022 season: 15 of the best international junior and minor professional leagues (N = 7 399) and the NHL (N = 812). Birth quartile distributions were analyzed to verify the prevalence of RAE and quantile regression was used to test the reversal of RAE hypotheses. Advanced hockey metrics were aggregated from multiple data sources and used to compare early born with late born players using birth quartiles. Prevalence of the RAE was verified with crosstabs analyses and quantile regression was used to test the reversal effect. Results indicated that the RAE still prevailed in ice hockey, with higher magnitude in Canadian leagues. Regression analyses showed that late-born junior and minor pro players, despite getting less exposure in terms of games played, attained levels of offensive production similar to those of early born players. Late-born players able to emerge in the NHL performed similarly and sometimes displayed better performance (in some markers). Results suggest that stakeholders should find ways to pay special attention to late born players in talent identification processes and offer them opportunities to develop at the highest levels.

To Sample or to Specialise? Sport Participation Patterns of Youth Team Sport Male Players

This study characterised the sport participation patterns of 546 male youth team sport players. A retrospective questionnaire was used to identify the sport starting age (general sports and main sport) and the quantity and type of sports undertaken during the early years of development. A mixed-ANOVA and Chi-square tests were implemented. All participants started involvement in sports at the same age (~5 years) and participated in the same number of sports during their early years (1 to 2 sports). However, football players started participating mainly in team games (football, futsal) and water polo players in CGS sports (swimming). Participants reported different ages for initial participation in: (i) main sport (football players started participating earlier, around 5-6 years), (ii) onset of specialisation (football players specialised earlier, around 7 or 8 years), (iii) types of sports engaged in (football players were involved in more team games and water polo in more CGS sports), and (iv) variations in weekly training hours (water polo reported more hours of training). This study provided empirical evidence for understanding the effects of different sporting pathways on long-term athlete development. Some key incongruities between contemporary knowledge and practice are acknowledged. Further investigations should be developed by examining the trajectories in different sports, countries, genders, and cultural contexts.

Education Through Sports of Migrants Sports Professionals in European Countries: A Comparative Study

At this time and age, there is increased globalization and professionalization within sports. Athletes increasingly migrate across national borders, searching for work, shaping, and living their athletic and non-athletic development in different countries. However, their knowledge and skills are vital to determine since these upskills will contribute considerably to the success of the sports organization. Hence, a study was conducted to compare the knowledge and skills of migrant sports professionals in Bulgaria [25], Italy [25], and Spain [25] and to determine the expertise of the trainers. The quasi-experimental research design was utilized. A paired sample T-test was used to determine whether the ETS program enhanced the level of knowledge and skills of migrant sports professionals. ANOVA was used to determine the significant differences. Significant differences were observed among the three countries in the migrants’ knowledge and skills in the pretest-posttest, p=0.000. Regarding the trainers, there were significant differences between and among expertise, clarity, culture, time management, and responsiveness. Compared to the pretest-posttest, it showed a significant difference, p=000. This study suggests migrant professionals’ knowledge and skills improved after implementing the ETS program.

Lifespan models of athlete development: What have we learned from previous attempts?

Sport has a unique place in many cultures, emphasizing the links between physical elements of movement with psychological and social outcomes. Sport participation continues to attract the interest of researchers from a range of perspectives, yet there remains a strong need to understand the "who", "what", "where", "when" and "why" aspects of sport involvement over the life course. While the research literature includes multiple athlete development models that consider these components, they are incomplete frameworks for understanding lifespan sport engagement. In this article, we discuss the value in building multidimensional developmental models of sport participation that encapsulate experiences across all ages and stages of competitive and recreational sport, and pay special attention to the high degree of complexity of the movement between and within sport both competitively and recreationally. In addition, we highlight several challenges to creating such a lifespan development model, and consider areas of future direction to overcome some of these hurdles.

ATHLETICS DEVELOPMENT IN THE TULA REGION

In the study, the authors set a goal to analyze the history of the development of athletics in the Tula region in the XX–XXI centuries. Materials and methods: the achievement of the goal was ensured by using the method of theoretical analysis and generalization of literary and documentary sources on the identified problem. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that the main stages of the development of athletics in the Tula region are highlighted, scattered information is systematized on creating conditions for development through the implementation of state tasks and strengthening the material and technical base, on ongoing sports events and achievements of athletes in the region at the national and international levels.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results. Available data suggests that athletics in the Tula region originates in 1912. The most popular athletics disciplines were pole vaulting, running at various distances, and hammer throwing. During the formation of the young Soviet state, the leadership of the region began to pay close attention to improving the material and technical base to ensure a high-quality training process and increase the athletic performance of athletes. From 1930 to 1945, athletics, along with cycling and skiing, was used as one of the most effective means of training defenders of the Fatherland.&#x0D; &#x0D; Analysis of the history of athletics in the second half of the twentieth century indicates that the most effective period is 1950–1965. It was during this period that Tula athletes, together with cyclists, were the first representatives of this region to take part in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki and 1956 in Melbourne. Athletes A. Chudina, G. Suchkov, A. Yulin brought worldwide fame to their region. Subsequently, S. Zhelanov, N. Roshchupkina, N. Kovtun, T. Ledovskaya, N. Nazarova, O. Zykina contributed to the piggy bank of sports achievements of the region.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusions. The conducted research made it possible to identify the main stages of the development of athletics in the Tula region, which are associated with such facts as the start of operation of various sports facilities, holding competitions of various levels, etc. The current state of physical culture and sports allows us to state that athletics in the Tula region is a popular, sought-after sport, and inspires confidence in the success of development in the future.

Physical development of adolescents with different levels of motor activity

As part of the study, the physical development of adolescents was evaluated depending on the level of daily motor activity and individual anthropometric indicators of professional athletes. The physical development indicators of 423 boys aged 16 to 18 years were analyzed, which were divided into 3 groups depending on the level of daily physical activity: professional athletes, with additional physical activity, with the usual level of physical activity. The data were collected as a result of a routine medical examination in the period from June to October 2022. The results showed that children aged 16 and 17 with a normal level of motor activity were statistically significantly lower and had less body weight compared to the other groups. The analysis of the fatness index also confirmed the data obtained in the age group of 18‑year-olds. The largest proportion of children (at 16 years — 17.6 %; at 17 years — 33, %) with disharmonious or distinct disharmonious physical development was revealed in the group of children with normal physical activity; no cases of distinct disharmonious level of physical development were found among adolescent athletes. Statistically significant differences in anthropometric indicators among professionally engaged in sports adolescents aged 16 to 18 years were not revealed, while in children with a normal level of physical activity in these age groups, changes in indicators are pronounced, which may indicate an earlier and smoother biological development of adolescent athletes. The use of mass-growth indicators makes it possible to more accurately assess the achieved level of physical development and the level of its harmony.

National Strength and Conditioning Association Position Statement on Weightlifting for Sports Performance.

Comfort, P, Haff, GG, Suchomel, TJ, Soriano, MA, Pierce, KC, Hornsby, WG, Haff, EE, Sommerfield, LM, Chavda, S, Morris, SJ, Fry, AC, and Stone, MH. National Strength and Conditioning Association position statement on weightlifting for sports performance. J Strength Cond Res 37(6): 1163-1190, 2023-The origins of weightlifting and feats of strength span back to ancient Egypt, China, and Greece, with the introduction of weightlifting into the Olympic Games in 1896. However, it was not until the 1950s that training based on weightlifting was adopted by strength coaches working with team sports and athletics, with weightlifting research in peer-reviewed journals becoming prominent since the 1970s. Over the past few decades, researchers have focused on the use of weightlifting-based training to enhance performance in nonweightlifters because of the biomechanical similarities (e.g., rapid forceful extension of the hips, knees, and ankles) associated with the second pull phase of the clean and snatch, the drive/thrust phase of the jerk and athletic tasks such as jumping and sprinting. The highest force, rate of force development, and power outputs have been reported during such movements, highlighting the potential for such tasks to enhance these key physical qualities in athletes. In addition, the ability to manipulate barbell load across the extensive range of weightlifting exercises and their derivatives permits the strength and conditioning coach the opportunity to emphasize the development of strength-speed and speed-strength, as required for the individual athlete. As such, the results of numerous longitudinal studies and subsequent meta-analyses demonstrate the inclusion of weightlifting exercises into strength and conditioning programs results in greater improvements in force-production characteristics and performance in athletic tasks than general resistance training or plyometric training alone. However, it is essential that such exercises are appropriately programmed adopting a sequential approach across training blocks (including exercise variation, loads, and volumes) to ensure the desired adaptations, whereas strength and conditioning coaches emphasize appropriate technique and skill development of athletes performing such exercises.

Exploring Dynamics of Changes in Psychological Skills in the Development of Talented Athletes.

In this study we examined changes in a psychological skill set, defined as crucial for the growth of talented athletes, through repeated assessments of the six-factor Psychological Characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire (PCDEQ). In a first phase of this study, we built and evaluated a French adaptation of the PCDEQ: the PCDEQ-SV (18 items). After confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha revealed that scales for its six factors ranged from very good to just below minimally acceptable as a model fit. The mean inter-item correlations for the scales, built on three items per scale, were optimal, leading us to assume that this short version was reliable. In the second phase, we analyzed the changes in the skill sets of 67 talented Swiss athletes who were given the PCDEQ-SV three times over 1year. Feedback on the scores was provided to participants in comparison to the test's cutoffs after T1 and T2. The analysis then focused on those who scored below the cutoffs and their resources for skill improvements. We found that the highest number of participants scored below the cutoffs at testing times, T1 and T2 on Factors 2, 6 and 1. Changes in scores were characterized by overall dynamics of improvement. The resources most used to effect those changes were "personal work with no outside help," "discussions with significant others," and "specific work with the coach." The results are discussed in relation to the iGen's resources for self-determination of psychological skills improvement.

Genetic Markers that Predict the Formation of Certain Body Types and the Development of Motor Qualities

Purpose of the study-development of criteria and techniques for the prognostic selection of athletes based not only on the signs of the phenotype but also on the indicators of genetic markers that predict the development of certain physical qualities and the formation of certain body types. Material and Methods: The assessment of the physical development of athletes was carried out based on anthropometric methods according to the recommendations set forth by E.G. Martirosov, 1982 [1]. The type of constitution was determined by the Heath-Carter method, 1989 with the identification of ecto, endo, and mesomorphic components, calculated using special formulas. The HLA- genetic system was identified by typing in the microcyto-lymphotoxin test according to the method of Yu.M. Zaretskaya, and V.M. Abramov [3]. Research results: Athletes-rowers with the highest sports qualifications - masters of sports of international class and masters of sports, represent a fairly homogeneous sample: 75% of athletes have an endo-mesomorphic type, 16.7% have an ecto-endomorphic type, 8.3% have an ecto-mesomorphic type of. For a more reliable clarification of the role of the HLA system genes in the program of individual development, the associations of sub loco A, B, and C of the HLA complex with the somatotype were studied. So, for endo-mesomorphic somatotypes, significant specific associations with antigens HLA-A3, HLA-A9, HLA-A11, sublocus HLA-B35, as well as HLA-СW4 and HLA-СW6 were revealed. Ecto-mesomorphic somatotypes had significant associations with antigens of the sublocus HLA-CW-5, A-10. It has been established that for athletes specializing in speed-strength sports (rowing, boxing), the haplotype HLA-A1 and B-35 are specific at X2-5.76. Intergroup comparison of frequencies of registration of the antigenic composition revealed that the content of HLA-B7 in athletes - power workers (wrestling) are significantly higher and significantly at x = 6.645, that is, HLA-B7 can be considered as a genetic marker of strength qualities. It has been established that for athletes specializing in speed-strength sports (rowing, boxing), the haplotype HLA-A1 and B-35 are specific at X2-5.76. Conclusions: Specific genetic markers associated not only with the formation of certain types of physique but also predicting the spectrum of development of several physical qualities that are of selective importance in the practice of sports have been established.

The attraction, retention, and transition of elite sport development pathways in surfing in Australia

ABSTRACT Purpose Successful athlete development is subject to stakeholder involvement with the delivery of development pathways. This paper explores the role of stakeholders on elite surfer development during its transition to an Olympic sport. Research methods Semi-structured interviews with 26 staff from surfing organisations were used to explore stakeholder involvement in elite surfer pathways. Findings Local clubs are responsible for supporting talented surfers to progress to higher levels of competition. Their limited access to support from other stakeholders is problematic because clubs lack capacity to provide surfers with the opportunities to succeed, and on their pursuit of competing at the Olympics, surfers “drop out”. Practical implications The important role that local clubs play on athletes’ Attraction-Retention-Transition-Nurturing (ARTN) processes and success, points to the need to revisit the level of support clubs receive, especially if they are to continue laying the foundations and underpin surfers’ success at the Olympics. Research contribution A novel outlook on the ARTN framework has been gained by illustrating the need for structural changes on stakeholder involvement with surfer development as that need is brought on to a typically lifestyle sport transitioning into an Olympic sport.

Local Government Policy Concerning the Development of Athletes of the Pencak Silat Martial Sports Branch in Lahat Regency

The purpose of this study was to describe how the local government's policy regarding the development of athletes in the pencak silat martial arts branch in Lahat district, the research was carried out in Lahat district. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method, the subjects of this study were informants from Dispora, IPSI, and Heads of Universities. Data collection techniques using triangulation techniques in the form of observations, interviews and documentation. data analysis techniques performed after data collection. From the results of data analysis, it can be explained that the local government has carried out and is in the process of developing sports, especially in the field of coaching both from human resources and facilities and infrastructure.

A Holistic Vision of the Academic and Sports Development of Elite Spanish Track and Field Athletes.

Combining sports and studies could be stressful, but beneficial for the athletes' career development. This study explores resources and barriers in the combination of the sports and academic life spheres during the lifespan of elite Spanish track-and-field athletes. Seven elite Spanish track-and-field athletes participated in a semistructured interview about their experiences to establish a dual career combining sports and studies/work. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) followed to analyze data. Findings show that elite Spanish track-and-field athletes face educational and institutional barriers to developing a dual career. Time management, social support, and additional resources could play a key role in the success or failure to develop a dual career. This study shows that, to overcome dual-career barriers, athletes are resourceful if social support is provided at both the micro (coaches, families, etc.) and macro (political and educational institutions) levels. It also shows that pursuing an academic career can help in alleviating inherent tensions to athletic life and in finding personal balance.