Talented Athletes Research Articles

Psychological and situational determinants of burnout in adolescent athletes

Burnout in sport settings is commonly described as a multidimensional syndrome explained through a variety of antecedents. The present study aims to investigate the predictive relationship of psychological (motives, satisfaction, fatigue, anxiety, self-esteem) and situational (hours of training per week and perceived volume of training) determinants with athlete burnout symptoms (reduced sense of accomplishment, emotional/physical exhaustion, and sport devaluation). Participants were 142 Greek talented competitive athletes, aged 14–18 years, from various individual and team sports. Canonical correlation (CC) analysis indicated that the lack of satisfaction with performance, amotivation, and dysfunctional personality traits undermines athlete perceptions of accomplishment, while those less fatigued, less overloaded, and with a variety of motives protect themselves from feelings of emotional and physical exhaustion. Devaluation factor showed low reliability (.57) and thus was not included within CC analysis. Additionally, multivariate analysis of variance showed that “high burnout” athletes (n = 7) had elevated levels of amotivation, fatigue, and trait anxiety, but lower satisfaction with performance, less self-determined motivation, and lower self-esteem compared to “low burnout” athletes (n = 26). The present results highlight the need to take into consideration a combination of factors to understand burnout occurrence in adolescent athletes. Further, such athletes need to be supported in acquiring strategies to mitigate against threats to amotivation.

Skill transfer, expertise and talent development: An ecological dynamics perspective

In this paper, we propose an ecological dynamics perspective on expertise and talent development, with a focus on the role of skill transfer. The ecological dynamics theoretical framework provides an integrated explanation for human behaviour in sport, predicated on a conceptualisation including constraints on dynamical systems, ecological psychology and a complex systems approach in neurobiology. Three main pillars are presented (i.e., individual-environment coupling as the smallest unit of analysis; adaptation of a complex dynamical system to interacting constraints; and the regulation of action with perception) in order to discuss the functional role of behavioural variability, the usefulness of perceptual-motor exploration and the importance of general and specific skill transfer in the development of talent and expertise in athletes. In addition, practical implications for coaches and instructors are discussed, notably regarding early diversification and unstructured play and activities in talent development programs, but also through variable practice and constraints manipulation.

Polish version of research based Model of Sport Talent Development Environment and adaptation of Talent Development Environment Questionnaire”

There is an increasing interest in optimizing sport talent development. One of the crucial factors that influence all talented athletes throughout their careers is the quality and the appropriateness of the coaching environment. Numerous research show that specific needs are associated with culture. The purpose of the study was to determine crucial factors of effective talent deve-lopment environment and to adapt and verify psychometric properties of the Talent Deve-lopment Environment Questionnaire (Martindale et al., 2010). In the group of 496 athletes (Ma-ge=19.32, Nfemale=181, Nmale=315) analyses were conducted to adapt and verify psychome-tric properties of the scale measuring sport talent development environment. Factor analysis showed that in polish context the six-factor model (loads from 0.35 to 0.67) was more suitable. The extracted factors were: Communication, Lack of Supporting Environment, Support Ne-twork, Individualized Approach to Athlete, Understanding the Athlete, Long-term Development Fundamentals. All factors were associated with self-efficacy and self-esteem of the athletes. The authors of the original model suggested that there could be context-specific requirements within a talent development, what was confirmed in this study. This is particularly important for practi-tioners, for whom the coach-athlete cooperation has international basis.

Research on the Reform of Young Athletes’ Innovative Quality Education

The competitive sports talents that the future society needs are outstanding athletes with personalities and excellent qualities. Today, the era when “knowledge is the power” has passed and the competency-based thought is no longer popular, while the quality education that combines knowledge, ability and education has been accepted by more people. Apart from having comprehensive abilities, athletes should also have great personality. As good athletes, they must form their own features in terms of the skills and tactics. Otherwise, it is difficult for them to play their due role in the competition. Therefore, strengthening the cultivation of innovative talents has become an important subject in the process of training excellent athletic talents in combination with the characteristics of competitive sports and the laws of physical and mental development of young athletes. By using methods of literature material and expert interview, the thesis gives a discussion on the innovative quality education of young athletes. It mainly involves the reform of educational content, including the innovative thinking, innovative personality and innovative learning.

Reference values of vertical jumping performances and anthropometric characteristics in trained adolescents

Summary Objective The aim of this study was to provide percentile values for vertical jumping performances and anthropometric characteristics for athletic Tunisian children and adolescent. Methods One thousand and fifty-five athletic Tunisian children and adolescents (643 boys and 412 girls) aged 7–18 years were randomly selected to participate in our study. They were asked to perform squat jumps and countermovement jumps. Jump heights and leg power were simultaneously provided by the Optojump device. The anthropometrics variables were measured by a single trained anthropometrist. Descriptive statistics for each-year age group within sex were calculated. Construction of the smoothed centile curves was performed using the polynomial regression models. For each measurement, a least square regression model with high order polynomials was fitted to predict mean and standard deviation of vertical jumping parameters and anthropometric variables. Results Smoothed percentile curves and percentile values for the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentiles are presented for two sexes. Conclusion Percentiles values of vertical jumping performances and anthropometric characteristics are provided. the new Tunisian reference charts obtained can be used as a screening tool to determine growth disorders. This study may help in verifying the effectiveness of a specific training program and detecting highly talented athletes.

Predicting Resident Performance from Preresidency Factors: A Systematic Review and Applicability to Neurosurgical Training

Neurosurgical educators strive to identify the best applicants, yet formal study of resident selection has proved difficult. We conducted a systematic review to answer the following question: What objective and subjective preresidency factors predict resident success? PubMed, ProQuest, Embase, and the CINAHL databases were queried from 1952 to 2015 for literature reporting the impact of preresidency factors (PRFs) on outcomes of residency success (RS), among neurosurgery and all surgical subspecialties. Due to heterogeneity of specialties and outcomes, a qualitative summary and heat map of significant findings were constructed. From 1489 studies, 21 articles met inclusion criteria, which evaluated 1276 resident applicants across five surgical subspecialties. No neurosurgical studies met the inclusion criteria. Common objective PRFs included standardized testing (76%), medical school performance (48%), and Alpha Omega Alpha (43%). Common subjective PRFs included aggregate rank scores (57%), letters of recommendation (38%), research (33%), interviews (19%), and athletic or musical talent (19%). Outcomes of RS included faculty evaluations, in-training/board exams, chief resident status, and research productivity. Among objective factors, standardized test scores correlated well with in-training/board examinations but poorly correlated with faculty evaluations. Among subjective factors, aggregate rank scores, letters of recommendation, and athletic or musical talent demonstrated moderate correlation with faculty evaluations. Standardized testing most strongly correlated with future examination performance but correlated poorly with faculty evaluations. Moderate predictors of faculty evaluations were aggregate rank scores, letters of recommendation, and athletic or musical talent. The ability to predict success of neurosurgical residents using an evidence-based approach is limited, and few factors have correlated with future resident performance. Given the importance of recruitment to the greater field of neurosurgery, these data provide support for a national, prospective effort to improve the study of neurosurgery resident selection.

DIFFERENTIATION OF PHYSICAL FITNESS IN POLISH ELITE SPORTS JU-JITSU ATHLETES PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELITE JU-JITSU ATHLETES

Aim Ju-jitsu athletes are expected to reach the competitive readiness adequate for the demands of tournaments. Apart from technical expertise, one of the aspects of readiness is general and special preparation. This is critical to the athlete's level of achievement since it helps him or her cope with the training load as it is linked to mental preparation and ensures that the athlete uses technical and tactical variants more accurately during a fight. The cognitive aim of this study is to characterize fitness preparation of top athletes from the Polish Ju-Jitsu Association. The practical aim is to identify talented athletes who can become members of national teams participating in international tournaments. Basic procedures The study evaluated 29 national ju-jitsu team members in the preparation period (pre-competition mesocycle), who expressed their interest and consent to participate in the experiment. Thirteen of these athletes were listed in the ju-Jitsu International Federation's ranking, including three world medal winners in World Championships in Wrocław, Poland (2016). Thirteen tests of general physical fitness were performed by means of selected tests from the Eurofit test battery, the ICSPFT tests and additional strength tests. Eight special physical fitness tests were also used. The results were described using cluster analysis and comparison of fitness profiles. Results The differences between three clusters in general physical fitness were noticeable in performance of pull-ups (1<2 and 2>3 Cluster), the Cooper test ( 1<2 and 1>3 Clusters), the shuttle-run test (1>2 and 2<3 Cluster), sit-and-reach test (2<3, 2<1) Clusters), maximal hand-grip-strength test (1>3 Cluster), Flamingo balance test (1-3 and 2-3 Clusters). In special physical fitness tests, pronounced differences were observed in performance of Speed punches (1>2 cluster), 1/Flexibility Index (1>3 Cluster), Evasive actions (1<3, 2<3 Clusters) and Push-ups (1>2 and 1>3 Clusters). Profiles of three clusters were highly dissimilar. Conclusions The athletes studied were characterized by high differences in fitness-related readiness level. Their profiles in three clusters show that some athletes in the national level group match top athletes at the international competitive level in these terms. Analysis of individual profiles allows for effective diagnosis and classification while revealing strengths and weaknesses of fitness preparation of ju-jitsu athletes. Therefore, it should be used for testing and monitoring of modifications over the training cycles. Knowledge of the structure and the data on baseline physical fitness and special fitness in elite athletes may be useful for the development of individual training programs for ju-jitsu athletes.

Olympic and World Championship track and field athletes’ experiences during the specialising and investment stages of development: a qualitative study with Australian male and female representatives

Athlete talent development literature has revealed high attrition rates of elite junior athletes during their mid-to-late adolescence (age 15–19 years) across a range of sports, including track and field (T&F). However, much of the research has focused on early athletic participation during the sampling stage rather than the transition from junior elite to senior elite representation. Based on the Developmental Model of Sport Participation (DMSP), this study investigated factors during the specialising and investment stages that underpinned the development of 14 elite Australian junior T&F athletes who transitioned into elite senior careers. Semi-structured interviews were employed to elicit a deep understanding of the 14 athletes’ developmental experiences. Inductive thematic analysis revealed four major dimensions of talent development during the specialising and investment stages – training, competition, social support and personal factors. Early training and competition experiences for elite Australian T&F athletes were commensurate with the specialising stage of the DMSP, where athletes balanced involvement in various sports with T&F. The findings from the present study confirm that most athletes were late specialisers, and did not focus on their main senior event and were not ready to fully investment in specialised intense training until towards the end of the investment stage. Athletes revealed experiences at junior international competitions, support from parents and peers and knowledge and guidance of coaches to their appropriate developmental stage were instrumental in their development. Overall our findings provide further support to the DMSP model recommendation that young athletes are not physically or psychosocially ready to enter the investment stage at least age 16 years.

The Refugee Status: Political Ethics and Moral Politics

The Refugee Status: Political Ethics and Moral Politics Elena G. Procario‐Foley What does religion have to do with refugees, immigrants, and migrants? What does Catholic Christianity bring to the discussion of the crisis of today's sixty‐five million displaced persons? How would I want my tradition interpreted and understood regarding refugees? What resources of my tradition help to respond to the crisis of so many people in need? These questions guide my contribution in which I want to convey some of the salient points of my tradition explored at the symposium Strangers or Neighbors? Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Perspectives on Refugees. If I were asked what religion brings to addressing the refugee crisis, I would quickly say, “Everything,” because I err on the side of assuming that religion is a “good.” But I also realize that many people accuse religions—for understandable historical and contemporary reasons—of committing evil in the world in the name of their beliefs. Therefore, I return here to a “back‐to‐basics” approach in order to account for the fact that my initial response, “religion brings everything that is good to the refugee situation,” cannot be taken for granted. I engage these questions as a systematic theologian from a decidedly Roman Catholic perspective. Though I am neither an ethicist nor a political theorist, I hope my theological reflections can inform policymakers. A political ethics and moral politics can be based on ideas borrowed from religion and theology. I will begin with a few vivid images before offering three resources from Catholicism that can inform a Catholic response to the refugee crisis. Kneeling players, praying nuns On September 24, 2017, The Washington Post published an opinion editorial by Michael Frost with the headline, “Colin Kaepernick vs. Tim Tebow: A Tale of Two Christians on their Knees.” Frost introduced the family origins of each football player, their commitment to Christian faith, and their significant charitable work. The image of two football players on their knees offers two different ways of how to probe the question of what American Christianity can bring to the refugee crisis: Religion can bring everything good to the conversation or it can be a source of the problem when its adherents hold polarized views about its practice. Frost explains that Kaepernick was born to an interracial couple; his father left before he was born, and his mother gave him up for adoption to a white couple. Tebow, a white man, was born to Christian missionaries. Both men were raised in Protestant denominations. On the field, Tebow's habit of kneeling in prayer between plays as an act of promoting Christian faith garnered wide praise. Kaepernick, also a practicing Christian, knelt on the field during the national anthem as a peaceful protest to promote awareness about unjust acts of deadly violence committed by members of law enforcement against the African American community. Both men's faith commitments inspired them to kneel on the field. Yet, Tebow was lauded as a wholesome role model while Kaepernick was derided as a traitor to his country. Is this because one practice of the faith is considered correct and the other corrupt? Kaepernick's and Tebow's public expressions of faith connote different emphases in their practice of Christianity. When Tebow takes a knee in a game to pray in thanksgiving for his athletic talent, he makes a public display of private piety. When Kaepernick takes a knee in a posture of prayer to remind us of racial and economic injustice, he expresses a prophetic protest for social justice. Prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of lament crying for justice are both part of the Christian tradition. For some people, however, Christian practice emphasizes a personal one‐on‐one relationship with God concerned with an individual's salvation, while for others Christian practice must issue in public acts of communal solidarity. In identifying these differences, Frost points to the current polarization in the churches. Christians seem to fall on the side of personal devotion or social justice; private sin or social structural sin; or, as Frost puts it, of “March for Life” or “Moral Monday protest.” Where does a response to refugees find a home amid these...

Increased Prevalence of the IL-6-174C Genetic Polymorphism in Long Distance Swimmers.

The IL-6 -174G/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) functionally affects IL-6 activity, with the G-allele associated with increased IL-6 levels. The C-allele was found to be associated with exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between the IL-6 -174G/C polymorphism and athletic performance among elite swimmers and runners. The study sample included 180 track and field athletes and 80 swimmers. Track and field athletes were assigned to three sub-groups: long-distance runners, middle-distance runners and short-distance runners. Swimmers were assigned to two subgroups: long-distance swimmers and short-distance swimmers. The control group consisted of 123 non-athletic healthy individuals. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood following a standard protocol. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The CC genotype and C-allele frequency were significantly higher in the long-distance swimmers (18 and 43%, respectively) compared to the long-distance runners (3 and 14%, respectively, p < 0.001); middle-distance runners (4 and 22%, respectively, p < 0.001); and controls (5 and 19%, respectively, p < 0.001). In addition, the CC genotype and C-allele frequency were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in long-distance swimmers compared to short-distance swimmers (18 versus 5% and 43 versus 29% for the CC genotype and C-allele frequency, respectively). The higher frequency of the C-allele and CC genotype among long-distance swimmers suggests that the rarity of exercise-associated rhabdomyolysis among swimmers is probably related to other sports-specific or water-related protective mechanisms. It is possible that swimming selection in talented endurance athletes who are C-allele carriers represents an example of genetically-dependent sports selection.

Compromising Talent: Issues in Identifying and Selecting Talent in Sport

ABSTRACTThe past few decades have seen a significant change in the delivery of sport and in trends related to athlete development. However, the notion of talent continues to play a critical role in most athlete development models. In this brief review, we highlight concerns with the notion of talent and how it is conceptualized in high performance sport systems. These include: the assumption that talent is a fixed capacity that can be identified early, the influence of talent beliefs on athlete development, the different levels of risk for talent selection decisions, biases evident in approaches to athlete selection, the inadequacy of current statistical approaches, the problems with using current performance to predict future outcomes, and how short-term priorities and competition between sports for talented athletes undermine the overall efficiency of athlete development systems. These concerns form the basis for more focused discussion of avenues for future work in this field.

Can’t pay, can’t play? Talent lead’s perspectives on the financial constraints experienced by athletes on the England Talent Pathway

ABSTRACTThis study explored the extent of financial constraints experienced by athletes on the England Talent Pathway, as perceived by talent leads from various sports. Using a mixed-methods approach, 34 participants completed online surveys with 26 follow-up interviews. Findings showed the prevalence of financial constraints on individuals within the system, with three emerging themes: costs; demands on athletes; and potential funding support. “Pinch points”, causing the greatest severity of financial constraint, emerged further along the pathway and there were infrequent examples of mechanisms to identify talented athletes experiencing financial hardship. A means-tested system, premised on the demonstration of potential, is suggested by talent leads as a way of providing funding for athletes to ameliorate financial constraints in the future.

Ethnic identities, sense of belonging and the significance of sport: stories from immigrant youths in Germany

Germany is becoming a multicultural society with a growing migrant population. Issues of social integration and societal cohesion are ongoing themes in public debates. In this regard, sport is often considered as a tool for fostering integration and a sense of belonging among migrants. This paper uses a qualitative methodology to explore the complex and multilayered entanglements and intersections between sports activities and feelings of belonging. Four case studies illustrate that sport can have manifold meanings and consequences for young people. It may work as means of emancipation (Büsra’s story), but also reassert traditional values (Nasan’s story). It can stabilize and provide hold in times of insecurity (Dejan’s story) and may work as a source for reputation and respect in a disadvantaged social milieu (Youssuf’s story). However, all four case studies highlight the ambivalence and inner conflicts that these immigrant youths have to face in sport and society. Moreover, they suggest that it is not sport per se, but the experiences of success and self-efficacy that result from athletic talent in combination with positive social interactions with ‘significant others’ in sport that matter.

Talent development programmes: a retrospective analysis of the age and support services for talented athletes in 15 nations

ABSTRACTResearch question: Due to increasing competition, national governing bodies (NGBs) are put under pressure to deliver collective success and develop talent programmes for their athletes at an increasingly young age. This paper seeks to make a contribution to the talent development literature from an organisational perspective. It addresses the following research question: How and at what age have athletes received support services as upcoming talent from their sport clubs and NGBs?Research methods: A total of 2041 elite athletes from 15 nations and 37 different sports were surveyed. Analysis of variance (ANCOVA and MANCOVA) was used to examine the data and identify differences between sports, countries and athletes’ sporting achievement levels.Results and findings: The data revealed that athletes received club or NGB support at a relatively late age. This differed by gender, by sport and between sports in which athletes specialise at younger or older ages. Athletes with higher achievement levels (e.g. in the world’s top eight) were slightly younger when they received support services compared with lower level athletes (e.g. national level); however, effect sizes are small. Most elite athletes received a variety of support services and only slight differences were found according to athletes’ achievement levels.Implications: The relevance of these findings relates to the role that sports clubs (can) play in the total development of an athletic career. This paper has practical implications for the management of talent development by NGBs and clubs, national sport associations and for coach education.

Pacing and Self-regulation: Important Skills for Talent Development in Endurance Sports.

Pacing has been characterized as a multifaceted goal-directed process of decision making in which athletes need to decide how and when to invest their energy during the race, a process essential for optimal performance. Both physiological and psychological characteristics associated with adequate pacing and performance are known to develop with age. Consequently, the multifaceted skill of pacing might be under construction throughout adolescence, as well. Therefore, the authors propose that the complex skill of pacing is a potential important performance characteristic for talented youth athletes that needs to be developed throughout adolescence. To explore whether pacing is a marker for talent and how talented athletes develop this skill in middle-distance and endurance sports, they aim to bring together literature on pacing and literature on talent development and self-regulation of learning. Subsequently, by applying the cyclical process of self-regulation to pacing, they propose a practical model for the development of performance in endurance sports in youth athletes. Not only is self-regulation essential throughout the process of reaching the long-term goal of athletic excellence, but it also seems crucial for the development of pacing skills within a race and the development of a refined performance template based on previous experiences. Coaches and trainers are advised to incorporate pacing as a performance characteristic in their talent-development programs by stimulating their athletes to reflect, plan, monitor, and evaluate their races on a regular basis to build performance templates and, as such, improve their performance.

Evidence-Based Prerequisites and Precursors of Athletic Talent: A Review.

Extensive findings related to nature and nurture in determining athletic talent (AT) have been reviewed. Available data demonstrate the important contribution of hereditary factors as well as the crucial importance of environmental prerequisites for identifying and developing AT. Recent publications provide examples of contemporary approaches intended to solve the problem of how to discover and nurture AT. A number of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies highlighted possibilities of revealing a predisposition to certain sports among youthful prospects, but were unable to predict attainment of world-class status. Data pertaining to Olympic champions indicate that their superiority compared with other elite athletes is determined by high intrinsic motivation, determination, dedication, persistence, and creativity. These salient manifestations of personality could be successfully recognized even in the initial stages of their preparation, where exceptionally gifted individuals manifested high learnability and a high rate of athletic improvement. Moreover, future champions were characterized by an exceptional attitude to training and a willingness to perform more voluminous and high-quality training routines. Exceptionally talented athletes in endurance, power, and combat sports attained world-class status after 4-7years of specialized preparation, accumulating 3000-7000h of purposeful training. This stands in contradiction to Ericsson's theory of deliberate practice and the 10-year rule. In contrast, Olympic artistic gymnastics champions attained world-class status following an average of 9.7years of specialized preparation, accumulating an average of 8918h of specialized training. Apparently, the theory of 10,000h of deliberate practice and the 10-year rule are selectively applicable to highly coordinative esthetic sports but not to general preparation trends in endurance, power, and combat sports.

Special Judo Fitness Test Level and Anthropometric Profile of Elite Spanish Judo Athletes.

Casals, C, Huertas, JR, Franchini, E, Sterkowicz-Przybycień, K, Sterkowicz, S, Gutiérrez-García, C, and Escobar-Molina, R. Special judo fitness test level and anthropometric profile of elite spanish judo athletes. J Strength Cond Res 31(5): 1229-1235, 2017-The aim of this study was to determine the anthropometric variables that best predict Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT) performance. In addition, anthropometric profiles of elite Spanish judo athletes were compared by sex and age category (seniors and juniors). In this cross-sectional study, a total of 51 (29 females) athletes from the Spanish National Judo Team were evaluated during a competitive period. All athletes performed the SJFT and underwent an anthropometric assessment through skinfold thickness measurements. Mann-Whitney comparisons by sex and age category showed that males had significantly higher muscle mass and lower fat mass than females (p < 0.001), whereas juniors and seniors exhibited few differences in body composition. Linear regression analyses (stepwise method) were performed to explore the relationships between anthropometric characteristics and SJFT variables. Model 1 included sex, age category, and body mass as predictors. Body mass and sex significantly predicted the SJFT index (R = 0.27, p < 0.001); thus, both criteria should be considered before interpreting the test. The predictors of model 2 were quick-assessment variables, including skinfolds, breadths, girths, and height. This regression model showed that the biceps skinfold significantly predicted the SJFT index in elite athletes (R = 0.31, p < 0.001). Model 3 included body compositions and somatotypes as predictors. Higher muscle and bone masses and lower ectomorphy were associated with better SJFT performance (R = 0.44, p < 0.001). Hence, training programs should attempt to increase the muscle mass percentage and reduce the upper arm fat, whereas the bone percentage could be considered in the selection of talented athletes in conjunction with other factors.

High prevalence of self-reported injuries and illnesses in talented female athletes

BackgroundA thorough knowledge of the epidemiology and severity of injuries and illness in youth female elite sports is lacking due to the methodological challenges involved in recording them. In this...

Sibling interaction as a facilitator for talent development in sport

While current research has begun to address parental influences on talent development in sport, sibling interaction remains relatively under-examined. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the underpinning mechanisms through which sibling interaction impacts on talent development. Retrospective phenomenological interviews were conducted with four sets of siblings ( n = 9), where at least one sibling had competed to an elite level. Findings revealed several higher order themes that impacted positively on the talented athletes’ development: regularity of interaction in sport, emotional interpersonal skills, rivalry, resilience, co-operation and separation. Separation appeared as the athlete reached elite status, suggesting that these former mechanisms primarily impact during the development phase. Such findings support and extend the sibling, elite sport and talent development literature and provide valuable insight for both practitioners and academics. Importantly, coaches should consider a sibling’s role as an important mechanism outside of the formal coaching structure for talent development.

The Relationship between Socio Cultural Background and Sport Achievement

The aim of this research was to find out the relations between social cultural background of people of North Sumatera province in Indonesia (helper, show off, dominate, self-ego, hard worker, independent) in relation to sport achievement. This research used descriptive method by reviewing existing literature. Sample of this research was 1072 athletes from 34 different group of sport that have been participating in National Sport Competition (PON) in years 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016. The result shows that nine different kinds of self-defence group have been chosen by 291 athletes such as: fencing, wrestling, Judo, Karate, Pencak Silat, Taekwondo, Tarung Derajat, Boxing and Whusu. In contrast, 781 athletes preferred to another kinds of sport than self-defence, 148 for measurable sport, 143 for accuracy sport, and 490 for games sport group. Eventually, self-defence athletes always contribute highest medals in each national sport competition event. In conclusion, the research shows that social-cultural background of people of North Sumatera has significant relationship to the sport achievement. The implication of research’s results can be utilized as a basic talent scouting and talent development for determining young talented athletes in North Sumatera.