Talent Identification is a waste of resources!
Compromising Talent: Issues in Identifying and Selecting Talent in Sport - Joseph Baker
Talent selection decisions have different levels of risk.
Talent ID is not done on a level playing field.
Beliefs about talent matter.
Multivariate approaches to talent selection may be problematic
Early Talent ID selection assumes talent is a fixed capacity that can be identified early.
Selecting talent requires
predicting the future of sport.
Increased competition for talent between sports undermines athlete development.
Attitude
Talent is a gift
Level of effort
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard
Relative age effects
Politics
Financial resources
Socioeconomic status
Technical and Motor tests
Relies on measurements such as speed sprint and strength
selected based on performance not on potential talent
Pattern of skills necessary for the sport
Accurate prediction
Short term priorities undermine talent selection, win loss record, performance ID rather than Talent ID
Athlete development is a long term process
Balancing short term and long term goals
Organisations (profit) depend on revenue generated
Marketability of athletes
Sports may demand youth specialise early
Sports compete against each other
Culturally popular sports
Early specialisation such as elite academies
Sport performance from a single sport with little participation outside the activity
Talent is a multifaceted quality that reflects relative contribution of physical and physiological and cognitive
Qualities emerge at different rates for different people over the course of development
Identifying early does not account for change
Individuals attitudes about talent affect their motivation, behavior and performance
viewing talent as a gift is problematic, gives an unrealistic expectations.
Growth mindset can be developed through hard work and talent
labeling youth as talented can assume success in later stages
Tom Brady
Psychological competences
Confidence
Optimism
Mental toughness
coach-ability
Tactical Competence
Vital role of decision making and strategic behavior
Physical Competences
Speed
Agility
Strength
Body shape size and height.
Multi-dimensional approach
LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT RATHER THAN EARLY SPECIALIZATION
Talent ID and development programmes should be dynamic and interconnected taking into consideration maturity status and the potential to develop
rather than to exclude children at an early age
Roel Vaeyens
Long term athlete development programme
Genetics
Sports talent ID based on motor tests and genetic analysis- Jaromír Simonek 2018
Due to lack of evidence based interpretation of the results may result in inappropriate advice about suitability to a sport. Therefore genetic testing is recommended mainly for predisposition to injury purpose.
However, the results also do NOT correspond to adult oxidative capacity. Children who may have scored low may be due to lack of physical development.
Genetic analysis and measurement of motor abilities of selected children 7-8 years has been found to offer suitable method of identifying performance prerequisites just before their development. Such as type of muscle fibre, oxidative capacity, nutrition type, egeneration , injury prevention and susceptibility.
Genetics
Talent in sports: Some reflections about the search for future champions - Martinus Buekers 2014
ACTN3
the fast twitch muscle function gene that is found in leading sprinters
May help to predict if a person would be better power/sprint or endurance sport
Tucker and Collins 2012
"individual performance thresholds are determined by our genetic makeup, and training can be defined as the process by which genetic potential is realised"
Genetic predisposition is not the only determinant of success - training, nutrition and motivation
Nature vs Nurture
Environment is also a crucial player on the field of elite performance
High potential and failure can be intimately linked when contextual factors do not meet the necessary quality standards