Talent Identification and Development in Sport: International Perspectives

Identifying talent in athletes and developing that ability to its fullest potential is a central concern of sport scientists, sports coaches and sports policy makers. This book offers a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge in talent identification and development in sport, from the biological basis of ability to the systems and processes within sport through which that ability is nurtured.

Written by a team of leading international experts, the book explores key factors and issues in contemporary sport, including:

• genetics
• secondary factors such as birth date, cultural context and population size
• perceptual motor skill acquisition and expertise
• sports development policy
• in-depth case studies, including European soccer, East African running and US pro sports.

With an emphasis throughout on practical implications and processes for all those working in sport, the book offers an authoritative evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary systems for identifying and developing talent in sport. This is important reading for any student, researcher or practitioner with an interest in skill acquisition, youth sport, elite sport, sports coaching or sports development.

Joseph Baker is with the Lifespan Health and Performance Laboratory in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Canada and a visiting research fellow at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. His research focuses on optimal human development, particularly issues affecting the acquisition of sport expertise.

Steve Cobley is a senior lecturer in skill acquisition and sport psychology within the Carnegie Faculty at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. His specific research interests focus upon developmental factors that constrain learning, attainment and performance.

Jörg Schorer is a research associate at the Institute of Sport Science at the Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, Germany. His research interests are not only within the field of talent identification and development, but also in expertise in sport, perceptual motor skills and sport psychology.