Module JXH-1056:
Talent Identification and Development

Module Facts

Run by School of Human and Behavioural Sciences

10.000 Credits or 5.000 ECTS Credits

Overall aims and purpose

Success in sport depends upon an athlete’s ability to develop and perfect a specific, and often unique, set of perceptual and motor skills. Literature suggests it takes 10 years or 10,000 hours to attain these skills in order to reach an expert level. In this course, we will discuss the role of demographics, psychosocial, and practice and training experiences in both identifying and developing talent. We will address the implications of this research on sports scouting and academy practices in order to better understand what constitutes 'talent' and how we might help organisations recognise and develop it.

Course content

Broadly speaking, the course is divided into three parts; 1. demographics, 2. psychosocial, and 3. practice and training’. Part 1 will address issues related to the athletes background and upbringing. Part 2 will shed light on the psychological 'make-up' of athletes in order to better understand 'talented' mind-sets. In part 3 we will look at optimising practice and training throughout development. Considerations regarding the level impact on the effective development of talent and identification of talent will be a central theme to all three sections.

Assessment Criteria

excellent

To be awarded an excellent mark, students must be able to demonstrate an extremely detailed and evidenced based level of competence when describing the demographic, psychosocial, and practice and training experiences that characterise talent and success in sport. Students should also be able to provide an empirically informed and excellent understanding of how these factors should be considered by sports when designing development pathways. The above will be supported with in-text citations, references are formatted to departmental guidelines, and formatting or grammatical errors are not present.

threshold

To be awarded a pass mark, students must be able to demonstrate a basic level of competence when describing the demographic, psychosocial, and practice and training experiences that characterise talent and success in sport. Students should also be able to provide a basic understanding of how these understandings should be considered by sports when designing development pathways. The above is supported with minimal in-text citations, references are generally formatted to departmental guidelines, and the are some occasional formatting and grammatical errors.

good

To be awarded a good mark, students must be able to demonstrate a detailed and evidenced based level of competence when describing the demographic, psychosocial, and practice and training experiences that characterise talent and success in sport. Students should also be able to provide an empirically informed and good understanding of how these factors should be considered by sports when designing development pathways. The above is supported with in-text citations, references are formatted to departmental guidelines, and formatting or grammatical errors are occasionally evident.

Learning outcomes

  1. Describe the main demographic variables that influence successful talent development and identification

  2. Describe both the main psychosocial variables and practice and training variables that influence successful talent development and identification

  3. Offer descriptions surrounding of how critical psychosocial, and practice activities can be implemented into practical talent development and identification programmes.

Assessment Methods

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Lecture

a mixture of Lectures, in class group work, and seminars over 10 x 2hr sessions.

 20
Private study

In summary, independent Reading, use of module resources, and assignment preparation. Specifically, the student is expected to spend this time previewing and reviewing lecture material, associated reading and seminar preparation (~55 hours) and preparing assessments (~25 hours).

 80

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
  • Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting

Subject specific skills

  • research and assess paradigms, theories, principles, concepts and factual information, and apply such skills in explaining and solving problems
  • critically assess and evaluate data and evidence in the context of research methodologies and data sources
  • plan, design, execute and communicate a sustained piece of independent intellectual work, which provides evidence of critical engagement with, and interpretation of, appropriate data
  • apply knowledge to the solution of familiar and unfamiliar problems
  • develop a sustained reasoned argument, perhaps challenging previously held assumptions
  • demonstrate effective written and/or oral communication and presentation skills
  • work effectively independently and with others
  • demonstrate evidence of competence in the scientific methods of enquiry, and interpretation and analysis of relevant data and statistical outputs.
  • develop transferable skills of relevance to careers outside of sport, health and exercise sciences.

Resources

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/jxh-1056.html

Reading list

Core reading: Côté, J. (1999). The influence of the family in the development of talent in sport. Sport Psychologist, 13(4), 395–417. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.13.4.395 Güllich, A., Hardy, L., Kuncheva, L., Laing, S., Evans, L., Rees, T., Abernethy, B., Côté, J., Warr, C., & Wraith, L. (2019). Developmental Biographies of Olympic Super- Elite and Elite Athletes: A Multidisciplinary Pattern Recognition Analysis. Journal of Expertise, 2(1), 23–46. https://www.journalofexpertise.org Hardy, L., Barlow, M., Evans, L., Rees, T., Woodman, T., & Warr, C. (2017). Great British medalists: Psychosocial biographies of Super-Elite and Elite athletes from Olympic sports. In Progress in Brain Research (Vol. 232, pp. 1–119). https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2017.03.004 Jones, B.D., Lawrence, G.P., Hardy, L. (2017). New evidence of relative age effects in ‘super-elite’ sportsmen: a case for the survival and evolution of the fittest. Journal of Sport Sciences, 36(6): 1-7 Jones, B.D., Hardy, L., Lawrence, G.P., Kuncheva, L., Brandon, R., Thorpe, G. (2020). It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it: Is Optimizing Challenge Key in the Development of Super-Elite Batsmen? Journal of Expertise, 3(2) 145-168 Jones, B.D., Lawrence, G.P., Hardy, L., Kuncheva, L., DuPreez, T., Brandon, R., Such, P., & Bobat, M. (2019). The Identification of ‘Game Changers’ in England Cricket’s Developmental Pathway for Elite Spin Bowling: A Machine Learning Approach. Journal of Expertise, 2(2)

Suggested reading:

Baron-Thiene, A., & Alfermann, D. (2015). Personal characteristics as predictors for dual career dropout versus continuation - A prospective study of adolescent athletes from German elite sport schools. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2015.04.006

Forsman, H., Gråstén, A., Blomqvist, M., Davids, K., Liukkonen, J., & Konttinen, N. (2016). Development of perceived competence, tactical skills, motivation, technical skills, and speed and agility in young soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(14), 1311–1318. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2015.1127401

Leyhr, D., Kelava, A., Raabe, J., & Höner, O. (2018). Longitudinal motor performance development in early adolescence and its relationship to adult success: An 8-year prospective study of highly talented soccer players. PLoS ONE, 13(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196324

Müller, L., Hildebrandt, C., Müller, E., Fink, C., & Raschner, C. (2017). Long-Term athletic development in youth alpine ski racing: The effect of physical fitness, ski racing technique, anthropometrics and biological maturity status on injuries. Frontiers in Physiology, 8(AUG), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00656

Cobley, S., Abbott, S., Eisenhuth, J., Salter, J., McGregor, D., & Romann, M. (2019). Removing relative age effects from youth swimming: The development and testing of corrective adjustment procedures. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(6), 735–740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2018.12.013

Li, P., De Bosscher, V., & Weissensteiner, J. R. (2018). The journey to elite success: a thirty-year longitudinal study of the career trajectories of top professional tennis players. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 18(6), 961–972. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2018.1534197

Bricout, V. A., Charrier, I., & Favre-Juvin, A. (2008). A fatigue questionnaire (QFES) for child athletes: A four-years follow-up study in young skiers. Annales de Readaptation et de Medecine Physique, 51(3), 193–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annrmp.2008.01.006

De Koning, J. J., Bakker, F. C., De Groot, G., & Van Ingen Schenau, G. J. (1994). Longitudinal development of young talented speed skaters: Physiological and anthropometric aspects. Journal of Applied Physiology, 77(5), 2311–2317. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1994.77.5.2311

Fornasiero, A., Savoldelli, A., Modena, R., Boccia, G., Pellegrini, B., & Schena, F. (2018). Physiological and anthropometric characteristics of top-level youth cross-country cyclists. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(8), 901–906. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2017.1346271

le Gall, F., Carling, C., Williams, M., & Reilly, T. (2010). Anthropometric and fitness characteristics of international, professional and amateur male graduate soccer players from an elite youth academy. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13(1), 90–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2008.07.004

Till, K., Cobley, S., O’Hara, J., Chapman, C., & Cooke, C. (2013). A longitudinal evaluation of anthropometric and fitness characteristics in junior rugby league players considering playing position and selection level. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 16(5), 438–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2012.09.002

Till, K., Morley, D., O’Hara, J., Jones, B. L., Chapman, C., Beggs, C. B., … Cobley, S. (2017). A retrospective longitudinal analysis of anthropometric and physical qualities that associate with adult career attainment in junior rugby league players. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 20(11), 1029–1033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.03.018

Faber, I. R., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Faber, N. R., Oosterveld, F. G. J., & Nijhuis-Van Der Sanden, M. W. G. (2016). Can perceptuo-motor skills assessment outcomes in young table tennis players (7-11 years) predict future competition participation and performance? An observational prospective study. PLoS ONE, 11(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149037

Faber, I. R., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Oosterveld, F. G. J., Twisk, J. W. R., & Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, M. W. G. (2017). Can an early perceptuo-motor skills assessment predict future performance in youth table tennis players? An observational study (1998–2013). Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(6), 593–601. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1180421

Hendry, D. T., Williams, A. M., & Hodges, N. J. (2018). Coach ratings of skills and their relations to practice, play and successful transitions from youth-elite to adult-professional status in soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(17), 2009–2017. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1432236

Vandorpe, B., Vandendriessche, J., Vaeyens, R., Pion, J., Matthys, S., Lefevre, J., … Lenoir, M. (2012). Relationship between sports participation and the level of motor coordination in childhood: A longitudinal approach. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 15(3), 220–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2011.09.006

Aunola, K., Sorkkila, M., Viljaranta, J., Tolvanen, A., & Ryba, T. V. (2018). The role of parental affection and psychological control in adolescent athletes’ symptoms of school and sport burnout during the transition to upper secondary school. Journal of Adolescence, 69(February), 140–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.10.001

Bakker, F. C. (1991). Development of personality in dancers: A longitudinal study. Personality and Individual Differences, 12(7), 671–681. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(91)90222-W

Höner, O., & Feichtinger, P. (2016). Psychological talent predictors in early adolescence and their empirical relationship with current and future performance in soccer. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 25, 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2016.03.004

Martinent, G., Cece, V., Elferink-Gemser, M. T., Faber, I. R., & Decret, J. C. (2018). The prognostic relevance of psychological factors with regard to participation and success in table-tennis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(23), 2724–2731. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1476730

Poulton, R., & Milne, B. J. (2002). Low fear in childhood is associated with sporting prowess in adolescence and young adulthood. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40(10), 1191–1197. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(01)00129-2

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