It is acknowledged that appropriate support and training are essential if talented individuals are to fulfil their potential. The early identification of talented athletes is an increasingly important consideration for researchers and practitioners alike. Once talented individuals have been detected, crucial but limited support resources can be optimally deployed to ensure that their needs are met and that their gifts are developed. However, there is considerable disagreement among experts on what talent is, and which factors can reliably be used within talent identification processes. This paper explores prerequisites to success in sport, and the comparative efficacy of employing these prerequisites within talent identification schemes. It is proposed that talent needs to be reconceptualized so that talent identification and talent development processes are perceived to be dynamic and interrelated. Additionally, the need to place greater emphasis on the capacity of a child to develop in sport and the psychological factors that underpin this process is highlighted. To this end, it is advocated that talent identification and development schemes, while emphasizing the multidimensional nature of talent, need to recognize the essential role of psychology in the ability of individuals to fulfil their sporting potential.

9Current research in coaching development infers that coaching is predominantly a 10 decision making process. The same and other research is not, however, informing the 11 coaching development process due to a lack of a big picture approach. Consequently, 12 there is a need for a model of coaching. In this paper we offer such a model in the form 13 of a schematic that reflects the coaching process from both a content and information-14 processing stance. To assess the validity of the schematic 16 expert coaches were 15 interviewed to elicit a complete description of their coaching process. The coaches were 16 then shown a copy of the schematic and asked to comment on its design and content 17 with respect to its accuracy in reflecting their coaching process.

In recent years, the value of social learning approaches as part of the design and delivery of formalised coach development initiatives has gained credence in the literature. However, insight is currently lacking into the fundamental social dimensions that underpin coach learning. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore coaches' perceptions of their actual and preferred methods of acquiring new coaching knowledge, the types of knowledge they currently acquire and/or desire, and their application of new knowledge. Responses to an online survey, completed by practicing coaches (N = 320) in a range of sports and contexts, were analysed descriptively and inductively. Results revealed that coaches' preferred, and mostly acquired, coaching knowledge from informal learning activities, especially when these permitted social interaction. Notably, however, formal coach education courses were also reported relatively frequently as a source of recent knowledge acquisition. Nevertheless, critical justification for and application of, acquired knowledge was largely absent. Based on the findings, we suggest that, before social learning activities such as mentoring schemes and communities of practice are placed at the centre of formalised coach development provision, coach educators must put in place the support structures to better enable coaches to recognise and deal with the potentially mixed influences of the social milieu on coach learning, aiming to ensure that their informal development is sufficiently open-minded, reflective and critical.

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Research to effectively inform the design and conduct of talent development environments (TDEs) is sparse, especially relating to the goals and systems involved. Accordingly, this paper provides a detailed picture of effective goals and systems within TDEs in a UK context.A thorough examination of the goals, nature and systems of 16 coaches with significant expertise in talent development was carried out across 13 different sports. Inductive and deductive analysis revealed support for 5 main generic characteristics of effective TDEs: 1) Long-term aims and methods; 2) Wide-ranging coherent messages and support; 3) Emphasis on appropriate development not early success; 4) Individualized and ongoing development; and 5) Integrated, holistic and systematic development. Implications for applied practitioners, policy makers and researchers are explored. Effective Talent Development 3Effective Talent Development: The Elite Coach Perspective in UK Sport Talent identification and development (TID) is currently big business. Undoubtedly, effective systems will help enhance the quality and sustainability of our elite level teams, bringing with it large financial rewards and recognition. First class TID systems capable of delivering highly able and prepared athletes to the senior level are particularly important against the backdrop of ever-increasing professionalism and standard of world-class performance in the modern era.Research has already explored the characteristics and influences of those who succeed in developing to, and staying at, the top level of international sport. So we have some depth of knowledge about the characteristics that need to be engendered. For example, work has been carried out to identify the characteristics of elite level performers (Bloom, 1985;Gould, Dieffenbach, & Moffett, 2002;Talbot-Honeck & Orlick, 1998), the characteristics of successful developers (Abbott & Collins, 2004), and the range of influences on the development of Olympic champions . However, the higher-order goals and systems for coaching and talent development environments (TDEs) that optimally develop these characteristics are less clear. To date, coaching research has mainly focused on participation promotion in sport (Douge & Hastie, 1993), and perhaps surprisingly, there is little consideration of effective TDEs, which essentially drive the TID process.Of course, it is important to remember that there are many more factors involved in the development of talent than just the direct process of coaching itself (Bloom, 1985;. We must recognize and incorporate a whole range of influential factors, some of which are crucial for influencing young people directly (e.g., parents), and some that have more over-arching and systematic influence on the whole process, such as our culture and sporting policies. However, the TDE is certainly the most consistent and immediately controllable factor in the life of a developing elite and, given the high levels of resource, its Effective Talent Development 4 important and central role is...

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