A closer look at the FTEM framework. Response to “More of the same? Comment on ‘An integrated framework for the optimisation of sport and athlete development: A practitioner approach’”

Abstract

The Foundations, Talent, Elite and Mastery (FTEM) framework was designed through the lens of a world leading high-performance sport agency to assist sporting stakeholders operationalise and research their whole of sport development pathways (Gulbin, J. P., Croser, M. J., Morley, E. J., & Weissensteiner, J. R. (2013). An integrated framework for the optimisation of sport and athlete development: A practitioner approach. Journal of Sport Sciences, 31, 1319-1331). In response to the commentary by MacNamara and Collins (2013) (Journal of Sports Sciences, doi:10.1080/02640414.2013. 855805), it was possible to document many inaccurate, false and misleading statements based on inattentive reading of the original article. We reinforce that: FTEM is a holistic framework of sport and athlete development and not a surrogate for a talent identification ( TID) model; bio-psycho-social components of development are liberally embedded throughout the FTEM framework; and the combined research and applied insights of development practitioners provide strong ecological validity for the consideration of stakeholders looking to explore applied approaches to athlete pathway management.

“I Didn't Make It, but…”: Deselected Athletes' Experiences of the Talent Development Pathway

“…In the context of youth sport, the “three worlds continuum” (Collins et al, 2012 ) suggests that a common foundation of appropriate early experiences enables youth athletes to move between “worlds” as they develop (Giblin et al, 2014 ), ultimately enabling a lifelong engagement in sport at a level commensurate with the individual's ability and motivation. The basis of the three worlds philosophy (Collins et al, 2012 ) requires a deliberate and purposeful focus on the skills, abilities and competencies that support opportunities for lifelong engagement in sport, increased physical activity, and greater well-being (Gublin et al, 2014 ; MacNamara et al, 2015 ; Macnamara et al, 2016 ) as well as elite sport. This approach is built on an autonomous, supportive, yet challenging development environment that facilitates the growth of the transferable skills that benefit youth athletes across the “three worlds.”…”

Practical application of ecological dynamics for talent development in cricket

“…A widely used model that informs Olympic sports has been adapted to inform the Australian talent development pathway for cricket, featuring four stages (Figure 1): a Foundation stage which captures free play; a Talent stage where junior regional and state/county selections begin to occur; an Elite stage which encompasses the adult state and national level athletes; and a Mastery stage where success at a national or international level is sustained (FTEM). 91 The female talent pathway does not currently feature a second-tier national competition, creating a gap between the end of the junior talent stages and the elite senior stages of the pathway. 92 The later rise of professionalism in women’s cricket also means that the pathway was shaped entirely on the existing men’s programmes with little understanding of the differences in upbringing, development, exposure and opportunities to engage with the pathway for current or recent elite female athletes.…”

Learning in development research framework for athlete development and sports science support

“…The applicability of the model has been criticised by MacNamara and Collins (2013), who questioned its generalisability across cultures and sport systems, its neglect of psycho-behavioural development facilitators and lack of insight into effective development environments and process markers. In their retort, Gulbin et al, (2014) argued that the criticism was misleading and displayed inattentive reading of the original article. They emphasised that the FTEM is a holistic framework of sport and athlete development and not a surrogate for a talent identification model and that bio-psycho-social components of development are embedded throughout the FTEM framework.…”