Sidestepping Talent ID Models: Avoiding Early Specialisation, Maintaining Participation, and Focusing on the Participant as an Athlete

Excelling at the highest level of sport continues to be a priority for many National Governing Bodies (NGB) and sport coaches. Multiple challenges exist here, however, many of which relate to the difficulty in establishing talent identification models that work well and also allow for ‘late-developers’. Selection periods predicated on certain age ranges and periods, the notions of early and late specialisation, and the discourse related to deliberate play and practice (and subsequent expertise) all play a part in the complex tapestry of equitable competition, selection to excellence, and development. Of note, many youth sport coaches do not possess the necessary expertise and skill to fairly navigate these kinds of problems, and it is the contention of this commentary that (outside of specific NGB talent ID systems) they should prioritise longer-term, athlete-centred philosophies and outcomes. Importantly, given the evidence of athletes who have successfully transitioned sports due in large part to their athletic ability, this commentary puts forward the notion that youth sport coaches should focus on developing their participants’ athletic ability, agility, footwork, and power; all characteristics that many sports necessitate at their highest level