Why Is It Important To Identify Future Elite Athletes

Talent identification has long been of great interest to sports coaches and administrators. This is especially true for professional sports. There are various reasons for this, principal among them being prediction of success in competition, determination of appropriate development processes to achieve success and the most efficient use of material resources. Early identification of future elite performers would give a competitive edge to any organization that could identify the best prospects. If such talented youngsters are provided with the best coaching and training from an early age, they will become elite players. Reliable identi cation of future elite performers at an early age would also permit institutions and other sports organizations to focus their expenditure on the development of a small number of young players, representing an effective financial investment. Many children strive to attain excellence in sport. But, the success rates of talent identification and development programs have rarely been assessed and the validity …show more content…
Even objectively measurable variables like height can only be predicted with in a range, from adolescence to adulthood. In a number of athletic activities, motor skills such as hand-eye-coordination, timing and anticipation are thought to be crucial. Nevertheless, at sub-elite standard and below, there are many tall basket ball players and aerobically outstanding distance runners who will never excel. It is recognized that psychological factors often distinguish those successful at the highest standard from their less successful counterparts. Identification of the psychological characteristics that distinguish outstanding performers from their peers has been a goal of sports administrators and coaches in all