The purpose in this paper is to examine the effectiveness/usefulness of the long-term athlete development (LTAD) model, particularly in the coaching of judo. The major influences on the LTAD approach, including deliberate practice, are reviewed along with recent evidence that leads to questions about the usefulness of the LTAD model. While Judo Canada has attempted to implement this model in its program to train coaches, there remains a great deal of incongruity between the LTAD approach and the pedagogy that often characterizes judo.
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Re-Considering Long-Term Athlete Development on Coach Education: An Illustration from Judo
G. Cornelis van Kooten
Examining the Influence of Impairment Type on the Development of Paralympic Sport Athletes
Nima Dehghansai, Veronica Allan, Ross A. Pinder, and Joe Baker
In their comprehensive study, Radtke and Doll-Tepper ( 2014 ) demonstrated the complexity of Paralympic sport (PS) athletes’ development and the importance of examining disability-related 1 factors to further our limited knowledge. This work was supported by Hutzler et al. ( 2016 ) opinion paper
Psychological Skills and Characteristics Facilitative of Youth Athletes’ Development: A Systematic Review
Lea-Cathrin Dohme, David Piggott, Susan Backhouse, and Gareth Morgan
athletes (e.g., MacNamara, Button, & Collins, 2010a ). Despite similarities between the PSCs facilitative of youth athletes’ development and elite athletic performance to be expected, it is important to distinguish the psychological needs of adult and youth athlete populations. Particularly, experts have
Organizational Systems in British Sport and Their Impact on Athlete Development and Mental Health
Zoë A. Poucher, Katherine A. Tamminen, and Christopher R.D. Wagstaff
athlete development and well-being ( Neil et al., 2017 ). It is also important to determine how to encourage various figures who work within sport organizations to support and promote athlete development ( Neil et al., 2017 ). It is imperative to focus on the individuals and groups of people who comprise
Pathways in Paralympic Sport: An In-Depth Analysis of Athletes’ Developmental Trajectories and Training Histories
Nima Dehghansai, Ross A. Pinder, and Joseph Baker
Given the relative immaturity of research programs in Paralympic sport (PS) compared with able-bodied (AB) sport ( Dehghansai et al., 2017a ), it is not surprising that many athlete development models are built on evidence from AB cohorts. However, considering the complexities associated with PS
Using Vignettes to Analyze Potential Influences of Effective Strength and Conditioning Coaching on Athlete Development
Christoph Szedlak, Matthew Smith, Melissa Day, and Bettina Callary
they make to athlete development and preparation for sport-specific performance ( UKSCA, 2016 ). In summary, the S&C coaching role in elite sport has achieved an increased level of importance in the last few years. Given the suggested importance credited to S&C, it is imperative to gain an
The Role of Interorganizational Relationships on Elite Athlete Development Processes
Popi Sotiriadou, Jessie Brouwers, Veerle De Bosscher, and Graham Cuskelly
Previous studies acknowledge the importance of sporting organizations’ developing partnerships with clubs for athlete development purposes. However, there are no studies that address the way partnerships influence athlete progression and pathways. This study explores interorganizational relationships (IORs) between a tennis federation and tennis clubs in their efforts to improve player development processes. Document analysis and semistructured interviews with representatives from clubs and the Flemish federation were used. The findings show that the federation and the clubs engaged in IORs to achieve reciprocity and efficiency. The federation anticipated gaining legitimacy and asymmetry, and clubs expected to develop stability. Formal and informal control mechanisms facilitated IOR management. The conceptual model discussed in this study shows the types of IOR motives, management, and control mechanisms that drive and influence the attraction, retention/ transition, and nurturing processes of athlete development.
Managing Conflict and Resistance to Change in a Minor Hockey System
Daniel Wigfield and Ryan Snelgrove
In March 2017, responding to a pressure to improve athlete development and enjoyment, Hockey Canada moved to change how youth are introduced to hockey by mandating the implementation of a cross-ice development program for its entry-level participants. The mandate of cross-ice programming was to ensure that all 75,000 entry-level participants received increased touches of the puck on an appropriately sized playing surface; thus, heightening their spatial awareness and foundational skills necessary to enjoyably move forward in hockey. As is common for many sport organizations, the proposed programming changes were met with resistance by some stakeholders. Surprisingly, the resistance to the programming changes evolved into a much-publicized intergroup conflict within Hockey Canada’s largest market. The dispute could not be resolved in time for the beginning of the 2017–2018 season. As a result, the defiant local leagues were granted a one-year reprieve from implementing cross-ice programming. With only a one-year reprieve granted, Hockey Canada must now determine the appropriate steps to fully implement their desired programming change and ensure that resistance-based conflicts are limited in the future.
Epistemic Communities and Knowledge-Based Professional Networks in Sport Policy and Governance: A Case Study of the Canadian Sport for Life Leadership Team
Mathew Dowling and Marvin Washington
This investigation examined how a network of knowledge-based professionals—the Canadian Sport for Life Leadership Team (CS4LLT)—as a newly emerging organizational form was able to influence the Canadian sport policy and governance process in an attempt to reshape Canadian sport. The analysis draws upon the epistemic community approach (Haas, 1992; Haas & Adler, 1992) and empirical data collected as part of an in-depth case study examination into the leadership team and senior Sport Canada officials. The findings support the notion that the CS4LLT, as a network of knowledge-based professionals with legitimated and authoritative and policy-relevant expertise (epistemic community), was able to influence the Canadian sport policy process through (i) influencing key governmental actors by (re)framing policy-relevant issues and (ii) establishing knowledge/truth claims surrounding athlete development, which, in turn, enabled direct and indirect involvement in and influence over the sport policy renewal process. More broadly, the study draws attention to the potential role and importance of knowledge-based professional networks as a fluid, dynamic, and responsive approach to organizing and managing sport that can reframe policy debates, insert ideas, and enable policy learning.
Girls, Women, and Female Athletes in Sport Psychology: A Decade-Long Review of the Literature
Alex Murata, Cailie S. McGuire, Madison Robertson, Mia KurtzFavero, Jennifer T. Coletti, Philip B. Simpson, Ella Pierone, Luc J. Martin, and Jean Côté
GW + FAs within the areas of team dynamics, cohesion, leadership, personality, motivation, aggression, and character development—all important components related to athlete development and creating positive sporting experiences. Future Directions and Limitations Although this study attempted to shed
