Readiness for Competition & Early Specialisation

Question 1

Prerequisites for readiness for competition - source

Answer 1

Passer and Wilson, 2002

Question 2

Passer & Wilson, 2002 - Prerequisites for readiness for competition

Answer 2

Motivational readiness

Cognitive readiness

Physical readiness

Question 3

Motivational Readiness

Answer 3

Occurs when:

• Actively seeks opportunities for social comparison
• Evaluated ability relative to peers
• Benefits from competition

Development of self-evaluation

• Self-referenced (0-2.5yrs)
• Compete for opportunity (2.5-4yrs)
• Social comparison (4-6yrs)
• Active competition (6-9yrs)

Question 4

Cognitive readiness

Answer 4

Young children

• Less focus for long periods
• Less able to recall info
• Less able to successfully rationalise success and failure

Question 5

Physical readiness

Answer 5

Physical competence

• Fundamental motor skills not mature until 8-9yrs
• Children same age can vary

Less physically able athletes:

• Less success, playing time, enjoyment
• Given minor roles
• Greater anxiety
• Minimise effort
• Increased illness/injury
• More likely to drop out

Question 6

When do children seek out competition - sources

Answer 6

Running race study - Pascuzzi, 1981

Paired artwork task - Butler, 1996

Question 7

Pascuzzi, 1981 - Running race study

Answer 7

Placing impacted boys not girls in pre-school

By 2nd grade, placing impacted:

• Post-race affect
• Perceptions of ability
• Future expectations

Question 8

Butler, 1996 - Paired artwork task

Answer 8

Younger children glance to ‘get ideas’

Older children give competitive reason for glancing

Children in urban schools & ego-involved climates more likely to compete

Question 9

Consequences of early competition - source

Answer 9

Memory Game - 3-5 year olds - Dorzella et al., 2000

Question 10

Dorzella et al., 2000 - Memory Game (3-5 years old)

Answer 10

When losing, experienced:

• Increased tension, impulsivity, anger & sadness
• Less enjoyment
• Elevated cortisol

Question 11

Development of role perspective - source

Answer 11

Coakley, 1986

Question 12

Coakley, 1986 - Development of role perspective

Answer 12

Egocentric prior to 6 yrs

Understanding of other views (6-8yrs)

Accept others views (8-10yrs)

True group perspective (10-12yrs)

Question 13

Parental Readiness - source

Answer 13

Smoll & Cumming, 2006

Question 14

Smoll & Cumming, 2006 - Parental Readiness

Answer 14

Respect child’s right to compete or not

Allow child to sample sports

Avoid reverse dependency

Share child with coach

Avoid being over-protective

Accept disappointment

Question 15

Bio-banding - source

Answer 15

Cumming et al., 2017

Question 16

Cumming et al., 2017 - Bio-banding - Definition

Answer 16

Players grouped relative to maturational status

Optimise and diversify learning opportunities and challenges

Question 17

Cumming et al., 2017 - Bio-banding - Soccer study

Answer 17

Early developers experience more challenge - rely on technical abilities

Late developers experience more success and opportunity to adopt leadership positions

Question 18

Definition of specialisation

Answer 18

Aim is athletic excellence

Early involvement in sport

Limit to single sport

Deliberate practice over play

Question 19

Driving factors for specialisation - source

Answer 19

Baker, 2003

Question 20

Baker, 2003 - Driving factors for specialisation

Answer 20

Societal emphasis

Professionalisation and commercialisation

Biologically determined time to perform at top level is limited

Expansion and intensification of training practices and strategies

Question 21

Support for specialisation

Answer 21

‘10 year rule’ for elite performance supported in chess, maths, music, tennis, swimming, running - Ericsson et al., 1993

Emphasis on deliberate practice enhances skill acquisition in Olympic gymnasts - Law et al., 2007

Question 22

Evidence against specialisation

Answer 22

Elite Nordic skiers spent more time skiing, but not Nordic skiing (Ronbeck et al., 2004)

Russian swimmers specialising succeed earlier also quit earlier (Baryina et al., 2004)

Elite Danish athletes specialise later and trained less as youth (Moesch et al., 2011)

Elite ice hockey players spent more time playing than practicing as youth (Soberlak & Cote, 2003)

Question 23

German Olympic Development Study

Answer 23

Guellich et al., 2006

Early success and training frequency did not predict success at 15-22+ years

Successful athletes:

• Did not specialise
• Received success in main sport at later age
• Sampled multiple sports
• Did not train more

Question 24

Potential risks of specialisation - source

Answer 24

Malina, 2010

Baker et al., 2009

Question 25

Malina, 2010 - Potential risks of specialisation

Answer 25

Social isolation

Overdependence

Burnout

Manipulation

Overuse injuries

Possible compromised growth and maturation

Question 26

Baker et al., 2009 - Potential risks of specialisation

Answer 26

Overuse injuries - one third of all injuries

Decreased enjoyment

Excessive pressure

Low self-efficacy

Compromised social development

Eating disorders