Routes To Sporting Excellence

Question 1

What is the Talent ID programme?

Answer 1

Sport specific programmes - NGB’s develop talents of identified athletes

Question 2

What is the foundation level performance pathway?

Answer 2

Identification process to see which athletes may be good enough to progress from each home county

Complete a PHC (performance health check)

Question 3

What is the world class podium programme?

Answer 3

Supports athletes with potential to win a medal at the next Olympic / Paralympic Games

(E.g. a maximum of 4 years away from the podium)

Question 4

What is the world class podium potential programme?

Answer 4

Supports athletes with potential to win a medal at the subsequent Olympic / Paralympic Games

(E.g. a maximum of 8 years away from the podium)

Question 5

Who runs the national institutes of sport?

Answer 5

UK sport

Question 6

What are the key support programmes that UK sport offer? (5)

Answer 6

1) Provide world class facilities to train in

2) Physiological and Psychological sports science support

3) Medical support for injuries and illness

4) Complete research into new sporting technology

5) Run talent ID processes

Question 7

What is participation drop out?

Answer 7

When people who play the sport recreationally stop playing

Question 8

What is elite drop out?

Answer 8

People who could have been elite, but dropped out before reaching this

Question 9

Why would someone with elite potential, drop out? (10)

Answer 9

1) Funding issues
2) Demands of training (time)
3) Injury
4) Stress
5) Lack of enjoyment
6) Not quite good enough
7) Travel
8) Media pressure
9) Family commitments
10) Geographical location - unable to access elite programmes / facilities

Question 10

What are some strategies to address elite drop out? (6)

Answer 10

1) Identify Problems - Evaluate athlete to identify potential stressors / difficulties -> This would allow appropriate interventions to be put in place to take stressors away

2) Performance Lifestyle Advice - Advise on integration of sporting + personal life, and giving financial advice -> Take away social and financial pressures

3) Media Strategies - Teach strategies for dealing with media -> Enable athletes to deal with the pressure put on personal life

4) Medical Strategies - Arrange medial intervention e.g. physiotherapy -> To maintain physical health through injury prevention and rehabilitation to allow continued participation

5) Psychological Support - Give psychological support / teach stress management techniques -> To maintain mental health to allow continued participation

6) Training Programme - Suggest training adaptations -> To allow appropriate rest and recovery, to meet the changing needs of the athlete and keep them motivated and progressing

Question 11

What is talent identification?

Answer 11

The testing of physiological and psychological parameters that help determine the likelihood of sporting success

Question 12

What are some physiological parameters used in Talent ID? (2)

Answer 12

1) Fitness tests - VO2 max for endurance, 20m sprint test for speed. Used to predict sports you could ALREADY be good at

2) Anthopometry - Genetic physical characteristics -> muscle fibres ratios through muscle biopsy, height, arm span. Used to predict the type of sports you are LIKELY TO BE ABLE to good at. E.g. someone with long arm span likely to be a good swimmer

Question 13

What are some psychological parameters used in Talent ID? (2)

Answer 13

1) Psychological profile - Personality testing, aggression, anxiety, arousal

2) Hereditary profile - Success of previous family members

3) Sociological profile - Age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background etc…

Question 14

What are the key factors for successful talent identification? (6)

Answer 14

1) Widespread testing - all ages, genders, socio-economic groups

2) High quality systems - top quality scouts, coaches, testing methods

3) Variety of testing - physiological + psychological

4) Database of information to allow for sharing across sports

5) Co-ordinated testing - linking of agencies + coaches

6) Good competition systems to scout from

Question 15

What are the positives of the talent ID system? (5)

Answer 15

1) Those identified should make rapid progress

2) Get relevant sporting experiences to their talents from a young age

3) More success / medal winners

4) Better use of NGB funding once selected

5) Widens talent pool in minority sports

Question 16

What are the negatives of the talent ID system?

Answer 16

1) Will always miss people

2) Experienced coaches ‘eye’ could be better than quantitative tests in some sports

3) Testing requires extensive funding

4) Children could be over trained and limits their options from a young age

5) Although someone may have the potential to be good, doesn’t mean they always are

Question 17

What are the 4 stages of becoming an elite athlete?

Answer 17

1) Foundation - introduction into a sport

2) Participation - recreational involvement, they choose to participate, emphasis is on fun

3) Performance - county and regional participation with emphasis on competition and winning

4) Excellence - national or international level with high levels of coaching and sport science support

Question 18

What 4 key roles do schools / colleges play in developing talent?

Answer 18

1) PE Lessons - Compulsory to learn a range of skills, these skills are fundamental and transferable

2) Extra Curricular Activities - Competitive opportunities, intra = sports days, inter = fixtures against other schools

3) Qualifications - GCSE + A Level PE, Sports leaders, apprenticeships

4) Provide links to clubs

Question 19

What roles do (elite) clubs play in developing talent? (5)

Answer 19

1) Offer specialist coaching

2) Offer specialist facilities and equipment

3) Offer medical support

4) Concessions e.g. match fees and travel paid for

5) Competitive fixtures

Question 20

What roles do universities play in developing talent? (3)

Answer 20

1) TASS - Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (England only)

2) Sport scholarships - Many offer scholarships + bursaries, combines performance with study

3) Top facilities - Specialist facilities (centres of excellence), involved in sports science research, high levels of competition