This is a presentation discussing early and late specialisation in sport and which pathway provides the best opportunity for elite sucess.

1. How typical
is this
photo?

2. The Best Form of Athletic
Development for Children
Emma Friend

3. Children’s Reasons for Participating in
Sport
• To have fun
• To improve skills
• To be with friends
• To be part of a team
• To experience excitement
• To receive rewards
• To win
• To become physically fit
(Wankel & Kreisel, 1985)

4. Côté - Developmental Model of
Sports Participation
Early specialisation Early diversification
1. The 1. The Sampling years
specialising/investment
years 2. The Specialising years
3. The investment years

5. 6-12yrs Sampling Years
• High levels of deliberate play
• Low levels of deliberate practice
• Participation in many sports
• Often backyard sport
• Relaxed rules

6. Côté - Developmental Model of
Sports Participation
Early specialisation Early diversification
1. The specialising years 1. The Sampling years
2a. The recreational years
2. The investment years
2b. The Specialising years
3. The investment years

7. 12+ yrs Recreational Years
• Athlete decides not to pursue sport to an elite
levels and instead participates at a
recreational level
• Still low levels of deliberate practice
• But includes age-appropriate competition

8. 13-15yrs Specialising Years
• Fewer sports
• Less deliberate play
• More deliberate practice
• High emphasis on skill development

9. 16+ yrs Investment Years
• Specialise on one distinct sport
• High emphasis on performance
• Sports and skill specific training

10. Balyi - Long Term Athlete Development
Early Specialisation Model Late Specialisation Model
1. Training to train 1. Fundamentals
2. Training to complete 2. Learning to train
3. Training to win 3. Training to train
4. Training to complete
4. Retirement/Retainment
5. Training to win
6. Retirement/Retainment

11. Boys: 6-9yrs
Girls: 5-8yrs FUNdamentals
• Participation in many sports
• Fundamental skills and capabilities taught
through fun games an activities

12. Boys: 9-12yrs
Girls: 8-11yrs Learning to Train
• Introduction of general sports skills
• Develop knowledge of sports related areas
such as warm-up and hydration.
• Emphasis still largely on enjoyment

13. Boys: 12-16yrs
Girls: 11-15yrs Training to Train
• Overall development of athlete’s physical
capabilities
• Strong emphasis on sports specific skills
• More competition specific training
• Greater emphasis on competition

14. Boys: 16-18yrs
Girls: 15-17yrs Training to Compete
• Performance the key
• Technical and tactical skills
• Strong emphasis on competition
• More attention played to other aspects of the
sport

15. Boys: 18+ yrs
Girls: 17+ yrs Training to Win
• Performance major emphasis
• Peaking for major competitions
• Majority of training competition focused

16. Retirement/Retainment
• Retaining athletes to be involved in sport
through coaching, officiating or
administration.

17. How much Sports Specific
Training is Enough?

18. The Effects of Specialisation
on Athletic Development

19. Physiological Perspective for Elite
Success
Late Specialisation
• Increase in strength
• Increase in speed and agility
• Improved cardiovascular endurance
• Improved gross motor coordination and
balance

20. Physiological Perspective Cont.
Early Specialisation
• Increase risk of over training
• Increase risk of over use injuries
• Over training – may cause problems to
growth, stunted growth, and problems with
epithseal growth plates

21. Psychological Perspective
Late Specialisation
• Development of game sense
• Development of automatic decision making
• Fosters positive peer relationships
• Development of life skills
• Helps develop multiple coping strategies
needed in different sports

22. Psychological Perspective
Early Specialisation
• Decrease intrinsic motivation
• Increase risk of dropout
• Increase risk of athletic burnout

23. International Athletes
Past research has found majority of elite athlete
participated in a vary of sports through
childhood

24. Summary
• Reasons for participation
• Côté - Developmental Model of Sports
Participation
• Balyi – Long Term Athlete Development Model
• Physiological Perspective
• Psychological Perspective

25. Conclusion
According to the research we have viewed late
specialisation appears to be more beneficial to
athletic development from a physiological and
psychological perceptive.

26. References
• Bailey, R., Collins, D., Ford, P., Macnamara, Á., Toms, M. & Pearce G.
(2010). Participant development in sport: An academic review. Pg101.
• Baker, J. (2003). Early specialisation in youth sport: a requirement for adult
expertise? High Ability Studies. 14(1)
• Baker, J., Cobley, S. & Fraser-Thomas J. (2009). What do we know about
early sport specialization? Not much. High Ability Studies. 20(1):77-90.
• Baker, J., Cote, J. & Abernethy, B. (2003) Sport-specific practice and the
development of expert decision-making in team ball sports. Journal of
Applied Sports Psychology. 15(1):12-25.
• Callender, S. (2010). The early specialisation of youths in sport. Athletic
Training & Sports Health Care: The Journal for the Practicing Clinician. 2(6):
255-258.
• Cote, J., Lidor, R. & Hackfort D. (2009). ISSP position stand: to sample or to
specialise? Seven postulates about youth sport activities that lead to
continued participation and elite performance. International Journal of
Sports and Exercise Psychology. 7(1):11-18.

27. References Continued
• Fransen, J., Pion, J., Vandendriessche, J., Vandorpe, B., Vaeyens, R., Lenoir, M. &
Philippaerts, R. (2012). Differences in physical fitness and gross motor coordination
in boys aged 6-12 years specializing in one verses sampling more than one sport.
Journal of Sports Sciences. 30(4):379-387.
• Stanlan, T. K., Babkes, M. I... & Scanlan, L. A, (2005), Participation in sport; A
developmental glimpse at emotion. InJ. L. Mahoncy, R. W. Larson. &J.S, t*:cles
(ííls.). Organized activities as contexts nf dn-elupmetit (pp. 275-.1Í0). Mahwah, NJ:
Uiwc-rcnce Erlb.iums, Inc., Publishers.
• Wankel, L. M. & Kreisel, P. S. J. (1985). Factors underlying enjoyment of youth
sports: Sport and age group comparisons . Journal of Sports Psychology. 7:51-64.
• Wiersma, L. (2000). Risks and benefits of youth sport specialisation: perspectives
and recommendations. Pediatric Exercise Science. 12(1):13-22.
• Yoo, |. (2001) CÀjping Protile of Korean Competitive Athletes. International Journal
of Sport of Sport Psychology. 32 (2)0-03.

28. Picture References
All images were sourced via creative commons
Pictures on title page
• “Golf Thursdays” by chispita_666
• “Sunny Saturday at the Park” by chispita_666
• “Where Amazing Happens” by
• “Silhouettes” by Tezza #