Sport science work

1. Participation
Talent identification- This stage is important as this is where talent is firstly picked up because
this level is above foundation and the athlete is participating in some form of competitive sport,
if they are noticed playing below their ability they may be scouted by an experienced coach.
Such programme as pitch to podium run by UK sport are used to pick up talent at this level, this
is where players in mostly rugby and football are given a chance to make it as a Olympian.
Elite
Talent identification- this stage is the final level of participation, talent ID is very important as
this is how players get called up to the national team or get brought by other clubs to progress in
their career. This is done by elite scouts who look at players who are showing great form. At this
level scouts will often look abroad in sports like football to find the newest talent playing at an
elite level in the country.
Monitoring current fitness levels
Participation
At this level fitness levels are important as it one of the key factors in a coach picking the right
team. This is done through training which is only one a week at this level, the coach may even
just monitor the current fitness levels of performance in training using his own opinion to
determinate fitness of the athletes. Because at this level there will be a lack of specialist
equipment and facilities, they may just conduct simple field tests like the beep test and compare
the results with each other as well as normative data. Although at this level there may be other
external factors that prioritise and they performer will not have time to improve there current
fitness levels E.G. work . These external factors can even stop the performer from attending the
weekly training which may even decrease there fitness levels.
Elite
At the elite level athletes will strive to become at fit as they can due to the fact they will not be
able to compete at this level if they are not, also at this level being a professional athlete is job
and if the coach seeing the athletes fitness levels declining they get dropped to the lower level or
the bench, this can even go as far to deducting wages. The coach will have the best facilities,
equipment and analysists available to accurately assess these fitness levels and conduct tests
E.G. using GPS trackers in rugby to give a indication of metres ran etc. This is then compared to
normative data and previous games from the athlete this can help indicate there fitness levels.
Even with the fitness tests they will have the best labs to conduct these tests E.G. when testing
VO2 max they can moniter inhaled and exhaled oxygen and carbon dioxide whilist the athlete
runs on a treadmill therefore giving a more accurate analysis of the true vo2 max.
Identifying strengths and areas for improvement
Participation
At participation level, identifying strenghts and weakness's are key to an athlete improve there

2. personal performance and in team games this can help imrpove overall productivity of the team,
they will want to improve and focus their strengths whist at this level only trying to decrease
there weakness's as this can help them progress onto the next level of performance. The
identifying of these strengths and weakness's is done through internal and external feedback from
the player themselves indicating these strengths and weakness's using cognitive tools such as self
talk as this will also motivate the performer and the coach giving verbal and visual feedback in
training and game situations. E.G. a football coach talking to the striker about his shot technique
and then showing him how to improve it doing a example of the skill.
Elite
During this stage of an athletes performance they will be an autonomous learner and will not
have significant weakness's and will try to decrease errors in game situations. They will try to
use the strengths to gain an advantage over opponents. This can be done through visual and
verbal feedback again, but also video feedback as they can look back on games and training and
look at there weakness's and try to decrease game errors.
Performance assessment
Participation
At this level the nessacery resources may not be available E.G. video analysis . Therefore the
coach would have to use verbal feedback to assess the performer, the coach can also shape the
training situations to assess the performer in different stimulus's which would occur in there sport
activity e.g. a rowing coach getting the athlete to repeat the take off of the race multiple times (8
seconds) and assess their performance. This assessment is important at this level because it helps
the coach pick the correct performer. E.G. a football striker getting drop for another because they
are 20% more accurate in a training exercise (although this isn’t the only factor affecting
selection it may help)
Elite
The elite level has the nessacery resources available to assess the performer in a number of ways
and stimulus's E.G. video analysis, this gives a true indication to how the performer plays during
games as in training other factors E.G. motivation can affect performance levels. At this level the
athlete can also assess themselves as they will be an autonomous learner. This is important
because at the elite level this can also be used assess opposition in upcoming games. The coach
can use this assessment to plan for the next game and making sure he has made the right
selection.
Recovery after injury
Participation

3. During the stage of performance, recovery will be fairly slow as there will be no private help
from club doctors etc. The athlete will have to self manage themselves if the injury is minor e.g.
a twisted ankle, if the injury is more serious they will have to go the the public sector for help, a
hospital. The athlete doesnt really have much access to top levels of rehabilitaion, although
sometimes they can referred to NHS physiotheripst. But due to external factors e.g. work the
recommended steps cannot always be taken.
Elite
At the top end of performance, injured athletes get alot of help from the private sector, as there
clubs etc will fund it there recovery. They will have access to top medical facilities and will not
have to wait to get treated. Therefore there recovery will be quicker as they have round the clock
access the doctors etc, they can also follow the recommended steps to recover quicker as this is
there job and have time to rest. This is done because the club who is paying the athlete will want
them to be back playing as soon as possible.
Assessment of health status
Participation
At this level the athlete will have to complete a PARQ to prove they have don’t have any health
problems, following this they should be cleared by a doctor. This should happen yearly to update
any information. This is important to the athlete and coach as serious health problems can effect
the performance of the athlete and the team.
Elite
At elite level there will a series of health assessments and meeting with various club doctors.
This will benefit the athlete as they will be able to find out if there if any unlying problems
wrong with them in a in depth analysis, also if they move club the information will be there for
the new club to look at.
Squad selection
Participation
At this level squad selection doesn’t often vary unless injury occurs or new players join the club,
this is due to the lack of players in the team that often occurs at this level. This can benefit the
coach as it makes selection easier and the players are going to get game time, this can be
negative as some players may not get as much game time as they want as they coach can fall into
selecting the same players.
Elite
at the highest level of performance, squad selection is chosen through upcoming opposition as

4. they coach can watch his opposition and play his player according to the opposition e.g. in a
rugby game he may put more defensive players in as he knows the opposition a known to play
with big ball carriers. At this level its also easier for the coach to keep track of other factors that
affect performance. At this level not making the team will not demotivate the player but make
they strive to try harder in training to get picked.
Goal setting
Participation
At this level its harder for the athlete to get external SMART goals agreed with the coach as the
coach cannot look back of previous matches and training therefore the goals will not be specific
enough to the player. At this level there might be team goals for upcoming fixtures e.g. to win
50% of our games this month this helps keeps team moral and tea cohesion. The teams efficient
can be affect by if a athlete is social loafing this can demotivate the team from the goals they
have set.
Elite
At this level goal setting is specific to each athlete as the coaching team will have the time and
resources available to help the athlete set SMART goals which are agrees upon. At this level this
benefits the athlete because they can see there progress over the year e.g. over the year a
openside flanker has to improve his turn over percentage by 25 %, this target also will give the
athlete something to work on in training keeping them focused and motivated therefore stopping
the ringlemann effect of social loafing.
Human
Participation
This level human gives people the chance to get involved in any sport regardless of ability and
improve there skills. This gives the athlete a chance to progress there skills and even move onto
the next level of sporting ability , although human resources at this level are unlikely to posses a
high level of skill. This is done by people coming to the clubs and getting advice of the coaches.
Elite
At this level human resources are used to monitor progress and health. Human resources are
highly skilled and are qualified in specific sport and even specific areas e.g. elite rugby teams
have backs coaches and forwards coaches. This benefits the player as they stay motivated and
strive to be playing every week increasing there abilities.
Facilities
Participation

5. At this level the facilities accessible are at a lower level from the pitch to the physio room, this is
due to less funding. This effects the athlete because them may not be able to improve there
performance. e.g. not having access all weather 3G pitches and sometimes coaches having to
cancel training due to waterlogged pitches ete therefore due to this the performer cannot advance
there skills and cannot train in there own time as other external factors effect their time.
Elite
At the elite level they athletes have access have access to a number of top facilities due to the
private funding and success of the club. They will have access to the best testing facilities,
physio rooms and training grounds inside and outside thus helping them improve there skills
regardless of the weather and rehabilitation stage. Its these facilitates that improve the
performance of the player therefore improving team success.
Time
Participation
at this level the athletes can struggle for time to participate in sporting activity due to external
factors e.g. work, this may stop the athlete from training as they have to work or they may not
want to get injured and miss out on working as they have families to pay for etc. This means the
athlete cannot progress there skills and move onto the next stage of performance, if they want to
improve they would have to use there leisure time, this can benefit the athlete as its gets them a
hobby.
Elite
At this level they don’t have to worry about the external factors as much as this is there job they
have a lot of time to evaluate their skills and ability and know how to improve these. This leaves
their spare time for them to spend with their families. This benefits the athlete because more of a
chance in succeeding and progressing their performance if there dedicating all their time to the
sport.
Equipment
Participation
At this level the equipment used will be of a lower standard and often can be old and breaking.
When being used for tests the old equipment can be unreliable therefore giving inaccurate
results. Equipment at this level can benefit the performer learning the basics of the sport e.g.
using tackle bags in rugby training to practice tackling.
Elite
At the elite level the equipment used is of a quality standard, therefore when testing athletes the

6. results will be accurate and valid. When training the quality equipment will help the athletes
improve their skills as they get the full benefits of the sessions. e.g. some rugby teams have
access to hypoxic chambers that improve there aerobic fitness, this is only accessible regularly at
the elite level.
Financial
Participation
At this level athletes would have to fund themselves if they want access to the top level facilities
and equipment. Even in rehabilitation most athletes do not have the private sector available and
have to go through the public sector taking them longer to heal and prolonging them playing
sport. Some athletes may not have the funds to buy new equipment e.g. new boots or paying club
sub fees.
Elite
At this level athletes no not have to worry about the fees of playing sport as them as athletes are
getting paid at the elite level of sport. Though injury they have access to private rehabilitation
help e.g. club doctors. This benefits them as they can improve there skills at the best facilities
with the best equipment. e.g. not having to pay for a gym membership as its funded by NGBs.
Science support and equipment
Participation
At this level this support and equipment is hard to obtain and expensive which would have to be
funded by the athlete themselves. Because of this it wouldn’t be helpful to their progression as
the equipment is very expensive and it has to be operated by someone skilled and trained to use
it, no one at this level would have these skills.
Elite
This is used at this level to analyise athletes and give them specific aspects of there performance
in training and the coaching team can create ways for improving athletes e.g Bioelectrical
impedance analysis is used for estimating body composition, and in particular body fat. This
happens because the clubs are private funded.
Safety
Participation
At this level safety is under looked the only safety aspect that happens is a pitch inspection and
boot checks in teams sports. There doesn’t tend to be a quick route to recovery to injury therefore
the athlete is at risk for longer because there not seeking immediate care e.g. waiting for 3 hours

7. in the emergency room at the hospital.
Elite
At this level athletes have access to top level facilities and equipment therefore injury doesn’t
often occur from this aspect, even when injuries occur the waiting time is very little as elite sport
is well funded and the athletes have access to private care. With regards to pitch inspections in
team sports they often have grounds keepers so they pitch is kept in top conditions.