Acquisition and maintenance of excellence:the challenges faced by Dutch top-level gymnasts throughout different stages of athletic development

The purpose of the present study is to identify the within-career challenges top-level gymnasts experience during the initiation, development and mastery stage of athletic development in training sessions, competition, and in daily life. In-depth interviews are used to explore the perceived challenges of 16 talented and elite gymnasts (M = 16.5 years, SD = 4.6 years). Participants are divided into three groups, according to the stage of their athletic development. Several challenges are perceived in all stages of athletic development (e.g. learning new elements, dealing with stress under pressure, dealing with distractions and managing their dual career). As the number of different challenges increases as the gymnasts reach the mastery stage, challenges seem to become more personal and specific than in previous stages. The study shows obvious differences in the nature of the perceived challenges for different stages of athletic development, which provides useful insights for those who work with talented and elite athletes

Talent transfer: A systematic review

Background: The effectiveness of traditional talent development (TD) programs can be questioned. Meanwhile, an extra pathway to the top has made its appearance: Talent transfer (TT). The aim of TT is to fast-track talented athletes into the high-performance environment. The first TT initiatives and studies exploring the TT process have been carried out. Objective: This systematic review gives an overview of studies examining TT, by situating TT within the developmental framework, comparing formal and informal TT and investigating the similarities between donor and transfer sports in TT from elite and non-elite level. Methods: A search was conducted on the PubMed and PsychINFO databases. The analysis was done according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses) statement. Results: After screening on title and abstract and full-text review, five studies remained for inclusion. Although literature is still scarce, results show that TT can serve as an alternative pathway in addition to the traditional TD programs. Literature suggests that similarities between donor and transfer sports are helpful, but this is not a prerequisite for TT. Besides, psychological factors are perceived to play an important role. Results regarding other determining factors of TT are still lacking. Athletes, national governing bodies and TD programs might benefit from this additional pathway, but the effectiveness of formal and informal TT remains unclear. Conclusion: A lot remains unknown about TT, hence future research is needed to increase our understanding of TT and its contribution as an extra pathway to the top

Psychological characteristics and skills of top-level Dutch gymnasts in the initiation, development and mastery stages of the athletic career

There is still only limited research available on whether the psychological characteristics and skills which facilitate successful progress throughout various stages of talent development, are the same as those contributing to elite performance. The purpose of the current study is therefore to identify the psychological characteristics and skills required by talented athletes as they develop through the initiation, development and mastery stages of an athletic career. Data was gathered from in-depth interviews with 16 top-level female gymnasts, between 10 and 24 years of age. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Gymnasts emphasised that the number of different psychological characteristics and skills required increases with progression through the stages. In the initiation stage, gymnasts talk in particular about 'maximising their potential', in the development stage `working with their environment' is added, and in the mastery stage, gymnasts also talk about 'delivering high performance'. The results provide useful insights for giving appropriate support in the development of psychological characteristics and skills in different stages of the athletic career