Dr Tom Mitchell

The first purpose of this study was to examine psychological aspects of the talent development experiences of adolescent youth players who were on the verge of being released by a third division professional soccer club in England. The second purpose was to compare these findings with Holt and Dunn's (2004) grounded theory of soccer success and other pertinent literature in order to present predictions about the psychological factors that may increase the chances of talented adolescent athletes making it into professional adult soccer. Nine players (M age =18.5 yrs) and three coaches from an English professional third division club were interviewed and data were subjected to an inductive-deductive analysis procedure as part of the process of qualitative theory generation. The findings suggested that players lacked volitional behavior, delaying gratification, determination to succeed, strategic career planning, coping strategies, and tangible support. We interpreted these findings against previous research and concluded that hope theory (Snyder, Rand, & Sigmon, 2002) may be a useful framework for understanding psychological issues that enable some talented adolescent soccer players to make it to professional adult soccer. Accordingly a revised grounded theory of soccer success during adolescence is presented.

The term ‘critical moments’ describes the range of experiences of professional footballers, and are defined as “frequently experienced moments in our lives where we must confront the anxiety associated with an important change in our identity” (Nesti et al. 2012, p. 23). Our understanding of such critical moments in professional and youth football (Parker, 2001; Roderick, 2006, Nesti et al., 2012) is limited. To contribute to this emerging body of knowledge the aim of this study is to present accounts of critical moments from two players in a professional football club. From a season-long ethnographic engagement at a Championship football club two critical moments are presented as creative non-fiction vignettes. The first story is about Ryan who is about to find out if he has been given a professional playing contract for next season. The second is about Kevin, who is ‘lost’ in the talent development system after an unsuccessful loan spell. The term creative non-fiction is seen as appropriate as the vignettes are based on real events but make use of literary fiction to tell the story. Such representation has been advocated in coaching settings as a reflective tool in coach development (Douglas & Careless, 2008) and has also been seen as a valuable and necessary mode of expression (Sparkes & Smith, 2009). It is hoped that these accounts may offer coaches and sport psychologists in such settings an opportunity to reflect on their practices and processes by gaining an insight into player experience of such practices and processes.

This study is the first empirical investigation that has explored levels of athletic identity in elite-level English professional football. The importance of understanding athletes' psychological well-being within professional sport has been well documented. This is especially important within the professional football industry, given the high attrition rate (Anderson, G., & Miller, R. M. (2011). The academy system in English professional football: Business value or following the herd? University of Liverpool, Management School Research Paper Series. Retrieved from http://www.liv.ac.uk/managementschool/research/working%20papers/wp201143.pdf ) and distinct occupational practices (Roderick, M. (2006). The work of professional football. A labour of love? London: Routledge). A total of 168 elite youth footballers from the English professional football leagues completed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). Multilevel modelling was used to examine the effect of playing level, living arrangements and year of apprentice on the total AIMS score and its subscales (i.e., social identity, exclusivity and negative affectivity). Football club explained 30% of the variance in exclusivity among players (P = .022). Mean social identity was significantly higher for those players in the first year of their apprenticeship compared to the second year (P = .025). All other effects were not statistically significant (P > .05). The novel and unique findings have practical implications in the design and implementation of career support strategies with respect to social identity. This may facilitate the maintenance of motivation over a 2-year apprenticeship and positively impact on performance levels within the professional football environment.

Although psychosocial skills and characteristics (PSCs) drive development in soccer academies limited research exists documenting processes of applying PSC assessment and development. This study aimed to explore effectiveness of a PSC programme applied in a Category 3 soccer academy with nine volunteer U13 players (age 12.63 ± 0.18 years). The lead researcher co-created the programme alongside coaches (n = 2). Data were gathered pre- and post-intervention using the psychological characteristics of developing excellence questionnaire version 2 (PCDEQ2) and performance profiles. Changes in PSCs were analyzed using paired samples t-tests (Cohen’s d effect size determined magnitude of change). For PCDEQ2 scores, small effects were noted for self-directed control and management (p = 0.11, d = 0.31) and active coping (p = 0.17, d = 0.27). Imagery and active preparation (p = 0.18, d = −0.42), perfectionistic tendencies (p = 0.05, d = −0.43). Seeking and using social support (p = 0.27, d = −0.22) showed negative small effects. For performance profile scores, medium effects were observed on emotional control (p = 0.05, d = 0.76), self-awareness (p = 0.00, d = 0.52), and good learner (p = 0.02, d = 0.47). Medium negative effects were observed for commitment (p = 0.04, d = −0.56), and concentration (p = 0.02, d = −0.79). Main findings were that a 21-week PSC programme had positive and negative effects on player PSCs, which maybe enhanced through a carefully designed programme. Future research should explore effectiveness of different approaches to embedding PSC programmes into soccer academies.

There are concerns surrounding the lack of players making the transition from youth to professional status within English professional soccer. Stakeholders, such as coaches, have been largely overlooked by researchers often focussing on player experiences. We aimed to explore soccer practitioner perceptions of the debilitating factors associated with youth to senior progression. Practitioners were chosen as they inform the working practices and are the cultural architects of the environment in which players operate. Interviews were conducted with 18 (N = 18), male (n = 17) and female (n = 1) soccer practitioners. These included coaches (n = 6), academy managers (n = 8) and staff involved with education and welfare (n = 4). Data were thematically analysed where four themes were identified (cultural climate, working practices, occupational hazards and social challenges). The analysis provided a clear picture of the transition landscape faced by players seeking to make the youth-to-senior transition through the eyes of soccer practitioners. The findings present a novel viewpoint to facilitate reflection around their own practice when managing youth to senior transitions. Further research is needed to triangulate player experiences and operational aspects of facilitating transitions which could lead to the creation of best practice guidance.

The career trajectory of young footballers has been given attention in recent years, in particular the factors influencing their progression to becoming established senior professional footballers. Researchers have focused on aspects such as the quality of talent development environments (e.g., Mills et al., 2012; 2014a; Mitchell et al., 2021) and understanding junior to senior transitions (e.g., Morris et al., 2015; 2017; 2017). This research is centred on the U21 professional development phase of football in England, which is the final stage the majority of young footballers will encounter before entering a first team environment.This phase has been identified as the most crucial career transition point, with the ultimate goal of producing a greater number of ‘home-grown’ players (Premier League, 2011). It has been suggested that this phase presents nuanced challenges that players and practitioners must navigate (Dowling et al., 2018; Richardson et al., 2013). However, relatively little is known about the daily experiences of players in the U21 phase, and almost no research has focused on the effectiveness of such an environment. This research examines the extent to which the primary objective of the elite English academy system in professional football, i.e., a talent development environment, is being met, with a specific focus on the U21 professional development phase.A mixed methods approach, both quantitative (scoping review and survey) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews and ethnography) facilitated the capture of insights into development practice and the perceptions, views and opinions of players, coaches and support staff in this phase of professional football in England. The research consists of four studies.Study one is a scoping review of all professional clubs’ academies to identify the structure, extent and organisation of U21 football. Findings identify significant variation across the four academy categories and limited web-based information about clubs’ objectives. In addition, a review of the research literature specifically focused on U21 football, reinforced the dearth of empirical literature in this area. Study two surveys players’ opinions about the quality of their talent development environments and general health, across category 1 and 2 clubs. The most positively perceived elements of the players’ environments were a recognition of long-term development and the availability of support networks; the least positive were the absence of holistic quality preparation, communication and alignment of expectations. However, players perceived their general health to be good.Study three is an interview-based exploration of the organisational structure, value of competition, relationships, attitudes, and the role of coaches in managing and conducting U21 football. Players and coaches provided a comprehensive insight into their environment, highlighting the impact on the developmental agenda of factors such as inconsistent and unstable group composition, limitations in providing an environment that would ready players for first team football, and a lack of competitive challenge. These elements were not conducive to an effective learning environment and impacted negatively on well-being and intrinsic motivation. Study four adopts an ethnographic approach to explore the lived experiences of players and key stakeholders. A practitioner-researcher perspective provides an ‘insider’ insight into the day-to-day workings of the U21 environment, documenting these experiencesover an extended period of time. Findings highlight a range of structural issues relating to the stability of the group and psycho-social challenges emanating from identity, meaning, purpose and belonging. Specifically, the results showed that players beyond their first year experienced a loss of determination and self-motivation due to a lack of exposure to first team football and/or de-selection.It seems clear from both the concept of the U21 phase and from these accounts of practice that(a) its developmental ambitions might be better termed a ‘late development model’ and (b) that another more apt descriptor would be ‘talent readiness’ phase (both in preparing for first team football and a sifting/selecting process by clubs). In summary, this research contributes a unique and novel perspective on U21 football across the English academy system. It casts considerable doubt that its structural integrity, its capacity to ‘reach’ all players, and the quality of competition as a precursor to the intensity and results-oriented nature of the first-team experience provides an adequate developmental experience for players and readies them for first team football. It presents opportunities for the Premier League and the Football Association to re-evaluate the phase to better meet its intended purpose. This might usefully be centred on the quality of competition, integration of squads and structured incorporation of first team exposure.

The processes underpinning half-time (HT) breaks in elite sport and their impact are an aspect of performance that has been under-researched in coaching literature. This study examines how players experience and interpret the HT interval in elite team sport. Specifically, it explored the perceptions and experiences of successful elite Gaelic Football players during HT. A qualitative design was employed, utilising semi-structured interviews with elite male Gaelic football players (N = 14) who had won the highest accolade in the sport. Interview recordings for each participant (Mduration = 71 min) were transcribed verbatim, and reflexive thematic analysis identified three higher-order themes. First, navigating poor HT standards to meet player needs. Players described HT talks as mundane, repetitive, and a missed opportunity to enhance second-half performance. Participants noted insufficient time for recovery and excessive tactical details, interspersed with coaches’ emotional outbursts, which led to player disengagement. Second, players experiencing harmful feedback and player coping strategies. Participants highlighted the negative psychological impact of harsh feedback, citing diminished confidence and self-esteem, as well as potential trauma after recalled instances of humiliation. While some players used these HT coach criticisms as a motivator to increase second half performance, most preferred constructive, solution-focused communication. Finally, optimising HT communication. Players emphasised the importance of a calm and tactically focused environment supported by visual aids that incorporated storytelling when the specific HT situation required inspiration. The findings highlight elite team sport players’ desire for more structured HT communication, higher player involvement, and an appropriate balance to tactical and motivational elements that enhance message clarity and talk impact, respectively. Thus, the above experiences regarding HT talks can serve coaches to understand players’ preferences albeit these might not necessarily match players’ needs during HT.

Talent development environments (TDEs) in English soccer have been a focus of increasing attention (Gledhill, Harwood, & Forsdyke, 2017, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 31, 93-112). There are concerns around balancing positive and negative subjective (e.g., psychological, social) and functional (e.g., educational) outcomes, (Rongen, Mckenna, Cobley & Till, 2018, Sport Medicine, 4, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-018-0135-2). Player’s perceptions of their environment have been previously explored using questionnaire data (Mills, Butt, Maynard & Harwood, 2014, International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching, 9, 1457-1472). However, such instruments have since been modified and adapted making meaningful interpretations problematic. The aim of this study was to investigate player perspectives of the talent development environment within English elite youth soccer academies using the most contemporary research instrument. After institutional ethical approval all participants completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 (TDEQ-5; Li, Wang, Young, Pyun & Martindale, 2015, Journal of Sports Sciences, 33,1831-1843) in season. The TDEQ-25, the most current version, consisted of 25 items (scored out of six; long term development focus (five items), holistic quality preparation (seven items), support network (four items), communication (four items) and alignment of expectations (five items). Ninety elite youth soccer players (Mage = 17.8+0.5 years) participated in the study. The sample consisted of players from Category 1 (n=15), Category 3 (n=56) and Category 4 (n=19) soccer academies. Subscale-level analysis revealed that participants scored highest for long term development (4.73 + 0.68), support network (4.68 + 0.77), alignment of expectations (4.49 + 0.85), communication (4.29 + 1.03) and lowest for Holistic Quality Preparation (3.57+ 0.89). Item level analysis using a quartile methodology allowed for easy identification areas for strength and development respectively (Gledhill & Harwood, 2017, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 0, 1-11). The top 25% of items comprised of long-term development (n=3) and support network (n= 2). The bottom 25% of items comprised of holistic quality preparation (n= 5). The results present soccer practitioners, including coaches, with key information about the player perceptions of the TDE within elite academy soccer. Long-term development (e.g. fundamental training and rounded development) and Support network (e.g. parents and schools) were seen as strengths, whereas Holistic quality preparation (e.g. caring coach, mental preparation, and balanced life) were seen as areas for development.

This article discusses strategies and approaches for guiding student motivation in coaching and educational settings, drawing on theory and practice to support learner engagement.

Athletes need to be highly motivated to train at the required frequency, intensity, and volume to enable favourable physiological adaptations.  In group settings, it is important to consider the role socio-environmental influence might have in diminishing or strengthening athlete motivation.  The purpose of this study was to compare five modified strongman training session designs (i.e., 1. Individual, 2. Working in pairs, 3. Working in pairs with stronger partner, 4. Leader board with no feedback, 5. Leader board with feedback) on athlete motivation and performance.  Performance was measured by the number of repetitions completed during sixty seconds for the keg swing and sledgehammer strike exercises.  Motivation was assessed pre and post training via a questionnaire.  To compare between the five session designs, a repeated measures analysis of variance was undertaken along with Cohen’s d effect sizes between each session (e.g., 1v2, 1v3, 2v3).  When examining changes in motivation, and motivation between session design an overall significant effect was demonstrated.  For performance measures, overall significant differences were found across the session designs.  The current findings demonstrate that athlete motivation and strongman performance can be enhanced by manipulating the design of a modified strongman training session. Working in pairs or using a leader board with feedback enhanced motivation and performance compared to working alone or using a leader board without feedback.  These findings suggest than planning and delivering modified strongman training sessions that consider the socioenvironmental design of the session including ways to enhance motivation should be recommended for coaches to enhance athlete motivation and potentially improve physiological performance.

Female football is one of the largest growing sports in the world; yet there is comparatively little research exploring female football talent development environments (TDEs). To develop understanding of TDEs, we explored and compared players’, parents’ and coaches’ perspectives of TDEs, and provide suggestions regarding opportunities for development. Using a cross-sectional design, we surveyed–using the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 (TDEQ-5) − 3217 participants (players n = 1456; parents n = 1432; staff n = 329) from 30 English female football TDEs. Descriptive subscale analysis revealed largely positive perceptions of TDEs (>4/6 of each subscale). Coaches had more positive perceptions of the TDEs than players and parents in all TDEQ-5 subscales, except for the alignment of expectations subscale where coaches had the least positive perception. Significant differences between players, coaches, and parents (p ≤ 0.001) were evident across the support network (coaches most positive, then parents, then players) and alignment of expectations (parents most positive, then players, then coaches) subscales. Based on lowest scoring items from players, coaches and parents, we themed key opportunities for development under (1) achievement-related communication, (2) success planning, and (3) coping skills. Findings can provide direction to national policy makers and inform coach and parent education initiatives.

The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a popular measure of Athletic Identity (AI). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factor structure (7-item single factor and 3 factor model; Social Identity, Exclusivity and Negative Affectivity) of the AIMS within youth academy soccer players. A total of 259 male youth academy soccer players aged 12-18 years completed the AIMS. A series of confirmatory factor analyses, independent cluster modelling indicated support for the 7-item single-factor (AI) and the three-factor models but not within the same analysis. The results support the use of AIMS for the measurement of AI in elite male youth soccer players. Practitioners seeking to explore AI in youth soccer populations should use the three-factor model to glean further insight from the three subscales to support the design of more specific interventions where appropriate.

Female football is one of the largest growth sports in the world and has seen increased performance outcomes at senior level with the English women’s national team. Despite this growth and interest, there remains relatively little research examining the environments within which players develop (Gledhill and Harwood, 2019, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology), with much of the research examining female players’ experiences is small-scale and has been limited to players’ perceptions (e.g., Gledhill and Harwood, 2014, International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 12, 150 - 165). To be able to fully under-stand and develop the quality of a player’s talent development environment, work examining multi-stakeholder perspectives is needed. Hence, to gain a greater understanding that pro-vides a more fulsome understanding of female football talent development environments, this study sought to explore players’, parents’, and coaches’ perspectives of their female football talent development environments to compare percep-tions of players, parents and coaches, and to provide sugges-tions regarding opportunities for development. Using a cross- sectional design, we surveyed 3217 participants from 30 differ-ent teams in the English female football talent pathway. Participants completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 to share their perspectives on the playing environments.Descriptive analysis revealed that perceptions of environ-ments based on all subscales were positive and scored >4/6 of each subscale. Coaches had generally more positive per-ceptions of the TDEs than players and parents in all sub-scales of the TDEQ-5, with the exception of the alignment of expectations subscale where coaches had the least positive perception. Significant (p=<0.001) differences between players, coaches, and parents were evident across the sup-port network and alignment of expectations subscales. Players, parents, and coaches all reflected that an opportu-nity for development was Coaches taking time to talk to parents and other staff about what players are trying to achieve. Players and coaches agreed that coaches trying to identify what players’ next big test will be was also an opportunity for development. Contingency planning and developing psychosocial assets was also an opportunity for development. This was the first study to investigate player, parent, and coach perceptions of the English female football talent development environment and to our knowledge, the largest study of female football talent development envir-onments in the World to date.

In 2015, the International Olympic Committee advocated for holistic development approaches in youth athletic development (Bergeron et al., 20151). Despite a growing holistic development agenda within talent development, there are few examples of good practice to support those in practice. ICOACHKIDS have complied real-life case studies of good practice from six different countries and sports. These case studies provide examples of how talent development environment seek to create holistic development outcomes. Each case study represents a version of holistic development in their context, each environment has its strengths and points of challenge. The case studies are written for those supporting or in talent development environments such as policy makers, managers, directors and coaches.

Research has increasingly focused on the environmental features within talent and performance development settings. However, practitioner perspectives on their role in optimizing these environments are scarce. This study aimed to examine practitioner perspectives of the role of the environment, specifically, how they plan, deliver and review (p-D-R) to optimize environmental conditions for athletes. Ten sports practitioners (including managers, coaches and multidisciplinary support staff) took part in semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis and generated themes associated with Planning (Conceptualization, Planning and Meeting Athlete's Needs), Delivering (Explicit, Implicit, Support, Communication, Holistic Approach) and Reviewing (KPIs, Evaluation & Monitoring, Rolling Review, Review Process). Findings suggest that to offer the best possible experiences to participants, practitioners must have a clear view of their objectives and involve all stakeholders associated with delivery at the planning stage. Much of the delivery aspect aligned with notions of effective TDEs suggesting practitioners had a clear awareness of what works for them in their contexts. Reviewing the environment appeared to be the activity practitioners undertook the least, this may reflect the complex and dynamic nature of the environment in sports settings.

There is an increasing awareness of the importance of the environment in academy players’ development, yet limited research has investigated players’ perceptions of their talent development environments (TDEs). This study focused on academy soccer players’ perceptions of their TDE and compared perceptions across the English soccer academy categorization (CAT) system. A total of 136 U.K.-based male soccer players (M age = 17.7, SD = 1.03 years) representing all four categories (1 = highest to 4 = lowest) of soccer academies aligned to professional soccer clubs completed the TDE Questionnaire-5 (TDEQ-5). The players within the CAT1 academies had significantly more positive perceptions of their support network (p = .01) and holistic quality preparation (p = .03) than their CAT3 counterparts. Across CAT2–CAT3, holistic quality preparation was the least positively perceived subscale within the TDEQ-5, suggesting the need for additional coach education in this area. Soccer academies should consider how they ensure that all areas of their service are associated with optimal TDEs by offering a well-communicated and holistic development experience for their players to enhance effective personal and player development. The findings may have implications for player experience and associated progression rates of lower categorized soccer academies.

The research article summaries in the Digest are intended to direct International Sport Coaching Journal (ISCJ) readers toward research, authors, and organizations that may be of interest given the mission of the journal. The Digest summaries are carefully sourced, pertinent, recent coaching, and coach education/development articles from a range of sport-related journals, which may be of interest to coaches and scholars who read the ISCJ. It has been a feature of the ISCJ from the very first issue, and while the sources and focus of the Digest have evolved over the last 10 years, the mission to broaden awareness of coaching scholarship has remained. In this short editorial, we will provide an overview of the Digest across the last decade in line with a trend in recent years of examining historical coaching scholarship within the ISCJ (Hirsch et al., 2023) and across the field of sport coaching (Campbell et al., 2023). In doing so, we will highlight the contribution of the Digest to the ISCJ, consider the implications of the sources/topics included over the 10 years, and provide a call to action for the Digest moving forward.

The processes underpinning half-time (HT) breaks in elite sport and their impact are an aspect of performance that has been under-researched in coaching literature. This study examines how players experience and interpret the HT interval in elite team sport. Specifically, it explored the perceptions and experiences of successful elite Gaelic Football players during HT. A qualitative design was employed, utilising semi-structured interviews with elite male Gaelic football players (N = 14) who had won the highest accolade in the sport. Interview recordings for each participant (Mduration = 71 min) were transcribed verbatim, and reflexive thematic analysis identified three higher-order themes. First, navigating poor HT standards to meet player needs. Players described HT talks as mundane, repetitive, and a missed opportunity to enhance second-half performance. Participants noted insufficient time for recovery and excessive tactical details, interspersed with coaches’ emotional outbursts, which led to player disengagement. Second, players experiencing harmful feedback and player coping strategies. Participants highlighted the negative psychological impact of harsh feedback, citing diminished confidence and self-esteem, as well as potential trauma after recalled instances of humiliation. While some players used these HT coach criticisms as a motivator to increase second half performance, most preferred constructive, solution-focused communication. Finally, optimising HT communication. Players emphasised the importance of a calm and tactically focused environment supported by visual aids that incorporated storytelling when the specific HT situation required inspiration. The findings highlight elite team sport players’ desire for more structured HT communication, higher player involvement, and an appropriate balance to tactical and motivational elements that enhance message clarity and talk impact, respectively. Thus, the above experiences regarding HT talks can serve coaches to understand players’ preferences albeit these might not necessarily match players’ needs during HT.

The possession of certain psychosocial characteristics can offer performance advantages in a range of domains. However, integrating a programme to support the development of psychosocial characteristics is a lengthy process and involves context specific knowledge and effective working relationships with stakeholders. The aim of this article is to present a reallife example of the design, delivery, and implementation of a theoretically informed psychosocial development programme for players within an academy soccer setting to include player workshops, coach delivery and ways to influence the environment. This multifaceted approach included formal and informal meetings, observations, coach education and social media groups. Initial reflections suggested workshops are an effective method to ‘teach’ some of the aspects within the programme. Integrating coaches throughout design and implementation is recommended. Key stakeholders should consider investing time in education for coaches to develop strategies to foster psychosocial development in their players. Limitations and future recommendations are discussed.

Maturation is the process by which we change and develop throughout life. As children grow older, they do not only mature physically and physiologically but also psycho-socially. Over time their abilities to remember, retrieve and process information as well as to reason and problem solve develop. These changes in cognitive development go hand in hand with being able to recognise their own abilities and attributes, shaping an increasingly complex sense of self. Furthermore, children grow to recognise, and understand their own and others’ emotions and perspectives, allowing for increasing cooperation but also introducing challenges in terms of social interaction. Over time children face the challenge of establishing independence, a coherent identity and a sense of direction for the future. Knowing how children typically develop in these areas will allow coaches to better plan developmentally appropriate sessions, understand their participants’ changing behaviour, as well as cater for the various developmental challenges children face as they mature.

Our two new courses are all about supporting teenagers make the most of their sport participation, be it at the grassroots or performance level. In MOOC 4, “Maximising Sport Participation and Engagement in Youth Sport”, we look at the youth sport dropout phenomenon and explore what we can do to help young people stay in sport for life. In MOOC 5, “Developing Effective Talent Development Environments”. we explore what “talent” is and what effective and holistic talent development environments look like.

ICOACHKIDS+ is an Erasmus+ Sport co-funded project part of the overall activities of the ICOACHKIDS Global Movement. It aims to enhance sport participation and reduce dropout for children aged 13-18, and to maximise sport’s health enhancing properties. This report presents the findings of two unique studies conducted as part of ICOACHKIDS+ examining TDEs in Europe. In the first one, over 1,400 athletes, parents and coaches across five countries and twenty-seven sports responded to the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ-5, Li et al., 2015). This study, the largest study of TDEs to date, examined the perceived quality of these environments by the different stakeholders. The second study explored good holistic development practice in six exemplary TDEs. Twenty-three interviews with managers, directors, coaches and multi-disciplinary support staff were carried out. These clubs and programmes were nationally and internationally recognised TDES with a proven track record of applying a holistic development approach to talent development. The data from these studies have been used to inform the creation of guidelines for the development of holistic talent development environments. Through the findings of the two studies, we are able to offer a novel definition of Holistic Development in TDEs, and identify 5 key tenets of good practice, and the 10 guidelines that bring them to life.

The possession and development of psychosocial characteristics can be advantageous for young athletes (Gledhill, et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to evaluate a programme (the 8 Pillars) designed to develop prescribed psychosocial components in English male academy soccer players. The 8 Pillars programme (including Communication, Control, Commitment, Concentration, Confidence, Resilience, Presence, and Self-awareness; Till et al., 2020) is a theoretically, empirically, and practically driven programme to support the development of psychosocial components in youth sport participants. The programme delivery included player workshops, coach development activities and coach observation across a season. To assess programme efficacy, 25 male academy players (Mage 14.7 + 1.34) completed the Psychological characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire-2 (PCDE-2, Hill et al., 2019) pre- and post-season. Players also completed the 8 Pillars self-report form at 5 time points across the season. Paired samples t-tests reported significant increases for 3 of the PCDE-2 subscales, namely ‘Imagery and Active Preparation’ (3.42 + 0.87 vs 4.10 + 1.02, p<0.001), ‘Seeking and using Social Support’ (4.20 + 0.79 vs 4.87 + 0.76, p<0.01) and ‘Active Coping’ (4.21 + 0.78 vs 4.85 + 0.66, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) reported significant increases over time all pillars apart from Presence. The findings demonstrate that the 8 Pillars programme may support development of psychosocial characteristics in academy soccer players over a season. Any programme seeking to develop psychosocial components should consider integration of psychosocial components into the practical coaching programme, through additional development, planning and evaluation activity to optimise impact.

This study aimed to assess the impact of a psychosocial development program on academy soccer players with coaches being central design and delivery. The 8 Pillars program (designed to foster Communication, Control, Commitment, Confidence, Concentration, Resilience, Presence, and Self-awareness) was delivered through player workshops, coaching practice, and coach-led environmental manipulation. A total of 25 academy soccer players (Mage 14.7 ± 0.3) completed the Psychological Characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire-2 pre- and postseason, and a self-report scale for each of the eight prescribed psychosocial skills and characteristics at five time points across the season. Significant (p < .05) improvement between pre- and postseason for “Imagery and Active Preparation,” “Seeking and Using Social Support,” and “Active Coping” factors within the Psychological Characteristics of Development Excellence Questionnaire-2 were evident. Significant (p < .05) improvements were shown for “Communication,” “Control,” “Commitment,” “Concentration,” and “Resilience” scales across the season. These findings give initial efficacy that a targeted, multifaceted program, largely delivered by coaches, can improve player self-reported psychosocial skills and characteristics in a U.K. academy soccer setting.

A global decline in levels of movement competency and athleticism in children presents the urgent need to look at how to reverse this trend. Long term athletic development modelling proposes the habitual development of athleticism as a way to address this decline. Movement-based interventions have also been created in an attempt to improve children’s movement competence. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of a co-produced movement and athleticism programme (Move to Sport [M2S]). M2S was used with seven participating PE teachers during secondary PE lessons over a 6-week period. Qualitative data were captured through mid-intervention interviews and a post-intervention focus group. Feasibility was measured using four dimensions of a feasibility framework; implementation, practicality, adaptation and integration. Findings suggest that M2S could be implemented within the structure of a typical PE lesson. Teachers reported that M2S supported the development of sport specific skills that linked well with other activities and sports in their curriculum and promoted inclusion. Teachers felt that M2S could be integrated as an assessment tool or targeted intervention for children of all abilities. The findings suggest that M2S could be a potential solution in addressing declining movement competence and athleticism in young people.

Our two new courses are all about supporting teenagers make the most of their sport participation, be it at the grassroots or performance level. In MOOC 4, “Maximising Sport Participation and Engagement in Youth Sport”, we look at the youth sport dropout phenomenon and explore what we can do to help young people stay in sport for life. In MOOC 5, “Developing Effective Talent Development Environments”. we explore what “talent” is and what effective and holistic talent development environments look like.

Given the importance of the environment in athlete development, recent years have seen an increase in research examining Talent Development Environments (TDEs). However, most research is limited to a single nation and the athletes’ perspective with little consideration of the views of parents or coaches. This study addresses these limitations by examining adolescent (13–18 years) athletes’ (n=202), parents’ (n=178) and coaches’ (n=59) perceptions of TDEs from five European nations. Athletes completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 (TDEQ-5) (Li et al., 2015), with parents and coaches completing an adapted TDEQ-5. Items and subscales were analysed across athlete, coach, and parent groups. Parents (4.14±1.51) had less-positive perceptions of their associated TDE across all items, compared with athletes (4.42±1.45; p<0.05) and coaches (4.60±1.28; p<0.05). Across groups, Long-term Development (4.79±0.90) was the most positively perceived TDEQ-5 subscale. Support Network (4.02±1.23) and Alignment of Expectations (4.05±1.11) were the least positively perceived TDEQ-5 subscales. Furthermore, Holistic Quality Preparation (4.30±1.07) and Communication (4.47±1.12) scores for athletes and coaches were significantly higher (p<0.001) than parents. As parental perspectives of TDEs are consistently less positive than those of athletes and coaches, future research should explore reasons behind these differences and how they can inform developments considering the broader aims of TDEs. Moreover, recognising the performance and health implications associated with Support Network, Communication and Holistic Quality Preparation, together with the varying perceptions of these across the groups, offers opportunities for further investigation to develop European TDEs.

Low and declining movement competency and fitness in children presents a need to develop provision to reverse this trend. Physical Education (PE) curriculum has been recommended as an opportunity to achieve this, however this is often dominated by traditional games and presents challenges. This study aimed to conduct a preliminary exploration of the feasibility of a movement and fitness focussed intervention (Move to Sport; M2S), co-produced with nine PE teachers. Class-based and practical co-production sessions were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings highlighted teachers recognised the demand for M2S and felt it would be best delivered at the end of primary and start of secondary school. Challenges included; a) understanding how to combine movement-based and sport specific approaches to delivering PE, b) differentiation, and c) modes of assessment. Future recommendations include conducitng a feasibility trial of M2S in school and the assessment of the impact of M2S on children.

The implementation of long-term athletic development (LTAD) aims to improve health, physical activity and performance of all youth. Contemporary LTAD models suggest that a broad range of physical and psycho-social competencies should be developed in youth, but few resources are available for coaches that describe ‘how’ to achieve these outcomes. This paper overviews a coaching session framework called RAMPAGE (Raise, Activate, Mobilise, Prepare, Activity, Games, Evaluate). The framework provides practitioners with information on what can be planned and delivered and when within a coaching session, across multiple ages and stages of development within multiple contexts (e.g., physical education, talent development).

Talent Development Environments (TDEs) aim to provide the appropriate conditions for youth athletes to realise their full sporting potential. How TDEs are designed and operated is therefore of great importance for the development of elite athletes. Stakeholders are vital in this process, yet their perspectives are poorly understood. This study assessed the quality of TDEs across 5 European countries, comparing athlete, parent and coach perceptions. A total of 571 athletes (Mean age = 15.2 ± 1.5 years), 759 parents and 134 coaches were recruited from TDEs across 27 sports. Participants completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire-5 or adapted versions. Overall, perceptions of European TDEs were positive. Coaches reported higher perceptions of TDE quality compared to athletes and parents, athletes reported marginally higher perceptions compared to parents. Across stakeholders, Long-Term Development was highest rated, followed by Communication. Support Network was lowest rated. Stakeholder perceptions varied most for the Holistic Quality Preparation subscale, highlighting perceived differences in TDE support for rounded athlete development. From an organisational perspec- tive, identified strengths and weaknesses provide direction to coach and parent education. Practically, TDE leaders should consider how they can refine stakeholder coordination through integrating stake- holder perceptions as valuable feedback into their environment, especially for intangible factors.

Previous research that has identified sex-based differences in race walking gait has only considered joint positions at discrete time points such as initial contact and toe-off, potentially missing important data that occur between these gait cycle events. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare full body kinematic waveforms of race walking gait between elite male and female race walkers. With institutional ethics approval, 15 male race walkers (mean age: 26 ± 5 years; stature: 1.78 ± 0.04 m; body mass: 64.7 ± 4.9 kg), and fifteen female race walkers (mean age: 28 ± 6 years; stature: 1.65 ± 0.08 m; body mass: 54.1 kg ± 8.4 kg) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants race walked down a 40 m walkway at speeds relative to their 10 km personal best. Twelve optoelectronic cameras (Oqus7, Qualisys) operating at 250 Hz recorded three-dimensional kinematic data from 64 retroreflective markers. Kinematic data were processed (QTM 2.17, Qualisys), time-normalised and filtered (Visual3D v5, C-motion). Statistical parametric mapping (spm1d.org) independent samples t-tests were computed for comparisons in Matlab (R2016b, The Mathworks Inc.) with an alpha level of 5%. Overall, there were very few kinematic differences between male and female race walkers. Women had more thorax rotation: just after (0-9%, P = 0.015) and before (92-100%, P = 0.015) initial contact they were more externally rotated than men. During late stance and early swing, women were more internally rotated (56-13%, P < 0.001). Women also had greater internal pelvic rotation after initial contact (~3-5%, P = 0.033), and hip internal rotation during stance (18-26%, P < 0.001). Women’s knees extended more just before toe-off (46%, P = 0.021), and flexed less during swing (61-63%, P = 0.033). Finally, women also had greater ankle dorsiflexion immediately after (0-3%, P = 0.020) and immediately before (95-100%, P = 0.010) initial contact. The greater thorax rotation could be explained by women’s smaller upper body segments, which require greater rotation to compensate for smaller moments of inertia. Greater dorsiflexion around initial contact is thought to enhance step length by increasing the effective leg length by projecting the heel forwards (Murray et al., 1983. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 11, 68-74), and could be a compensatory mechanism for shorter leg lengths. Despite largely similar race walking gait patterns, coaches should be mindful of the subtle differences between elite male and female race walking kinematics.