scholarly journals The athlete talent development environment in the best ranked football academy in Norwegian football: The case of the U16 team in Stabæk football club

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 008
Author(s):  
Jon Stian Haukli ◽  
Carsten Hvid Larsen ◽  
Niels Feddersen ◽  
Stig Arve Sæther
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Extreme Case ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Football Club ◽  
Psychosocial Skills ◽  
Espoused Values ◽  
History Of ◽  
Case Data

We used the holistic ecological approach to examine the talent development of Stabæk football club. Specifically, the male under-16 team. The environment was categorised as successful based on their history of developing senior elite players and being the highest ranked football academy in Norway. The study design was an explorative, integrative, and qualitative study considering an extreme case. Data collection included interviews, observations, and document analysis. The results showed that the environment shared features with other successful environments and deviated on other features. Our findings were consistent with research highlighting the importance of long-term development focus, supportive training groups, and support from the wider environment. However, we also found that the contrary to former research, success was not underpinned by a coherent organisational culture. Instead, there were several examples of ambiguity (e.g., between espoused values and actual behaviours). There was also a lack of integration of efforts, no support for developing psychosocial skills, lack of diversification, and a lack of proximal role models. Instead the club practiced early recruitment and specialisation, employed failure-focused coaching, and kept youth players away from role models. Our findings show that the club environment could be described as a successful, and yet, success does not necessarily equal all previously suggested successful features.

scholarly journals Talent Development Environments in Football: Comparing the Top-Five and Bottom-Five-Ranked Football Academies in Norway

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1321
Author(s):  
Kristian Gangsø ◽  
Nils Petter Aspvik ◽  
Ingar Mehus ◽  
Rune Høigaard ◽  
Stig Arve Sæther
Keyword(s):  
Talent Development ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Professional Football ◽  
Classification Methods ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Football Club ◽  
Team Environment

Background: The aim of this study was to examine junior-elite football players’ perception of their talent development environment by comparing clubs ranked as the top-five and bottom-five in the 2017 Norwegian academy classification. Methods: In total, 92 male junior-elite football players recruited from under-19 teams from five professional football club academies took part in the study. The Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ-5; Martindale et al. 2010) was used to measure the players’ perceptions of their team environment. Results: The subscale long-term development focus and support network had the highest score and indicated that they perceived that the environment was high quality with respect to those factors. Players from the top-five-ranked clubs perceived their development environments to be significantly more positive with respect to holistic quality preparation, alignment of expectations, communication and, compared to players from the bottom-five-ranked clubs. Conclusions: The players’ perceptions of the talent development environment seem to be in alignment of the academy classification undertaken by the Norwegian top football association.

“Knowing That This Is My Place Is Very Positive”: The Case of a Swedish Table Tennis Club

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-163
Author(s):  
Michaela Elisabeth Karlsson ◽  
Natalia B. Stambulova ◽  
Kristoffer Henriksen
Keyword(s):  
Talent Development ◽  
Table Tennis ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Psychosocial Skills ◽  
Knowing That ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Culture Centered

This case study is guided by the holistic ecological approach and aimed at (a) providing a holistic description of an athletic talent development environment using a table tennis club in Sweden as a case study and (b) examining the factors perceived as influential to the effectiveness of the club’s talent development. The holistic ecological approach’s two working models informed the data collection (through interviews, observation, and analysis of documents) and were subsequently transformed into empirical models, acting as a summary of the case. Findings revealed that the environment’s success in talent development can be seen as an outcome of the following key features: (a) flexible and supportive training groups, (b) opportunities to learn from senior elite athletes, (c) support through the club and sport-friendly schools, (d) support of the development of psychosocial skills, (e) regular and intensive training, (f) focus on long-term development and athletes as whole persons, (g) strong and coherent organizational culture centered around the basic assumption, “we are a community of committed members,” and (h) integrated efforts among the club and sport-friendly schools to support athletes’ development. This case study can inform other athletic talent development environments on how to optimize talent development processes.

scholarly journals A world class academy in professional football:

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 33-43
Author(s):  
Carsten Hvid Larsen ◽  
Louise Kamuk Storm ◽  
Stig Arve Sæther ◽  
Nicklas Pyrdol ◽  
Kristoffer Henriksen
Keyword(s):  
Talent Development ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Ecological Approach ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
History Of ◽  
World Class ◽  
Dual Careers ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Athletic Development

The holistic ecological approach puts an emphasis on the environment in which prospective elite athletes develop. Applying the holistic ecological approach, this article examines talent development among male under-19 football players at Ajax Amsterdam which has a history of successfully developing several of its juniors to top-level international players. Principal methods of data collection include interviews, participant observations of daily life in the environment, and analysis of documents. The environment was centred around the relationship between players and a clubhouse community consisting of a team of coaches, teachers, experts, and managers that helped the players to focus on: Handling dual careers (sport and school), developing mental toughness, social skills and work ethic. Furthermore, the environment was characterised by a strong, open, and cohesive organisational culture based on each player as an investment, social responsibility and individual development before winning matches. We argue that the holistic ecological approach holds the potential to inspire coaches and practitioners to be sensitive to and analyse not only the individual player’s athletic development but also the overall strategies and organisational settings, in the talent development environment.

scholarly journals An “Organizational Triangle” to Coordinate Talent Development: A Case Study in Danish Swimming

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ole Winthereik Mathorne ◽  
Kristoffer Henriksen ◽  
Natalia Stambulova
Keyword(s):  
Success Factors ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Working Model ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis

This case study in Danish swimming was informed by a holistic ecological approach in talent development and aimed to explore (a) collaborative relationships between the Danish swimming federation, a municipality, and a local swimming club, termed “an organizational triangle,” and (b) factors influencing the success of their collaboration at the local level. Data collection and analysis were guided by the athletic-talent-development-environment (working) model and a newly developed collaboration-success-factors (CSF) model. Methods included interviews with talent-development coordinators representing the organizations and analysis of documents. Results allowed the authors to transform the CSF (working) model into an empirical model containing the collaboration preconditions (e.g., power to make decisions), processes (e.g., strategic planning), and initiatives (e.g., efficient use of the swimming pool) and shared assumptions of the talent-development philosophy (e.g., long-term focus). The success of this organizational triangle was visible in the way the organizations increased the quality of talent development in the local swimming club.

scholarly journals Reviewing the role of the environment in the talent development of a professional soccer club

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246823
Author(s):  
Vincent Gesbert ◽  
Fabienne Crettaz von Roten ◽  
Denis Hauw
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Single Type ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Context Specific

This two-part study examined the perceptions of talented Swiss soccer players about their talent development environment. The first study presented the translation and validation of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ) into French using a recommended methodology for translating and culturally adapting questionnaires. Two hundred and three Swiss athletes (M = 16.99 years old) responded to the 25 items of the TDEQ-5. One item was excluded due to low factor loadings, and the descriptive statistics showed that the re-specified TDEQ-5 instrument had acceptable global model fit according to the thresholds in the literature (χ2 (df = 17) = 484.62, p<0.001, CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.07, SRMR = 0.06). This adaptation is thus valid for assessing the effectiveness of talent development processes. For the second study, a holistic design was used to examine the perceptions of a set of players embedded in a top-level Swiss soccer academy (i.e., 64 elite soccer players from 14 to 18 years old) by using the TDEQ-5. The results showed some relative strengths (i.e., F1-Long-Term Focus for the M15 and M16 age-groups) and weaknesses (i.e., F2-Alignment of Expectations for the M17 and M18 age -groups and F3-Communication for M17). They also highlighted that the talent pathways of these Swiss soccer players could not be summarized by a single type of transition toward a professional team. Rather, there were context-specific requirements, such as the critical period between the M15-M16 and M17-M18 age-groups, suggesting that when the players first entered their TDE they experienced a set of affordances to develop and flourish, which thereafter were perceived as less rich and/or abundant. These results offer a starting point for optimizing talent pathways.

Examining coaching practices and philosophy through the lens of organizational culture in a Danish high-performance swimming environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1108-1119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan E Junggren ◽  
Lars Elbæk ◽  
Natalia B Stambulova
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Espoused Values ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Solid Part ◽  
Development Literature

Interest in coaching and coaches, as well as coach–athlete relationships, has for a long time been a traditional and solid part of talent development literature. In recent times, talent development research has employed a holistic ecological approach and emphasized the important role of a broader athletic environment in athletes’ development and a constitutive role of organizational culture in the success of such an environment. This case study uses the holistic ecological perspective to examine coaching practices and philosophy through the lens of organizational culture in a Danish high-performance swimming environment. The environment was selected based on its performance success but also because of its nontraditional organization compared to typical Danish swimming clubs. Data were generated from in-depth interviews with six coaches, 30 h of participant observation of training and meetings, and analysis of related documents. Thematic data analysis was guided by Schein’s model of organizational culture. The findings revealed the organizational culture that incorporates specific features of coaching practices and philosophy through cultural artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions. In the artifacts, coaching practices were explicit (e.g. flexible training groups and schedules) and philosophy implicit (e.g. ongoing flow of feedback), while in the espoused values, coaching philosophy was explicit (e.g. swimmers as whole persons, long-term development focus) and consistent with basic cultural assumptions (e.g. swimmers’ autonomy as a basis for progress). The study revealed that the cultural lens was helpful in exploring consistency between what coaches communicate about what they do (and how and why they do it) and what they actually did (and how they did it).

Talent development environment and workplace adaptation

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 370-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mageswari Kunasegaran ◽  
Maimunah Ismail ◽  
Roziah Mohd Rasdi ◽  
Ismi Arif Ismail ◽  
T. Ramayah
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organisational Support ◽  
Workplace Adaptation

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between talent development environment (TDE) variables of job focus and long-term development with the and workplace adaptation (WA) of Malaysian professional returnees as mediated by the organisational support. Design/methodology/approach A total of 130 respondents who are Malaysian professional returnees participated in this study. The hypotheses formulated for this study were tested using partial least square-structural equation modelling version 3. Findings The mediation analysis has revealed a significant relationship between job focus and long-term development on WA via organisational support. Six out of seven hypotheses were accepted. The finding also indicates that the long-term development construct has a strong impact on the WA of Malaysian professional returnees. Research limitations/implications This study focused only on professional returnees from selected sectors of the National Key Economic Areas in Malaysia. Practical implications Organisational support mediating WA should be capitalised on by human resource development practitioners in public and private sectors to assist professional returnees in their WA through the talent development approach specifically on job focus and long-term development. Originality/value The findings from this study extend the knowledge of WA in the context of professional returnees in a developing country, Malaysia. The integration between the selected TDE variables and WA with the mediating function of organisational support adds new insights into the process of WA.

scholarly journals Talent development environment in a professional football club in Norway

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 8-15
Author(s):  
Georg Flatgård ◽  
Carsten Hvid Larsen ◽  
Stig Arve Sæther
Keyword(s):  
Talent Development ◽  
Team Development ◽  
Ecological Approach ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Professional Football ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Football Club ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship

The research on talent development is increasing, even though most of it has focused on the individual athlete. By using a holistic and ecological approach to talent development and especially the players’ environment, one could highlight how the environment facilitates player and team development. The purpose of this study was to analyse the recruit team of the professional football club Ranheim F.C. in Norway. Principal methods of data collection included interviews, participant observations of life in the environment, and analysis of documents. The environment was centred around the relationship between coaches and players, and although the supporting staff was relatively small, the inclusive and supportive approach from competent coaches was essential. The characteristics of the environment included that players were encouraged to take responsibility for their own development, exercise self-reflexiveness and the ability to handle the challenges that may arise in the life of young football players, and optimize the everyday lives of the players. Despite economic challenges within the club, the environment compensated with spirit, volunteerism, and hard work.

scholarly journals Psychosocial Skills in a Youth Soccer Academy: A Holistic Ecological Perspective

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 51-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carsten Larsen ◽  
Dorothee Alfermann ◽  
Mette Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Talent Development ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Ecological Perspective ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Youth Soccer ◽  
Psychosocial Skills ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Process Outcomes

Psychosocial Skills in a Youth Soccer Academy: A Holistic Ecological Perspective Objectives: The latest research in talent development show that more varied psychological and especially social and cultural circumstances play an important role in talent development. This study assumes an ecological approach to explore which psychosocial skills are important in a youth soccer academy and how psychosocial skills are practiced in this particular environment. Method: The research takes the form of a case study. Data were collected from multiple perspectives (in-depth interviews with managers, coaches and players), from multiple situations (observation of training, competitions and meetings) and from the analysis of documents. Results: The findings reveal explicit (being practiced and talked about) and implicit (indirectly practiced and talked about) psychosocial skills in the youth soccer academy and a differentiation between internal and interpersonal psychosocial skills. Conclusions: Important explicit psychosocial skills are motivation, self awareness and the ability to work hard. However, even more important for the young soccer players dealing with the transition to professional soccer seem to be implicit psychosocial skills such as managing performance and process outcomes (internal) and the ability to utilize team skills and general social skills (interpersonal). Despite the fact that the environment expects the young players to display these skills, they are only indirectly practiced. This study demonstrates the interweaving of psychosocial skills and practice in the talent development environment, and thus underlines the social construction of psychosocial skills in elite sport.

Polish version of research based Model of Sport Talent Development Environment and adaptation of Talent Development Environment Questionnaire”

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 7-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Siekańska ◽  
Agnieszka Wojtowicz
Keyword(s):  
Factor Model ◽  
Talent Development ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Original Model ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Polish Version ◽  
Individualized Approach ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Research Show

There is an increasing interest in optimizing sport talent development. One of the crucial factors that influence all talented athletes throughout their careers is the quality and the appropriateness of the coaching environment. Numerous research show that specific needs are associated with culture. The purpose of the study was to determine crucial factors of effective talent deve-lopment environment and to adapt and verify psychometric properties of the Talent Deve-lopment Environment Questionnaire (Martindale et al., 2010). In the group of 496 athletes (Ma-ge=19.32, Nfemale=181, Nmale=315) analyses were conducted to adapt and verify psychome-tric properties of the scale measuring sport talent development environment. Factor analysis showed that in polish context the six-factor model (loads from 0.35 to 0.67) was more suitable. The extracted factors were: Communication, Lack of Supporting Environment, Support Ne-twork, Individualized Approach to Athlete, Understanding the Athlete, Long-term Development Fundamentals. All factors were associated with self-efficacy and self-esteem of the athletes. The authors of the original model suggested that there could be context-specific requirements within a talent development, what was confirmed in this study. This is particularly important for practi-tioners, for whom the coach-athlete cooperation has international basis.

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