faculty of science talent identification and development in south africa: suggestions for developing...
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Faculty of Science
TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH
AFRICA: SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING POTENTIAL
ATHLETES
TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH
AFRICA: SUGGESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING POTENTIAL
ATHLETES
L.O. Amusa and A.L. Toriola
University of Venda, Thohoyandou,
South Africa
Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
University of Venda
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Introduction
• South Africa attained independence following multiracial elections in 1994.
• Sport administration in the country has witnessed series of transformation.
• After independence, the National Sports Commission (NSC) was established to coordinate sports and recreation in the country.
• The NSC was the operational arm of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
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Introduction - contd.
• The NSC subsequently established the national Sports Science and Information Agency (SISA) that provided scientific support to elite athletes under its high performance programme.
• The Ministry of Sport and Recreation published the white paper on sport and recreation in 1997 that guided sport and recreation development in the country.
• The rural development and reconstruction programme (RDP) launched by the ANC in 1998 was aimed at using sport and recreation as a catalyst for development in the country.
• In 2002, the NSC introduced the concept of provincial academies of sport.
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Introduction – contd.
• Despite these structures, sport and sports development in the country face a number of problems:
• National squads were not representative of the demographics of the country.
• Performances of national teams at international competitions were inconsistent and unreliable.
• Sports development programmes were not properly designed and implemented.
• In soccer for example, the country has had 13 coaches in its 12 years of independence.
• Physical Education is more a feature of the curriculum of public schools.
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Recent developments
• In 2004 the NSC was dissolved and replaced with a new body: South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
• While SASCOC is now responsible for coordinating elite sport, the Department of Sports and Recreation administers recreation and leisure programmes at the national level.
• The provincial sport academies still exist alongside private academies, but no strategic approach is implemented to coordinate sports development initiatives among the various stakeholders.
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Management Structure of Sport and Recreation in South Africa
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Debate
• Is ‘talent identification’ the same as ‘athlete selection’?
• What are sport organizations in South Africa doing regarding talent identification/athlete selection?
• Are there specific models of talent identification that South Africa has adopted?
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Recognition of Stages of development of an elite athlete
• Catch them young: Not catch them old
• Initiation phase: (1-6 years), i.e. development of fundamental movement patterns.
• Developmental phase: (6-12 years), i.e. development of sports skills.
• Perfection phase: (12-18 years), i.e. Correction of missing gaps in sports skills development.
• Discrimination phase: (19+ years), i.e. professional or elite sports participation.
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What happens to the athlete during these phases?
• Body/growth crisis• Psychosocial adjustment (psychological problems, social
problems) • Discrimination• Peer crises
Guidance should be provided by parents, teachers, peers, coach and society at large)
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Coping Mechanism During The Development
• Childhood: Readiness, motivation, interest, knowledge (cognition)
• Adolescence: Identity formation, sport/athlete identity, identity foreclosure (sees himself only in sport), student athlete (dual identity).
• Young Adulthood: Role formation, partnership formation, societal role/expectations.
• Childhood: Readiness, motivation, interest, knowledge (cognition)
• Adolescence: Identity formation, sport/athlete identity, identity foreclosure (sees himself only in sport), student athlete (dual identity).
• Young Adulthood: Role formation, partnership formation, societal role/expectations.
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Goal of Competitive sport –Development of Elite Athlete
• What makes a champion athlete?
• Multidimensional factors are involved: Physical, physiological, social and training factors.
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Developing an elite athlete
Nutrition Physiological Physical Psychological
Nurture Champion Athlete Cognition
Genetic Endowment Training Socio-economic
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Talent characteristics
Psychology: Attitude, interest and motivation
Motor skills
Physiology
MorphologyChampionship potential
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Talent Identification
A complex process Talent – Dynamic/Non-static
Sport specific
Talent Identification
Athlete specific
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Talent Identification Processes
Identification
Selection
Development
Detection
Identify Develop Nurture
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Need for a paradigm shift
Talent selection Talent identificationFrom:
Athlete coming from within the sport(Has been engaging in the sport)
Athlete coming from outside the sport (Possesses all required potentials)
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Talent search basics – contd.
Broad
Older Youth
Physical variables
Experience
Focused
Novice
Physiological forms
From:
Individualsports
Team sports
Centralized Decentralized
General Specific
Longitudinal Short term
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Talent search basics
• Phase 1: At school (Catch them young – FS+SS+Perfection)
• Phase 2: Sent to a developer (Academies, training institutes, schools of excellence, etc.)
• Phase 3: Invited for trials
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Talent ID Program Issues
• Growth and development continuum- Individual must be in the right environment with the right management
• Labour intensive• Capital intensive• Athlete acceptance uncertainty• Requires enthusiasm of teachers, coaches, developers
and other role players• Information privacy concern – For the athlete, his training
and development (cf. Jabu Pule)• Response to immediate changes/development• Response to immediate athlete needs – Money,
education, health and safety, technical development
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Support structures for talent development
• Health, safety and sports medicine
• Sports science
• Technical development aids
• Research and information management
• Counseling
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Summary/Conclusion
• South Africa has abundance of sports talents, but there are problems with its talent identification system and practice.
• Problems include:• Priorities • HIV/AIDS• Nutrition• Sport science• Absence of PE in schools• Facilities• Necessary sports structures – At national, provincial,
district and regional levels• Fragmented approaches to sport development-
Holistic/strategic approach is preferable.
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Thank you!