Talent Identification

Method in Talent Indentification

• In training there are two basic methods of selection, natural and scientific. Natural selection is the normal approach, the natural way of developing an athlete in sport. It assumes that an athlete enrolls in sport as a result of local influence such as school tradition, parent wishes or encouragement of another peer. The performance evolution of athletes are determined by natural selection depending on whether by coincidence they take part in a sport for which they are talented.
•  Scientific selection is the method by which a coach selects prospective youngsters who have proven natural abilities for a sport. The time required for those selected scientifically to reach high performance is much shorter. For sports in which height is a requirement like basketball or volleyball, scientific selection is strongly recommended. The same is true for many other sports.

Criteria for Talent Search

• Health status: health is an absolute necessity for everyone participating in sport and training. Medical examination is needed before any youngsters are allowed to get involve in competitive sport. Any form of malfunction or physical defects should be reported especially for those who chose to take part in dynamic sport such as hockey, football, track and field and basketball. Physical disparities can play a restrictive role in such sport events. 

• Biometric qualities: or also known as anthropometric measurements, of an individual are important assets for several sports and therefore, must be considered as among the main criteria for talent identification. Height, weight or length of limbs play dominant roles in certain sports. 

• Facilities and climate: Talented athletes may find it hard to develop certain skills due to lack of facilities, equipments or climate that is not conducive to their selected sports. 

• Availability of coaches and experts: Training in sport is a long process. It takes several years before athletes can reach a world class standard in their respective sports. Talented athletes need proper coaching and guidance. Sport scientists and qualified coaches are necessary in helping athletes to develop their skills to their maximum potentials. 

• Genetic factors: Heredity a complex biological phenomenon, often plays an important role in training. Children tend to inherit their parents biological and psychological characteristics. Although through education, training and social conditioning, they may slightly alter inherited qualities.

Phases of Talent Identification

• Primary phase: The primary phase of talent identification in most cases, occur during pre-puberty (3 to 10 years). It is dominated mostly by a physician’s examination of a candidate’s health and general physical development and is designed to defect any body malfunctions or eventual disease. The biometric portion of this examination could focus on three main concepts:

1. Discovering physical deficiencies that may play restrictive role in a candidate’s sport endeavors.
2. Determining a candidate’s level of physical development through simple means, such as ratio between height and weight.
3. Detecting eventual genetic dominants such as height, to direct children toward those groups of sports in which they might specialize at a later age. 

• Secondary phase: 9 – 10 gymnastic and swimming. 10 – 15 (girls) for other sports. 10 – 17 (boys) for other sports. It represents the most important phase of selection. This phase deals with teenagers who have already experienced organized training. Techniques used in secondary selection assess the dynamics of biometric and physiological parameters, since the body has reached certain level of adaptation to the specific requirements of a given sport. Health examination should be carried out aiming at detecting obstacle or restriction to performance enhancement. 

• Final phase: The final phase of selection often deals with national team candidates. The selection has to be elaborated and highly correlated with specific requirements of a sport. The main factors examined include athletes’ health, physiological adaptation to training and competition, ability to cope with stress and potential for further improvement in performance.

  

Roles of Parents

• Motivation and encouragement of their children to take part in sports.
• Providing equipments and basic facilities.
• To send their children to a more formal coaching clinics or classes for a proper learning of skills.

  

Characteristics of Talented Individuals

• Extraordinary qualities in term of health, physical development, emotional stability, mental maturity and full of enthusiasm to strive for excellence.
• Readiness to work hard physically and mentally to achieve the best in training and competition.
• Highly motivated in training and ever ready to learn and to accept challenge beside showing good leadership.
• Self dependent and ever to work individually. They can be trusted, highly ambitious and enthusiastic.
• Highly confident and work hard to achieve goal and readily accept advice, comments and critics.
• Ready to do the best to succeed, to correct mistakes and focusing on own strength as well as to change for the best.
• A good listener and ready to be directed and accept advice from the coach or other persons.
• Ready to learn and find new things and knowledge through discussion or reading.
• Always thing about winning and how to win.