AN INCLUSIVE SPORT STRUCTURE FOR CHILDREN TARGETING PERFORMANCE, PARTICIPATION AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 09:00

SIRC is pleased to be working together with Sport Canada to share current research on topics informing policy and promoting quality sport programming. This week we are sharing highlights of a recent article examining AN INCLUSIVE SPORT STRUCTURE FOR CHILDREN TARGETING PERFORMANCE, PARTICIPATION AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.

Evidence-based policies for youth sport programmes. Côté, Jean; Hancock, David J. (2016). International Journal of Sport Policy, 8(1), 51-65.

Full text of this article can be accessed here:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19406940.2014.919338

SIRC Highlights from the research

The purpose of this article was to explore the structure of youth sport programing in terms of balancing outcomes between physical activity participation, elite sport performance development, and personal development through sport. The authors recognize that past research evidence has supported sport as a facilitator of all these outcomes individually, but identifies these three outcomes as being in potential conflict with each other for programming and policy development. “The challenging task of policymakers and administrators of youth sport programmes is to develop a structure that meets the multiple needs of young participants and serves the different outcomes of youth sport.” This article has been written to present a view of youth sport policy, based upon scientific evidence,  that supports the development of the 3Ps – performance, participation, personal development – that can be used for regional and national sport governing bodies.

• Recent research examining the three outcomes, 3Ps, of youth sport programming was reviewed.

Performance: While programs based upon early sport specialization are common in many countries and in various sports, research has suggested that long term prediction of talent identification is unreliable. The deliberate practice theory postulating long hours and specialization in a single sport, has shown some correlation with elite performance, however there is also much research that shows specializing in single sports at an early age is not necessary. While further evidence shows that diversity in sport participation among children has a positive effect on both the development of elite athletes and long-term participation in sport.

Participation: The research in this area highlights the importance of sport participation for youth and identifies the importance of minimizing negative sport experiences in youth sport that lead to a high dropout rate in the early adolescent years. It identifies that many sport programs around the world focus on the goal of developing elite athletes rather than focusing on children’s identified motivations for sport participation – fun and to be with friends. The suggestion is that these types of programs to not further the goal of long-term participation or physical and psychosocial development.

Personal Development: Research in this area suggests that youth sport programs designed solely for personal development may undermine the development of physical and sport-specific skills that would encourage long-term sport participation. Diversification of sport programs seems to support both the outcomes of participation and personal development and prevent against the negative outcomes of burnout, dropout and injury. A positive sport environment is most likely to promote positive youth development through sport.

• Research supporting the integration of the 3Ps through the use of athlete development models was reviewed:

Long-Term Athlete Development: Despite its implementation in a number of countries research on LTAD is not prolific. Evidence supporting this model is limited and often conflicting and not fully evaluated in specific sporting contexts.

Development Model of Sport Participation: The DMSP model has been the most prominent conceptualization of athlete development in the sport literature developed over the last 15 years which presents a set of concepts that are quantifiable and testable.

The Development Model of Sport Participation is examined in its application to the development of the 3Ps of youth sport and recent research evidence is supplied to support the seven postulates of the model. The focus of the review is centered around identifying how the DMSP and its postulates integrate the 3Ps by focusing on deliberate play and diversification, and the role of coaches, parents and peers (the environment) in which this occurs. The proposition is that overly-structured, competitive and adult-driven aspects of organized sport and deliberate practice during childhood leads to negative outcomes in participation and potential elite performance. However, there is clear evidence that elite athlete development requires deliberate practice and training, but should not be by implemented until after reaching adolescence. The authors identify this is the gap for sport organizations who may not recognize or understand this integrated, holistic approach.

The authors provide 10 recommendations for youth sport policy to integrate the 3Ps into sport programming for children, based upon the theory that research evidence supports aligning youth sport programing for children under the age of 13 with the specific needs of this group:

1. Regulate length of season to 3 or 4 months, with a maximum of 6 months.
2. Limit lengthy travel to organized competitions.
3. Introduce ‘grass-roots’ sport programmes that focus on trying different sports.
4. Do not implement a selection process of more ‘talented’ children until the specialization years.
5. Provide healthy competitive opportunities, but do not overemphasize winning and long-term outcomes such as championships.
6. Discourage early specialization in one sport.
7. Allow children to play all positions in a given sport.
8. Promote deliberate play within and beyond organized sport.
9. Design play and practice activities that focus on fun and short-term rewards.
10. Understand children’s needs and do not ‘over coach’.

According to the authors, the key for youth sport programming should be to integrate the 3Ps of sport outcomes not emphasizing one to the detriment of the others. The key to finding the balance between the three outcomes is by “focusing on early diversification, deliberate play and fun (proximal variables for the athletes) to develop intrinsic motivation, competitive spirit and lifelong participation. In doing so, youth will build a foundation for elite performance (if they so choose), participation and personal development.”