Talent Development

Dave Collins is Professor of Coaching and Performance at the University of Central Lancashire, UK and Director of Grey Matters Performance Ltd. Dave has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and more than 60 books and book chapters. From an applied perspective, he has worked with over 60 World or Olympic medallists plus professional sports teams, dancers, musicians and executives in business and public service. As a performer, he was excessively average at high contact sports (at least the way he played them) such as rugby, American football, martial arts and outdoor pursuits. He has coached rugby to national level, is a senior coach in weightlifting, a 5th Dan in karate and a qualified and experienced PE teacher/teacher educator. Dave is a Director of the Rugby Coaches Association, Director of Coaching for iZone Driver Performance and current lead psychology consultant to, amongst others, Chelsea FC and the New Zealand ski and snowboard teams. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Martial Arts, the Zoological Society of London and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and an ex-Royal Marine. He is also the proud (and legal) father of five children, spanning 31 to 9, plus a plethora of grandchildren. Áine MacNamara is a Reader in Elite Performance in the Institute of Coaching and Performance at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. Áine’s background is in physical education and coaching and she has worked with young people in a range of sporting environments as an educator, coach and sports psychology consultant. Her main research interest is in Talent Development (TD) and she has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and technical reports. She has consulted with a range of sporting organisations in the UK and Ireland to help them develop Talent Development pathways and policies as well as providing coach and parent education to support the implementation of these ideas. She is the mother to two long-term TD projects called Síofra and Iarlaith who she endeavours to support with an evidence-based approach!

Preface Part 1: Underpinning Talent Development Principles 1. Myths and Truths in Talent Development Part 2: Developing the Base: Pre-school and Early Preparation Introduction to Part 2 2. The Essentials of Movement, Confidence and Attitude 3. The Child’s Ideal Approach to Sport: Establishing a Growth Mindset 4. Deliberate Play, Deliberate Practice and Deliberate Preparation Part 3: Pre-Academy: What to Do Until You Select Your Chosen Sport Introduction to Part 3 5. Next Steps in Development: Below the Neck 6. Next Steps in Development: Above the Neck 7. Concerns and Considerations for Parents and Coaches Part 4: Entering the Pathway Introduction to Part 4 8. The Recruitment Process: Plusses and Pitfalls 9. Academy Preparation: What Works Well (and Doesn’t) Part 5: Making the Most of Your Academy Apprenticeship Introduction to Part 5 10. How the Coach/Athlete relationship Can Fly or Founder 11. What Parents and Performers Can Do to Support/Supplement or Replace the Academy? Part 6: Transitions, Roadblocks and Other Challenges Introduction to Part 6 12. Preparing for Transitions 13. The Talent Transfer Process: How It Works, How It Could Work Better and How to Make It Work for You 14. The Rocky Road to Success Part 7: Management Considerations 15. Designing and Operating a Pathway Part 8: Conclusion 16. What to Do to Stay Ahead