This presentation investigates how the timing of sport specialisation may influence the success of an athletes sporting career. From the discussed research, recommendations are then made to assist sport coaches in formulating age appropriate training programs for their athletes.

1. Becoming An Elite Athlete
Sport Specialisation

2. Overview
What is sport specialisation?
How does the timing of sport specialisation influence elite
sport performance?
What does this mean for sport coaches?

3. What Is Sports Specialisation?
“year-round training in a single sport at the
exclusion of other sport or non-sport
activities” (Wiersma, 2000, p.13).

4. What Is Sports Specialisation?
Late Specialisation/ Early
Early Specialisation Diversification
Human Services, n.d.)
years)(U.S. Department of Health &
Middle Adolescence (14-18
Younger Years Older Years

5. (Lin, 2006)

6. Early Specialisation: The Good
It has been suggested that early specialisation leads to:
•Better acquisition of motor skills (Wiersma, 2000)
•Increased proficiency of motor skills (Wiersma, 2000)
It is also assumed that these gains made in skill acquisition
can not be achieved by athletes who specialise at a later
age

7. Early Specialisation: The Bad
Early specialisation has been shown to:
•Reduce the longevity of the athletes career.
-Barynina&Vaitsekhovskii (as cited in Baker, 2003) found
that early specialising athletes spent less time on the
national team and ended their sporting careers earlier
•Limit the diversity of social interactions, impairing the athlete’s
development of self-concept (Rowland as cited in Wiersma,
2000)
•Cause athlete burnout (Wiersma, 2000)

8. Early Specialisation: The Exception
Harre (as cited in Wiersma, 2000) found that early specialising
athletes reached their peak performance at the age of 16.
(Wainwright, 2007)

9. Future Directions
More research needs to be done in order to fully understand
how early specialisation or diversification influences an
athletes sporting career.
The long-term effects of early specialisation on attitudes
towards sport and sport participation
The difference in timing of sports specialisation and success
in specific sports

10. Implications For Sport Coaches
Coaches of school based programs:
•Very little change required as many sports or activities are
already incorporated into the curriculum
Coaches of extra-curricular sports programs:
•Suggesting that athletes participate in other sport programs
•Incorporating skills from other sports into training programs
•Limiting the number of sessions available for participants to
complete each week

11. References
Baker, J. (2003). Early Specialization in Youth Sport: a Requirement for Adult Expertise? High Ability
Studies, 14 (1), 85-94.
Lin, M. (Photographer). (2006). Ian Thorpe. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtlin/304294181/
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). What is Adolescence? Retrieved 04 03, 2013, from
Office of Population Affairs: Adolescent Family Life Self-Directed Modules:
http://www.hhs.gov/opa/familylife/tech_assistance/etraining/adolescent_brain/Overview/what_is_adolesce
nce/
Wainwright, C. (Photographer). (2007). Flying. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wainwright/352735464/
Wiersma, L. (2000). Risks and Benefits of Youth Sport Specialisation: Perspectives and
Recommendations. Pediatric Exercise Science, 12, 13-22.
Wood, R. (2013, 02 27). Top End Sports. Retrieved 04 04, 2013, from Swimming Profiles: Ian Thorpe:
http://www.topendsports.com/sport/swimming/profiles/thorpe-ian.htm