acta facultatis educationis physicae universitatis comenianae

Analyze of sport talent selection systems
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ANALYZE OF SPORT TALENT SELECTION SYSTEMS
Martin Sebera 1 , Jaromír Sedláček 2
1 Faculty of Sport Studies Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
2 Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
Summary: In the contribution authors deal with review of some sport talent identification and
selection systems which were applied in some countries that play important role in international
sport movement during lest decades. There were two main systems of talent selections: USSR and
GDR ways. Adjusting of any system mainly depended on quantity of countries´ population.
As a most important seems factor of first talent identification (age precision), that is connected
with the beginning of training in each sport. Next steps are connected with talent development
and there are several phases of the process until international level can be reached. In conclusion
authors suggest main principles of model sport talent selection.
Key words: sport talent, talent selection, national systems, talent development
Talent Identification is often regarded as the first step to become an international athlete.
Common reasons for countries to blame the system of Talent Identification is to reach international
performance level, gain number of medals, made successful champions.
Talent detection refers to the discovery of potential performers who are currently not
involved in the sport, as opposed to talent identification (TID) that refers to the process of
recognizing current participants with the potential to become elite players (Williams, Reilly,
2000). This process of talent detection and talent identification has to be followed concomitantly
with the talent development program in order to direct those potential performers
towards the sports to which they are most suited (Woodman, 1994).
Thorough analysis of talent identification approaches from around the world has brought
out plenty of special features either to follow or to dismiss. Ultimately, besides other important
factors determining the TID approaches there was always one which kept overweighing all
others by drastically changing the process, and by giving origin to the two quite opposite
approaches to talent identification: Availability or absence of human resources talent
selection.
In other words, do we have statistically sufficient number of subjects to brush through
in order to identify substantial number of talented children for the needs of the reserve and
top performance sports? Accordingly, the choice of Talent Identification system in the first
approximation could be as summarized in Table 1.
Acta Facultatis Educationis Physicae Universitatis Comenianae LII/I