Elite Development Pathways

This Chapter outlines the complexities involved with designing and delivering pathways to elite or high performance. In doing so, the Chapter discusses the input of various organisations and people who deliver athlete pathways. Last, comparisons and examples of different sports and practices show the diversity of elite pathways and the variety of policies, strategies, and tactics used. After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
• Understand the dynamic nature of sport development that drives the systematic approach to developing athletes.
• Recognise the need for diversity in elite pathways depending on sport and country related contexts.
• Understand the non-linear nature of sport development that allows participants or athletes to enter, exit, or re-enter a level of participation within the attraction, retention/transition and nurturing processes.
• Understand pathway variations and their implication to elite development
• Identify the services used to develop elite athletes and the roles of the stakeholders that initiate or implement them.