7,791
Views
236
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

The Development and Maintenance of Expert Athletic Performance: Perceptions of World and Olympic Champions

Pages 154-171 | Published online: 30 Nov 2010
 

Abstract

This study examined the factors that contributed to the development and maintenance of expert athletic performance. Four men and six women having won at least two gold medals at separate Olympics and/or World Championships were interviewed using an in-depth, open-ended, and semi-structured approach (Patton, 1987). The qualitative data were analyzed both inductively and deductively. Results revealed that the athletes progressed through four stages throughout their career: the Sampling, Specializing, Investment, and Maintenance Years. Common findings were that at an elite level, contextual factors included parents, coaches, teammates/ friends, support staff, other athletes, and school/education. Personal characteristics pertained to self-confidence, motivation, creativity, and perseverance. Training involved technical, tactical, physical, and mental components and was influenced by quantity, quality, intensity, and recovery. Competition factors concerned meticulous planning, evaluations, dealing with pressure, expectations, and adversity, and focusing on the process rather than the outcome of events. Implications to increase the quality of experience of athletes are discussed.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.