Talent selection and care in track and field in hungary: viewpoint of physical education teachers and coaches

Introduction and theoretical background

The relationship between Hungarian public education and compettitive sport has a few unique features and most of them are not well known to physical educators and coaches outside the country. That is, most athletes are selected for a specific sport by their regular physical education teachers in the early public school years. The selected students will continue their sport carrier in certain sport clubs as a form of extra curricular activity with specialized and highly qualified coaches. Therefore, it is very important for physical education teachers and coaches to share knowledge and understanding of many aspects of scientific selection, ability, and talent issues. A number of authors share commons theoretical background and reported quite a few similarities in the topic. Many sport scientists all over the world who have examined the meaning of sports talent, ability, and skills (Nádori, 1981; Harsányi, 2000; Rókusfalvy, 1985; Hollings, 2002; Ziemainz and Gulbin, 2002), and at least one former study explored track and field athletes’ and coaches’ experiences and opinions on selection, success, and talent (Baumgartner, Bognár, Horváth, 2003). Nádori (1985) defines sport talent as a fortunate alloy and a complex of inclinations to do certain sports. Being talented is a remarkable advantage if it is associated with consistent, scientifically-based, long term and well organised development of abilities (Harsányi, 2000). Sport talent is also a personality issue, the key of which is given jointly by inherited factors and environment-affected development as well. (Rókusfalvy, 1985). Hence, the purpose of the study was to examine and compare opinions and values of physical education teachers and track and field coaches about selection and the various aspects of sport talent, talent care (pedagogical, psychological, antropometrical, coordinational and conditional).

Methods

We are in the process of analyzing our 300 questionnaires from coaches and PE teachers of the best 10-17 years old track and field athletes on the 2003 Hungarian National Championships. Altogether we have collected 180 PE teachers and 120 coaches as our sample. All answered our open and close ended questions. A smaller sample of 9 teachers and 6 coaches were also individually interviewed for clarifications.

Results/Conclusion

Our preliminary results support the statement that talent selection is foremost a pedagogical question. Physical Education teachers and coaches seem to have a totally different concept of opinions and values on talent, abilities, and skills. Both consider abilities as important components in selection and talent care but main pedagogical and psychological issues were also mentioned as key factors to be successful. PE teacher and track and field coaches do not agree most personal and professional matters of talent identification and selection. Physical Education teachers have wide identification about talent, they prefer those students who perform in a higher level in more sport events. Coaches prefer those abilities and skills that are connected to their specific sport events. Coaches also prefer the earlier sport specialization than teachers do. This study and also former studies present a need physical education teachers and coaches work in a higher level of cooperation to achieve success on the long run.

References

[1]. Baumgartner, Eszter - Bognár, Józser - Horváth, Norbert (2003): A siker, kiválasztás és tehetség kérdéseinek vizsgálata a dobóatlétikában. Magyar Sporttudományi Szemle 1. 35-41.p.
[2]. Hollings, Steve (2002): Talent identification is Easy - but Talent Management is much difficult. New Studies in Athletics. 7-10.p.
[3]. Harsányi, László (2000): Edzéstudomány I. Bp-Pécs. Dialóg Campus Kiadó
[4]. Nádori, László (1981): Tehetségkutatás, -kiválasztás és -gondozás. Testnevelés- és Sporttudomány. 1. 16-21.p.
[5]. Nádori, László (1985). A tehetségek keresésének lehetőségei a testnevelésben. Pedagógiai Szemle. 4. 386-393.p.
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[7]. Ziemainz, Heiko - Jason Gulbin (2002): Talent selection,-identification and -development exemplified in the Australian Talent Search Programme. New Studies in Athletics. 27-32.p.