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Late Bloomers | Predicting Talent
At What Age Can I Tell If My Child is Athletic
Research presented will paint a clear picture of what exactly classifies a late bloomer, the physiological implications of maturity in sport, the psychosocial effects of late bloomers and the implications for youth development leaders and coaches.
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Prediction of Talent
In a review article surrounding the myths of developing future Olympic Champions, Gould and Carson (2004), argue that predicting athletic talent prior to puberty and the need for talented children to participate in early sport programs are myths. Gould cites an article by Kearney, which concluded, “that individuals who achieve success early are not necessarily those individuals who become the best as adults” (p.23).
Simonton (2001)found similar findings, which cast doubt on whether or not talent actually exists. Claiming that there are no identifiable gene for sports, but rather a combination and configuration of traits rather than one specific trait. Moreover, these traits do not all emerge at the same time or develop at the same rate. Simonton makes the argument that there may not be any early indicator of talent given, “the first component to begin growth for one individual might be among the last to develop for another individual.” (Simonton, 2001, p. 41).
Moreover, talent domains are not stable and change over time, therefore it is
possible for someone to suffer a loss in talent as they grow older and could even lead to a late-bloomer being able to overtake an early-bloomer (Simonton, 2001). One of the key findings of the Medford Growth Study was that, “outstanding elementary school athletes may not be outstanding in junior high school athletics and outstanding junior high school athletes may not have been outstanding in elementary school athletics” (Clarke, 1968, p. 33).
In a longitudinal study of 173 flemish boys measured every year from age 13 to
18 and again at age 30, researchers found that, “late maturers not only caught up the early maturers, but there were significant differences for explosive strength and functional strength in favour of late maturers” (Lefevre, Beunen, Steens, Claessens, & Renson, 1990).
“Outstanding elementary school athletes may not be outstanding in junior high school athletics and outstanding junior high school athletes may not have been outstanding in elementary school athletics”
-Medford Growth Study
Clarke, 1968
References
Clarke, H. (1968). Contributions and implications of the medford, oregon, boys' growth study.
Gould, D., & Carson, S. (2004). Fun & games?: Myths surrounding the role of youth sports in developing Olympic champions. Youth Studies Australia, 23(1), 19-26.
Lefevre, J., Beunen, G., Steens, G., Claessens, A., & Renson, R. (1990). Motor performance during adolescence and age thirty as related to age at peak height velocity. Annals of Human Biology, 17(5), 423-435.
Simonton, D. K. (2001). Talent development as a multidimensional, multiplicative, and dynamic process. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(2), 39-43.