Introduction
LTAD focuses on the general framework of athlete development with special reference to growth, maturation and development, trainability, and sport system alignment and integration. It incorporates information from a number of sources. It draws on the experiences of various athlete development projects that have been implemented by different sport organizations in British Columbia2 since the mid-
1990s. It also draws from LTAD work with NSOs including Basketball Canada, the Canadian Curling Association, Speed Skating Canada, the Canadian Alpine Ski Team3, and the Report of the Minister of State’s (Sport) Work Group on Sport for Persons with a Disability (2004).
The health and well-being of the nation and the medals won at major Games are simple by-products of an effective sport system.
The approach was also influenced by an analysis of the empirically tested athlete development models from the former East Bloc countries, with all the positive and negative aspects of those models. In addition, sport science has provided insight and information regarding the role of growth, development, and maturation in athletic development. These sciences include pediatric exercise science, exercise physiology, sport psychology, psychomotor learning, sport sociology, and nutrition. An analysis of the literature on organizational development has also contributed significantly.
This document is fully based on and supported by the coaching and exercise science literature, but it is written particularly for coaches and technical and administrative sport leaders. Although some of the generalizations may seem to be too vague from a scientific point of view, our extrapolations are drawn because decisions must be made, despite the paucity of scientific studies and data in the area. Thus, the art of coaching plays a significant role in our model.
We recognize that the cognitive, emotional, and psycho-social development of children is an important component of maturation, but because of space constraints, the significance of these components at various stages of maturation are summarized in tables in Appendix 1. Additional technical information on LTAD for athletes with a disability is addressed in a separate booklet.
2 These BC sport organizations include tennis, water-ski, and curling.
3 Athlete development models were produced for sport organizations in Ireland and Britain, including British Swimming, English Rugby Football Union, England Cricket Board, England Netball, British Canoe Union, and British Judo, are directly quoted from and utilized in the text.