Enriching Athlete—Environment Interactions in Youth Sport: The Role of a Department of Methodology

The aim of this insights paper is to propose how the theory of ecological dynamics may invite re-consideration of how sport scientists could support performance, learning and development of children and youth in sports programmes. We seek to outline why learning should be individualised and contextualised, based on the specific needs of learners, such as children and youth, women and disabled athletes in sport. Case examples from individual and team sports are presented to illustrate how constraints can be designed to enrich interactions of children and youth with different performance environments, based on integrating principles of specificity and generality in learning and development. These case examples suggest how a collaborative effort by sport scientists and coaches in children and youth sport may be undertaken in a department of methodology to enrich learning and performance.

Designing Enrichment Opportunities for Children and Youth in Team Games and Individual Sports

The paper argues that children and youth should not be treated as mini-adults (especially adult males) by sport scientists, coaches and trainers in sport. It emphasizes the importance of designing opportunities for enriched interactions for children and youth in team games and individual sports, highlighting the need for further research to identify and examine the needs of specific sub-groups in sport. It suggests that practice and training designs should facilitate a large amount of variability and provide opportunities for play and games to promote enriched learning and training contexts. The paper presents a case example of practice and training designs that fulfill this aim for children and youth in sport.

The research emphasizes the importance of designing opportunities for enriched interaction of children and youth in team games and individual sports by utilizing the integrated expertise of professional specialists working in a Department of Methodology. It highlights that children and youth should not be treated as mini-adult (male)s by sport scientists in learning and development and preparation for performance. The position statement calls for more research on how a Department of Methodology could be set up in sports organisations to identify the needs and specific characteristics of specific sub-groups in sport, such as children and youth, women, veteran and disabled athletes, at all levels, from recreation to high performance.

Key Takeaways:

1. Children and youth should not be treated as mini-adult males by sport scientists in learning and development and preparation for performance.

2. Professional specialists working collaboratively in a Department of Methodology are important for designing opportunities for enriched practice interactions for children and youth in team games and individual sports.

3. Further research is needed to identify the needs and specific characteristics of specific sub-groups in sport, such as children and youth, women, veteran and disabled athletes, at all levels, from recreation to high performance.