Talent Identification
Talent Identification in the UK
There are various schemes and agencies
which deal with talent Identification in the
UK
 NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SPORT
– a partnership between UK Sport, UK
Sport Institutes and National Governing
Bodies. It was developed to facilitate
identification of talent as well as fast track
development programmes in targeted
sports for the 2012 Olympics.
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Talent Identification in the UK
ENGLISH INSTITUTE OF SPORT (EIS) –
identified that six to eight years were
needed to reach medal winning potential.
It has employed talent identification
specialists and put a specific focus on
basketball, handball and volleyball.
 PROJECT SWAP SHOP – a talent transfer
programme where elite athletes are given
an opportunity to try a different Olympic
sport.
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Talent Identification in the UK
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SPORTING GIANTS , TALL SPORTS
PUBLIC APPEAL – used to find talent for
rowing, handball, and volleyball. Women
over 180cm and men over 190cm are
invited to attend initial talent schemes
and then if chosen are fast tracked on to
a programme for Olympic development.
Talent Identification in the UK
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WORLD CLASS PROGRAMME –
Potential elite athletes become part of
the Lottery funded World Class Pathway:
World Class Talent – identifies athletes with
potential.
World Class Development – assists talented
athletes who have competitive capabilities.
World Class Podium - supports athletes with
medal winning potential financially and with top
class facilities.
Talent Identification in East
Germany
East Germany was one of the first nations to
develop talent identification. It was a small
country with a population on 16 million but for
forty years was the forefront of international
sport.
 They decided to use sport and Olympic success
to gain international recognition.
 Talent Identification became an integral part of
school sport at primary level.
 This formed the first port of a state sponsored
elite sports programme where very child was
screened for potential by age 7.
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Talent Identification in East
Germany
From this the results were analysed by the
National Sports Federation and those
scoring well attended a local training centre.
 If they made progress at 10 years old they
were transferred to a boarding school so
that more time could be devoted to training.
 These schools were linked to elite clubs and
followed a punishing regime. Essentially six
hours of sport to two hours of academic for
six days a week.
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Talent Identification in East
Germany
Elite performers were based at high
performance centres or sports institutes.
 After boarding school they undertook full
time preparation at one of the eight
national centres with top class facilities,
sport science and technical support.
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Talent Identification in Australia
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Following Australia’s disappointing performance in
the 1976 Olympics the government reviewed the
elite sports system.
The outcome was to put a central focus on
identifying and nurturing the country’s sporting
talent.
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) opened in
1981.
It offers scholarships to over 600 athletes in 32
sports and employs 75 full time coaches. It offers
first class facilities as well as sport science and
medical back up.
Talent Identification in Australia
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There are now seven satellite institutes in
each of the sate capitals.
Australia also developed the Sports Search –
Talent ID Programme. It developed a bank of
fitness and basic body measurements that
could be used to identify ‘best fit’ sports.
Between 1994 – 1996 they took this to
every Australian high school in a run up to
the 2000 Olympics.
Those identified were invited to specific
screening at an institute for sport
Research Questions
Find the talent pathway used in your
sport.
 What other programmes does the UK
use for talent identification?
 What legacy has the East German elite
sport system had on the UK?
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